Overview:
This text, written by Christine Ladd Franklin in 1904, presents a compelling argument for the creation of endowed professorships specifically for women in higher education. She emphasizes the need to provide opportunities for women who have attained the highest level of scholarship, specifically those with a doctorate, to pursue research and teaching roles in universities. Franklin highlights the disparity in opportunities available to women compared to men with similar qualifications, and she calls for a shift in mindset to recognize women’s capabilities and potential contributions to academia.
Main Parts:
- Introduction: Franklin introduces the topic of endowed professorships for women, specifically advocating for “docentships,” which are modest positions that allow for both teaching and research.
- Historical Context: Franklin outlines the historical context of women’s access to higher education and points to the rapid growth in the number of women with doctorates.
- Disparity in Opportunities: Franklin discusses the discrepancies in opportunities for women and men with similar qualifications, particularly in the area of college professorships.
- The Need for Docentships: Franklin argues that women with doctorates are not finding adequate opportunities to utilize their skills and contribute to academia. She proposes the creation of “docentships” to address this issue.
- The Benefits of Docentships: Franklin explains how “docentships” would provide women with the opportunity for research, development, and advancement in their fields.
- Plan for Peripatetic Professorships: Franklin outlines her specific plan for creating “peripatetic professorships” where women with doctorates can hold positions at different universities while conducting research and teaching a limited course.
- Advantages of the Plan: Franklin details the benefits of her plan, emphasizing its potential to provide opportunities for women, contribute to academic advancement, and break down gender barriers in academia.
View on Life:
- Advocate for Women’s Rights: Franklin strongly believes in the equality of women and their right to opportunities in higher education. She argues that women are capable of making significant contributions to academia.
- Value of Research and Development: Franklin emphasizes the importance of providing opportunities for research and development in academic fields. She believes that research is crucial for the advancement of knowledge.
- Recognition of Achievements: Franklin calls for the recognition and appreciation of women’s intellectual contributions and achievements. She advocates for an equitable system where women are evaluated based on their merit and not on their gender.
Scenarios:
- Underemployment of Women with Doctorates: Franklin describes the scenario of women with doctorates being unable to find appropriate positions in academia.
- Limited Opportunities in Women’s Colleges: She points to the limited number of women’s colleges and the need for diverse faculty representation within them.
- The Rise of the “Peripatetic Professor”: Franklin outlines her proposal for the creation of “peripatetic professorships” where women could move between institutions to pursue research and teaching.
- Selection and Approval Process: Franklin describes the process for selecting and approving candidates for these “peripatetic professorships” and the university selection process.
Challenges:
- Prejudice and Bias: Franklin acknowledges the prejudice and bias women face in academia, arguing that women are not always given the same opportunities as men with similar qualifications.
- Limited Funding: She recognizes the financial limitations associated with creating new professorships, but believes that even small steps can have a significant impact.
Conflict:
- Gender Inequality in Academia: The text addresses the conflict between women’s desire for equitable opportunities in academia and the ongoing prejudice and bias they face.
- Balancing Research and Teaching: The conflict between pursuing research and fulfilling teaching responsibilities is mentioned. Franklin’s proposal for “peripatetic professorships” is designed to address this conflict.
Plot: The text presents an argumentative plot, with Franklin building her case for the creation of endowed professorships for women. The story arc follows a logical progression:
- Introduction of the Problem: Franklin highlights the disparity in opportunities for women in academia.
- Developing the Solution: She proposes the creation of “docentships” and “peripatetic professorships” as a solution to this problem.
- Explaining the Benefits: She details the advantages of her plan for women, universities, and the advancement of knowledge.
- Call to Action: Franklin encourages the Association of Collegiate Alumnae to take action and implement her proposal.
Point of View: The text is written from the point of view of Christine Ladd Franklin, a woman with a doctorate and a strong advocate for women’s rights in higher education. Her perspective is informed by her own experiences and observations of the inequalities faced by women in academia.
How It’s Written: Franklin’s writing style is persuasive and direct. She uses a formal tone and employs logical arguments to support her claims. She effectively uses historical context, statistical data, and compelling examples to strengthen her case. An example of this is her mention of Madame Curie’s discovery of radium, which she uses to challenge the notion that women cannot make significant contributions to science.
