its students. Several ladies have graduated from its Law School, two of whom were colored; but I understand that the male students are nearly, if not all, colored men. The first woman student in this school was Mrs. Charlotte E. Ray, colored, who gradu ated in 1872, and was admitted to the Su preme Court of the District, where she practised for a time, afterwards going to New York, where I have lost trace of her. I have been told that her admission to the bar was secured by a clever ruse, her name being sent in with those of her classmates, as C. E. Ray, and that she was thus ad mitted, although there was some commo tion when it was discovered that one of the applicants was a woman. In 1880 the names of four women were enrolled as students of this school, all of whom graduated in due time. One of these, Mrs. Louise V. Bryant, of Washington, I have not heard from; Mrs. M. A. S. Carey, a widow, colored, graduated in 1883, took her diploma as attorney at law, and has been practising four years in Wash ington. This lady writes me that she took a course in this same school at an earlier date, being enrolled as a student in Septem ber, 1869, — the first woman to enter the school, — but that she was then refused grad uation on account of her sex. Mrs. Ruth G. D. Havens, also of Washington, graduated in 1883, but did not seek admission to the bar owing to illness. She has an appoint ment in the Treasury Department, but in tends to be admitted and practise later on. Miss Emma M. Gillett, of Washington, also graduated the same year, was admitted to the bar and has been in active practice ever since, with, I am told, an unusual degree of success. Her work has been principally in office lines, — the drawing of papers, taking testimony in equity causes, and probate busi ness, together with a large amount of nota rial and some financial work. Mrs. Eliza A. Chambers entered the same law school about five years ago, completed the full three years' course, took both diplomas which are earned thereby, and was then admitted to the bar.
She writes me, however, that the Law School faculty refused to hand in her name to the examiners, for admission to practice, omit ting her from the list of her male classmates whom they recommended, simply because she was a woman. She has been in practice since her admission, giving special attention to matters in equity, with patents, pensions, and land claims. The statements of Mrs. Carey and Mrs. Chambers concerning the discrimination made against them on account of sex is in direct contradiction to the claim of the school that no such distinction was ever made there; but I feel that the statements should be given to the public just as they were given to me. Mrs. Havens, already referred to, speaks in the highest terms of the school and its faculty. Mrs Carrie B. Kilgore, of Philadelphia, was one of the first women in the country to ask for admission to the bar, and one of the last to gain it. Her struggles for recog nition as a lawyer began in 1870, when she was registered as a student. In 1872 she was ready for admission; being refused, she applied for a writ of mandamus, but this was also refused. She sued the Board of Ex aminers, tried to get the Legislature to pass a law admitting women, sought admission repeatedly in the different courts, and at last in 1883 was admitted to the Orphans' Court, in 1884 to one of the Courts of Common Pleas, and finally in 1886 to the Supreme Court, which last admission compelled all the other courts of the State to recognize her. At first, when studying, she was refused ad mission to the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania, but ten years later she secured admission and graduated with her degree in 1883; and now this law school is open to women, and the Dean in his letter writes with apparent appreciation of Mrs. Kilgore as its only woman graduate. Ever since her admission she has been in active general practice. Nearly two years ago she lost her husband, in whose office she had studied and worked, and she was able to
