196 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



tors, Mr. and Mrs. Oilman, and Professor and Mrs. Green- 

 ough. They made further nominations for the committee 

 of ladies and proposed among other names those of Mrs. 

 Louis Agassiz, Miss Lilian Horsford (Mrs. William G. 

 Farlow), and Mrs. Josiah B. Cooke, the wife of the emi- 

 nent professor of chemistry in Harvard University. "The 

 grade of instruction to be given was discussed, and it was 

 agreed that it should be equivalent to that of a Harvard 

 course; a certificate to be given at its end. Professor Green- 

 ough and Mr. Gilman were appointed to frame a circular 

 announcing the formation of the committee and its plan." 



The next item of interest here is dated February 4, and 

 records a meeting at which *'Mrs. Louis Agassiz was again 

 discussed and Mrs. Cooke appointed to invite her to join 

 the Committee." Two days later Mr. Gilman notes that 

 Mrs. Agassiz had accepted the place on the committee, and 

 that he had sent the following letter to President Eliot, 

 which speaks for itself. 



TO PRESIDENT CHARLES W. ELIOT 



February 6, 1879 



Dear Sir: I hand you herewith a copy of a cir- 

 cular that is to be put into the hands of those inter- 

 ested, in accordance with the plan that I laid before 

 you in my note of December 23rd. 



The circular has been worded with care to avoid 

 two possible misconceptions: (1) that the plan in any 

 way savors or tends to coeducation, and (2) that 

 Harvard College is in any w^ay responsible for it. 



The ladies are all opposed to coeducation and are 

 earnestly in favor of the present movement. 



