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>state schools

I got into it with a boomer on this. The usual "i worked through school and didn't need no loans!" bit. In 1975 the annual tuition at my state university was like $1,100. Full time at minimum wage back then was around $4,000/yr. It was entirely possible to work during the summer, and part time during classes, and cover everything. Now the same school is close to $35,000/yr with room and board. Full time at $15/hr (twice minimum wage) is $31,000/yr. It's not even close.

>There were no laws prohibiting women from getting credit. There never was.

That is correct. But it was always lenders' policy not to lend money to people with no income and no means of repaying the loan. When my parents were married in the 60s (they divorced in '72), my mother had no income and was not considered a good loan risk because all of the money was earned by my father. They were trying to ensure my mother wasn't trying to borrow money without his knowledge that he'd be responsible for repaying. This was the correct thing to do, even in a community property state.

How long ago was that $3k figure? Because as recently as 2007 I paid about that per year at a state school (~$1500 per semester just for tuition, plus books and optional parking pass)

And privilege afforded only to women

Not true, in Canada at least. In fact, any amount of her loan you pay down counts against any savings you would have to pay her. If you save the same amount you pay the loan down, you can leave with savings while she still has the rest of the loan and no savings.