Formal education for girls historically has been secondary to that for boys. In colonial America girls could attend schools for boys only when there was room, usually during the summer when most of the boys were working. By the end of the 19th century, however, the number of women students had increased greatly. Higher education particularly was broadened by the rise of women's colleges and the addmission of women to regular colleges and universities. In 1870 an estimated one fifth of resident college and university students were women. By 1900 the proportion had increased to more than one third. In 1985 about 53 percent of all college students were women, more than one quarter of whom were above age 29.
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