Magic Died When Art and Science Split

1   Two hundred years ago girls were encouraged to study science, while boys were pushed toward classical languages.

In college, Charles Darwin studied to become a priest, not a biologist. He did not have much choice. When he was a student, Cambridge University did not offer degrees in biology (or any other science). Although extracurricular lectures were available, the scientific subjects that interested Darwin were not highly valued.

In his , Darwin remembered that his family and teachers had considered him a “naughty boy” because he spent his time collecting beetles, doing home—and more formal training in the sciences—than Darwin. Like most Massachusetts girls who went to high school in the 1800s, she was strongly encouraged to study geology, chemistry, astronomy, and botany in school. These subjects were considered ladylike. Studying the natural world seemed safe because people imagined nature as a very stable, orderly system designed by God. Another reason science was a good subject for girls was because it was unlikely to lead to professional work. Latin was necessary for a professional career, but science was not. There were few paying jobs in the sciences. Instead, these pursuits were usually unpaid hobbies for passionate amateurs who had plenty of leisure time.