WOMEN & EDUCATION
“In 1837, Oberlin College in Ohio was the first to admit to higher education, women and men of all races. Oberlin students were required to work, as well as, study. One could speculate that one reason Oberlin admitted women was that they would take care of domestic chores for the males, who worked on the college farm. In the early Republic, white women’s education focused on preparing females to be beacons of enlightened morality for the families and better companions for their husbands. In addition, many women were trained to be teachers, as well as caretakers, such as nurses and social workers. Well into the twentieth century, girls were raised and women were more formally educated to do the unpaid or underpaid work that boys and men did not think they should do.”