Member-only story

The Struggle for Coeducation: The William Bowen Story

Zachary Cox

·3k Followers· Follow

Published in Keep The Damned Women Out : The Struggle For Coeducation (The William G Bowen 102)

3 min read · 2 weeks before

185 View Claps

16 Respond

Save

Listen

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States was a deeply segregated society. Women were denied the right to vote, own property, or attend college. But a small group of reformers were working to change that. One of those reformers was William Bowen.

Keep the Damned Women Out : The Struggle for Coeducation (The William G Bowen 102)

"Keep the Damned Women Out": The Struggle for Coeducation (The William G. Bowen Book 102)

by Conor McPherson

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	7220 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	673 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

Bowen was born in 1831 in Providence, Rhode Island. He was a brilliant student, and he graduated from Brown University in 1852. After graduation, Bowen studied law and became a successful lawyer. He also served in the Rhode Island legislature and as mayor of Providence.

In 1891, Bowen was elected president of Brown University. At the time, Brown was a men's college. But Bowen believed that women should have the same opportunities as men. He began to work towards making Brown a coeducational institution.

Bowen's efforts were met with resistance from some members of the Brown community. They argued that women were not capable of handling the rigors of a college education. They also worried that admitting women would lower the academic standards of the university.

But Bowen refused to be swayed. He believed that women were just as capable as men of succeeding in college. He also believed that coeducation would benefit both men and women. It would give men the opportunity to learn from women, and it would give women the opportunity to pursue their intellectual interests.

In 1897, Bowen's efforts paid off. Brown University became the first Ivy League school to admit women. The decision was a controversial one, but it was a major victory for the cause of coeducation.

Bowen's legacy is still felt at Brown University today. The university is now a thriving coeducational institution, and women are well-represented in all areas of campus life.

The story of William Bowen is a reminder that progress is often hard-fought. But it is also a story of hope. It shows that even the most entrenched institutions can be changed for the better.