The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-10 00:00:00

CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXA.4.IIINA7 lON.

Though the establishment of University local
examinations for girls was attended with consider-
able difficulty, owing to circumstances which we
shall presently indicate, the success which has
already attended them throughout England is suffi-
ciently encouraging to give their promoters in-
centive to extend the beneficial influences of this
admirable movement. Many were at first de-
terred from allowing their children to enter
for these examinations lest the class of competi-
tors with whom they would have to associate
should not be respectable, and the fear of over-
work has also conduced to prevent many from
presmting themselres at the competitions. In-
deed, the novelty of the experinent was not with-
out its influence in retarding the, progress of the
scheme, but now that that novelty is wearing off

there are indicati ms that these examinations will I I
shortly meet with a more general appreciation from l
those for whose advantage they have been instituted.
During the competitions which have recently ter-
minated 232 candidates presented themselves at
the various centres appointed—namely, Loudon,
Bristol, York, Cambridge, Brighton, Manchester,
Wolverhampton, Norwich, Reading, Cannock, and
Leeds. In London the number of competitors
was in excess of that of last year, and although
62 may seem to constitute au indifferent list, it
must be remembered that but very little time has
elapsed since the inauguration of the movement.
The examinations in London were held at the'
Architectural Museum, Conduit-street, Regent-
street, and the arrangement4made for the conduct of
the necessary business were admirable in every par-
ticular. In the room in which the examination took
place there were present two ladies, two members
of the local committee, and the examiner, who was
a married Fellow of the College, and every pro-
vision was made for the comfort of the candidates.
The examination continued for six days, but as
each of those who presented themselves was required
to take up only a certain number of subjects, every
one had au interval of rest during the week.., Some
subjects were compulsory, add deficiency in these
made the failure of any candidate inevitable. The
compulsory subjects were arithmetic, English com-
position, history, geography, and English gram-
mar. The optional subjects were various, but
those generally chosen were the Scriptures, French,
and drawing. Here it may be necessary to state,
for the proper understanding of the subject,
that there were two classes of candidates, one con-
sisting of young ladies under 16 years of age, and
the other of those between 16 and 18. In the
senior class two competitors were examined in Latin,
one in Greek, three in German, three in algebra,
three in Euclid, two in trignometry and conic
sections, two in mechanics, and three in political
economy. In the junior class five were exa-
mined in German, two in pure mathematics,
eleven in zoology, three in botany, and six in
music. With regard to the examination in Euclid,
it may be interesting to state that the examiner has
observed that the girls who sent in papers on that
subject seemed to be able to distinguish with far
more logical acumen between the essential and
formal portions of a proof than any of the boys who
had entered in similar competitions. It may be
added that this gentleman is the examiner in Euclid
for the whole of England. The necessary subjects
are manifestly suited to all, and the same papers
are used as the tests of proficiency throughout all
the centres we have enumerated. The utmost deli-
cacy is observed in the conduct of these examina-
tions. Publicity is entirely avoided, for in the Uni-
versity report neither the names of the successful nor
unsuccessful competitors appear. They are repre-
sented by the numbers which are allotted to the can-
didates previous to examination. To those who wish
to obtain a true test of the capabilities of girls, the
University local examinations form an admirable
criterion, inasmuch as but little reliance can be
placed in the results of examinations in private
schools. All information regarding the University
local examinations for girls can be obtained at 17,
Cunningham-square, St. John's-wood, from Miss
Davies, to whom the success of these competitions
hitherto may be in a great degree attributed.