In her essay "The Educated Woman in Domestic Life," Carolyn Baer Eppley argued that women must be college educated so as to better fulfill their roles as wives, mothers, and citizens. She contended that women need to be educated in order to better instruct their children, encourage their husband's thinking, contribute to society, and maintain strong relationships with their spouses.
Joseph Alexander Bennett (Class of 1894), wrote his commencement oration on the subject of co-education. He argues that instead of helping society, coeducation degrades it.
In her 1905 oration "Dickinson's New Era," Florence Hensel Bursk argues for improved conditions for female students at Dickinson College. Following the Denny Hall fire of 1905, alumnea and friends of the college began donating to the restoration of the hall and the overall insitution. Bursk asserted that such contributions engendered the "birth of a new era" at Dickinson College. Despite the great strides being made by Dickinson during this period, Bursk argued that conditions for female students were lacking.
This oration analyzes whether or not women should be permitted to study and practice law. Low argues that since procured positions within the medical field, philanthropic organizations, newspapers and academia, "humanity has been lifted up during the period in which she has been permitted to play her legitimate part in the drama of human life." However, she argues that woman's work is not done and that women must continue to fight for equal acess as men will not freely give up their power within closed professions, particularly the law.