Address to the First Graduating Class of Rutgers Female College

In Short

This address marks the inaugural commencement of Rutgers Female College in 1867. Through a blend of theological argument and pedagogical theory, the college president, Henry M. Pierce, defends the necessity of a rigorous liberal education for women. He rejects the notion of female inferiority, framing the education of women not merely as a matter of personal development, but as a critical safeguard for the unity of the family and the stability of the nation. The work persists as a significant artifact of the mid-Victorian debate over women’s roles in public and private life.

The Story

The address opens by situating the college within the broader landscape of American progress, tracing its evolution from the Rutgers Female Institute, founded in 1839, to its status as a degree-granting college by 1867. Pierce acknowledges that the status of women is the leading question of the day, and he declares his intention to address it without compromise. He posits a foundational argument: if women are created equal to men, their education must be as comprehensive as that offered to men. He dismisses the idea of female inferiority as an error belonging to the "Dark Ages," arguing instead that God intended for women to possess an equal place alongside men, a position he believes is definitively established by the teachings of Christ.

Moving from philosophy to practice, Pierce examines the nature of a liberal education. He critiques the traditional college curriculum for its over-reliance on ancient Greek and Latin, advocating instead for the inclusion of modern science and the study of human nature. He contends that this broad training, intended to strengthen the reasoning powers and enlarge the mind, is as vital for a woman as it is for a man. He rejects the "barbarian" view of women as toys or slaves, insisting that a truly civilized society rests upon the equality of the sexes.

However, the argument takes a turn toward the conservative when Pierce shifts his focus to the preservation of the family. He views the family as a divine, sovereign institution that is currently under threat. He specifically warns against legislative changes—such as laws granting women separate control of property—which he fears create a "diversity of interests" that could lead to the dissolution of marital unity. He views the rise in divorce rates and the encroachment of secular, individualistic laws as a crisis that could cause the nation’s civilization to vanish.

The address concludes by directing the graduating class toward the biblical "virtuous woman" of Proverbs as a model for modern life. He urges the students to combine their new intellectual training with the traditional virtues of industry, kindness of speech, and, above all, piety. He frames the Bible as the final, ultimate guide for their lives, warning that no worldly success can compensate for a life lived outside of these principles. He closes with a prayerful charge, encouraging the graduates to remember their Creator and to use their education to preserve the sacred oneness of the home, thereby fulfilling their divine purpose in a world that he sees as caught between progress and moral decay.

How It Unfolds

The historical context The author traces the institution's growth from a modest institute to a college, signaling a broader societal shift in the valuation of women's minds. He establishes his intent to address the equality of the sexes as the central, albeit contentious, issue of the era.

The theological argument The author dismisses the concept of female inferiority as an unchristian, outdated notion. He asserts that the teachings of Christ require a fundamental equality between husband and wife, leaving no room for the subordination of women in the eyes of God.

The critique of the curriculum The author evaluates the standard college model, calling it an archaic relic of a time when Latin was the only academic language. He calls for a transition toward modern sciences and "the classics of Nature" as a more relevant preparation for contemporary life.

The preservation of the family The author pivots to the dangers of individualism, expressing deep anxiety over legal trends that grant women independent property rights. He fears that these shifts threaten the "oneness" of the marriage contract and risk tearing the social fabric apart.

The final charge The author concludes by holding up the Proverbs 31 woman as the ultimate archetype for his students. He implores them to use their intellect to serve God, emphasizing that their education is a tool for maintaining domestic and moral order.

The People

Henry M. Pierce, the president of the college, acts as the primary voice of the work. He is a man of his time, holding deep-seated religious convictions while simultaneously pushing for radical changes in female education. He wants his students to be intellectually formidable, yet he fears that if they attain too much independence, they will destroy the domestic structures he cherishes.

The "First Graduating Class" serves as the silent, collective audience. They are the representatives of a new era of women who have been granted access to a collegiate curriculum. Pierce views them as individuals with the potential for great intellectual growth, but he clearly expects them to wield that knowledge within the confines of traditional Christian marriage.

The "virtuous woman" of Proverbs appears as the secondary, idealized figure. She is the anchor of the address; to Pierce, she represents a perfect harmony of industry, wisdom, and piety. She is the standard against which the students are measured—a woman who is profoundly capable in the world of work and household management, yet whose heart remains entirely submissive to divine law.

In Its Own Voice

"Underlying the question of the education of woman, is the question of her equality with man; for if woman be inferior to man, so should be her education."

Pierce defines the core logic behind his push for collegiate standards, arguing that intellectual equality is the only logical precursor to equal educational opportunity.

"It is the most vulgar of all vulgar errors, that a lady is a person who does nothing."

Addressing the graduates, the author dismantles the aristocratic ideal of the idle woman, insisting that industry is a requirement for a meaningful life.

What It's Really About

The book explores the uneasy tension between the Enlightenment promise of intellectual equality and the Victorian imperative for domestic stability. Pierce’s argument is that women require the same rigorous, scientific, and classical training as men, not to compete with them in the public sphere, but to become better, more capable partners and mothers. The work grapples with the anxiety of a society in flux, where the "old" ways are crumbling under the weight of new laws and changing social customs. It asks whether a civilization can modernize its intellectual standards without discarding the religious foundations—specifically the "oneness" of the family—that the author believes hold it together. It is an argument for progress that is perpetually looking over its shoulder.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of feminism and education will find this text fascinating for its contradictory nature. It is a document that promotes an advanced, liberal education for women while simultaneously warning those same women against the dangers of legal and personal independence. The writing is formal, sermon-like, and deeply rooted in the theological language of the 1860s, which may prove challenging to those unaccustomed to the rhetoric of the era. However, the author’s precision in articulating the "woman question" provides a clear window into the anxieties of the 19th-century intellectual class.

You will find the book compelling if you enjoy observing how historical figures navigated the transition from traditional, patriarchal structures to modern, egalitarian ideals. It is not a manifesto for liberation, but rather a document of institutional evolution. What stays with you is the author's desperate attempt to reconcile his belief in the intellectual potential of women with his conviction that their ultimate duty remains the preservation of the home. It is a sobering look at how "equality" was often framed in the past—as an improvement of the individual that was expected to function within a strict, predefined set of social and religious boundaries.