Education as a Factor in Civilization. 247 



of evolution discards the notion of a vital force to ac- 

 count for living phenomena. The substitution of continuity 

 of life and growth for special creation has naturally revo- 

 lutionized all that was formerly called science. Sir John 

 Lubbock is convinced that the civilization of a people is 

 measured by their progress in science, and, in its broadest 

 sense, philosophy must accept the fact. Wise and ex- 

 perienced men, lately appointed to inquire into the condi- 

 tion of education in England, agree that the universal 

 neglect of science is little less than a national misfortune, 

 and that the study must be adopted if England desires to 

 retain her position in the van of industrial nations. This 

 is no less true of all other countries. At present the 

 teaching of science, throughout the world, with the possi- 

 ble exception of Germany, is largely experimental, and 

 there will be no improvement in this respect until the 

 value of the study is definitely recognized. 



Epaminondas declared, "I rule the Thebans, and my 

 wife rules me ; thus you see who is the ruler of Thebes." 

 Two thousand years ago the great conqueror of Sparta 

 was wise enough in his generation to recognize and admit a 

 fact which the modern world has been slow to accept. It is 

 surprising, in view of her influence upon the world, that 

 woman's education has not always been the first concern of 

 the State, but the church alone distinguished itself by a 

 recognition of its necessity. When Pope suggested the 

 idea of a college for women it Avas ridiculed as the chimera 

 of an irresponsible mind. When, in this country, a little 

 over fifty years ago, Mrs. Emma Willard petitioned the I^ew 

 York State Legislature for aid in establishing schools 

 for the advanced education of women, she begged not to be 

 misunderstood concerning the limit of her desire, as "the 

 absurdity of sending girls to college must strike every 

 one." A vast amount of this absvirdity has been witnessed 

 since Yassar College opened its doors to women just twenty- 

 five years ago, and the Harvard Annex significant name 

 to-day offers to young women better advantages than young 

 men could command in any college in the country fifteen 

 years ago, an example of social and intellectual evolu- 

 tion moving on parallel lines. Women are to-day practis- 

 ing at the bar in sixteen States and three Territories ; 

 nearly two hundred pulpits are regularly occupied by women ; 

 six medical colleges exclusively for women, and thirty- 