Tone: The tone of the text is passionate and persuasive. Franklin conveys a sense of urgency and a commitment to achieving equality for women in academia. She expresses frustration at the lack of opportunities for women with doctorates and a strong belief in their potential to make important contributions to their fields.
Life Choices:
- Pursuing a Doctorate: Franklin highlights the choice women make to pursue higher education, specifically a doctorate, which is a challenging and demanding path.
- Entering Academia: The text implicitly addresses the choice women make to pursue a career in academia, which can be a challenging and rewarding path.
- Prioritizing Research: Franklin’s proposal emphasizes the importance of giving women the opportunity to prioritize their research alongside teaching.
Lessons:
- Importance of Equality: The text emphasizes the importance of gender equality and providing women with the same opportunities as men in all fields, including academia.
- Value of Research: The text highlights the importance of research and development in advancing knowledge and contributing to society.
- Breaking Down Barriers: Franklin’s call to action emphasizes the need to challenge and break down barriers that prevent women from achieving their full potential.
Characters:
- Christine Ladd Franklin: A highly educated woman with a doctorate, passionate about women’s rights in academia. She is the author of the text and the driving force behind the proposed changes.
- Women with Doctorates: Franklin represents this group as talented and deserving of opportunities in academia.
- Men in Academia: While not specifically named, this group is characterized as having greater opportunities than women, despite similar qualifications.
Themes:
- Gender Equality: The text explores the theme of gender equality, highlighting the need for women to have the same opportunities as men in higher education.
- Importance of Research: The text emphasizes the value of research and its role in the advancement of knowledge.
- Breaking Barriers: The text addresses the need to challenge and break down the barriers that prevent women from achieving their full potential.
Principles:
- Merit-Based Recognition: Franklin emphasizes the principle of merit-based recognition, arguing that women should be evaluated based on their qualifications and achievements, not their gender.
- Equal Access to Opportunities: The text upholds the principle of equal access to opportunities, arguing that women should have the same access to education, research, and career advancement as men.
Intentions:
- Christine Ladd Franklin: Franklin intends to advocate for women’s rights in academia and to encourage the implementation of her proposal for endowed professorships.
- Reader: The text intends to inform, persuade, and inspire the reader to support the cause of gender equality in academia.
Unique Vocabulary:
- Docentship: A modest position in a university that allows for both teaching and research.
- Peripatetic Professorship: A position that can be held at different universities, allowing for flexibility in research and teaching.
- Rara Avis: A rare bird, used to describe the scarcity of women with doctorates at the time.
Anecdotes:
- The Lewis Palimpsest: Franklin recounts the story of Mrs. Lewis, a woman who discovered and photographed the earliest copy of a Gospel. This anecdote highlights women’s capabilities in research and scholarship.
Ideas:
- Endowed Professorships: Franklin proposes the creation of endowed professorships specifically for women, to address the lack of opportunities for women with doctorates.
- “Peripatetic Professorships”: She proposes the creation of positions that allow women to hold professorships at different universities, facilitating research and teaching.
- Challenging Gender Bias: The text puts forth the idea of challenging and dismantling the gender bias that exists in academia.
Facts and Findings:
- The number of women with doctorates: Franklin cites the number of women who have earned doctorates from American institutions, showcasing the growing number of highly qualified women.
- Underrepresentation of women in professorships: She points to the underrepresentation of women in college professorships, highlighting the discrepancy in opportunities.
Statistics:
- 10% of Barnard College graduates are teaching in colleges: This statistic highlights the limited number of college positions available to women.
- 255 women hold a doctorate from an American institution: This statistic emphasizes the growing number of women with the highest level of scholarship.
Points of view: The text is written from a feminist perspective, advocating for women’s rights and opportunities in academia. This perspective shapes the arguments and proposals presented in the text.
Perspective: The text shares the perspective of a woman with a doctorate who is advocating for change in academia. It provides insight into the challenges women faced in pursuing careers in higher education at the beginning of the 20th century.