Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, March 19, 1887

Dearest Mary, I enclose RichardGÇÖs letter. I asked him whether it would it would not be possible for him to abstain from any positive statement of his opinions until he had heard my arguments at length. You see from his answer that the matter seems to be urgent. I will write to him so that he will receive the letter on Monday morning. Could you not send for him to call on you and talk it over? My letter will do so little good because I do not understand the exact conditions. The weak point in his argument is of course no objection to the instructors of the womanGÇÖs medical college arranging their order students into squads of four or five and making that part of the GÇ£requiredGÇ¥ work of the course; but this wholly different from the FacultyGÇÖs basing their action (as Richard certainly does privately) upon the principle that medical co-education is to be discouraged. It is moreover very desirable that an advanced woman student, or a young woman physician practicing in Baltimore should have the privilege of attending any specially interesting clinic. The men are immensely in the majority, they have not only the most noted instructors but all the best operations and critical cases will be saved for the professors and students of the Maryland time. To these operations women might be admitted by special request addressed to the professor, who by the terms of the grant GÇ£the same privilegesGÇ¥ would feel morally bound not to take such a position-- and I shall tell Richard so, with more emphasis than you might perhaps feel like using; but it would do a great deal of good if you would talk to him too. One cares so much about it because their position will certainly affect the Johns Hopkins question. Thanks for the books, you should not have taken the trouble to express them but I will take pattern and mail you your pen. Please write us word so that we may receive it Monday whether we may, or whether you will, write to Mrs. Ordway or Miss Conro. Letus try them first; hear what Miss OGÇÖGrady says about them! Mamie refuses to let me answer Miss DaviesGÇÖ note; we stand one to one; but I supposed it was decided that we were to make every effort to find someone else. I do not regard Miss Andrews deserve to give up the reading; it is nothing new. At Christmas she spoke very decidedly and I as decidedly, told her there was no help for it. We must, I think insist upon her keeping it. There is no news except that I had a fire in my flew and have had a wearisome series of people to luncheon-- three luncheons within one week. I got to the station just as the train was leaving and had a seperate rush for it, so much for the philanthropy and womenGÇÖs education as opposed to oneGÇÖs own private interests. To miss it would have meant getting into Philadelphia at one oGÇÖclock that night. Yours in haste, Minnie C. Th. Sunday - JuliaGÇÖs telegram read.