umerical superiority in the Netherlands, it is
much less difficult for them to find non-domestic employment than it is
for the German women, for instance. The Netherlands has large colonies and
therefore a good market for its male workers. The educated Dutchman is
kindly disposed toward the woman's rights movement, and in the educated
circles the wife really enjoys rights equal to those of the husband, which
is less frequently the case among the lower classes. The marriage laws are
based on the Code Napoleon, which, however, was considerably altered in
1838. The guardianship of the husband over the wife still prevails.
According to paragraph 160 of the Civil Code the husband controls the
personal property that the wife acquires; but he administers her real
estate only with the wife's consent. According to paragraph 163 of the
Civil Code the wife cannot give away, sell, mortgage, or acquire anything
independently. She can do those things only with her husband's written
consent. No marriage contract can annul _this_ requirement; but the wife
can stipulate the independent control of her income. According to
paragraph 1637 of the Civil Code the wife is permitted to control for _the
benefit of the family_ the money that she earns while fulfilling a labor
contract. Affiliation cases, it is true, are recognized by law, but under
considerable restrictions.

The first sign of the woman's rights movement manifested itself in the
Netherlands in 1846. At that time a woman appeared in public for the first
time as a speaker. She was the Countess Mahrenholtz-Buelow, who introduced
kindergartens (_Froebelsystem_) into the Netherlands.

In 1857 elementary education was made compulsory in the Netherlands. At
that time this instruction was free, undenominational, and under the
control of the state; but in 1889 it was partly given over into
denominational and private hands. The secondary schools for girls are
partly municipal, partly private. Most of the elementary schools are
coeducational; in the secondary schools the sexes are segregated; in the
higher institutions of learning coeducation prevails, the right of girls
to attend being granted as a matter of course. Girls were admitted to the
high schools also without any opposition. These measures were due to
Minister Thorbecke. Thirty years ago the first woman registered at the
University of Leyden. Women study and are granted degrees in all
departments of the universities of Leyden, Utr