THREE DECADES OF COLLEGE WOMEN. 353 



one other fact remains to complete this record of vital statistics. In 

 the first decade 63 members, or 19.19 per cent., have died. Of this 

 number 36 were married and 27 unmarried, a ratio of four to three. 

 This might indicate that matrimony is slightly unfavorable to lon- 

 gevity, as the ratio of those marrying to those not marrying is 14 to 

 11. But this impression is corrected in the following decades. 



In the second decade the number deceased is 39, or 10.31 per cent. 

 Of these 16 were married and 23 unmarried, a ratio of about two to 

 three. As the number of married and single women in this decade is 

 about equal, the death rate is decidedly in favor of the married. In 

 the last decade 16, or 2.66 per cent., have died, four of them married, 

 making the rate one to three, whereas the marrying rate is about seven 

 to 18. This again shows a small balance in favor of the married. 

 The whole number of the graduates who have died is 118, or 9.06 

 per cent. 



Next to matrimony the profession that claims the greatest number 

 of the alumnae of Vassar is teaching. In this schedule are included 

 all those who have recorded themselves as teaching, if only for a year. 

 This may give an exaggerated impression of the number following 

 teaching as an occupation; but I know of no way of establishing a 

 definite professional record for a woman, because all roads, sooner or 

 later, are likely to lead, if not to matrimony, to the domestic circle. 

 From my own observation I should say that probably two thirds of 

 every class at Vassar, immediately upon graduation, experiment more 

 or less with pupils. Members of school boards will probably say that 

 fully three thirds seek positions. My estimate may be more nearly 

 correct, however, and of this two thirds, I doubt if more than one 

 sixth, or one ninth of the whole, follow the profession for a considerable 

 length of time, say ten or fifteen years. 



Here are the records : In the first decade 128 of the 323, or 39.62 

 per cent, of the whole number, are recorded as teaching or having 

 taught. Out of this list 46, or more than one third, have married, 

 which in most cases, not all, has ended their public teaching. Several 

 have resumed or taken up teaching on the death of their husbands, 

 and sometimes when the husband is living. In the second decade there 

 are 154 teachers, or 40.70 per cent, of the whole number. In this list 

 59, or again more than one third, have married. In the last decade, 

 where we naturally expect to find the greatest number who have not 

 severed their connection with the school-room, there are 304 teachers, 

 or but 50.58 per cent, of the whole list, and even out of this half 52, 

 or 17.10 per cent., were married in 1900. 



A considerable number of these teachers have done advanced work. 

 In the first decade there are twenty professors, officers and instructors 

 in institutions belonging to the Association of Collegiate Alumna?, an 



vol. lxv. — 23. 



