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"Relative Number of Colored Students," 1899-1900

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The following table was prepared with care at the request of the National Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C.


Number of Students

                White                       Colored                       Total
Men Women Men Women Men Women
College 181 223 9 4 190 227
Seminary 37 2 1 0 38 1
Academy 188 133 10 6 198 139
Conservatory 71 378 3 4 74 382
Art 6 18 2 1 8 19
Physical Training 0 6 0 0 16 24
Summer School, 1899 16 24 0 0 16 24
Totals 499 784 25 15 524 799

From this it will be seen that the colored students comprised 40 out of 1323, or 3.02% of the total enrollment of last year. This percentage is smaller than during the early years of the College history. In President Fairchild's report issued in April, 1880, the following statement appears, "In the last catalogue (1879-80) the proportion of colored students is 5 1/3 per cent. This is exactly the ratio for the decade preceding the war. For the decade following the Civil War it was about 8 per cent." The diminishing ratio of recent years is probably accounted for by the gradual opening of all schools to colored students. Colored students find it possible to attend good colleges and universities today, where in former years it would not have been possible to matriculate, - schools nearer the students' homes, by attending which a considerable saving of money is effected. Oberlin rejoices in the increasing educational opportunities open to colored students of this country, and takes just pride in looking back upon the contributions which Oberlin College has been able to make to this great work.

The foregoing is from the Annual Report of the President, March, 1901, Page 78.

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