The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-04
Women at Oxford.

| constitutes the only sure road to the supreme
levels Of taste. Of insight, and Of thought
|
Women at Oxford.
The vote In Couvocation by which on Tues
day last the University Of Oxford decided to
admit women TO the honor examinations IL an
important and probably decisive victory for
| the advocates OF coeducation In England. It
does not imply consent TO bestow on female
students university degrees. for TO this there
is, as we shall see, special objection: but the
maln stronghold OF conservatism has been
shaken, and II 10 improbable that minor and
collateral concessions will be long deferred.
| It Is now nineteen years since the first
move was made toward opening TO young
women the educational opportunities pro-
vided for young men In the United Kingdom.
In 1865 girls were admitted to the Cambridge
local examinations, and the example was
soon followed by Oxford. This was but
modest 9aiD, however. for the aim OF these
examinations was simply to expand and ele-
vate intermediate or middle-class instruction
by supplying common standard Of OF.
cellence and an authentic test OF at
tainment. Measures looking to the higher
education Of women were next mooted,
and the first effective step In this direction
was taken In 1859. by founding the institution,
organized In all respects like one OF the Cam
bridge colleges, and prohting by the services
| OF Cambridge tutors, which since 1873 has
| been known as Girton College. In 1871 and
| 1873 two additional houses were opened at
Cambridge for the reception Of female stu
dents, but these. under the name OF Ncwnham
College. were subsequently amagamated
Although up to 1881 the university
authorities did not officially recognize
the existence Of these establishments,
the young women who matriculated at Cir
ton and Newman were tested by the same
papers and under the same conditions which
were imposed upon undergraduates, both as
regards the preliminary inquisltion for
admission and the final examinations for
degrees with or without honors. A simllar In.
| formal recognition has hitherto been the
utmost that female students could obtain
| from Oxford, where two resident colleges,
Somerville Hall and the Lady Margaret's
Hall, have been founded for female students
But why, 1t was asked, should a woman
| whose attachments are acknowledged to be
such as would place her, II o man, In the
| first class, be denied I'm official declaration
OF that fact =? Why should she be put off
with . certificate about which the CON-
munity at large knows nothing. instead OF
receiving q regular degree with whatever
| credentials and privileges it implies This
| unanswerable question was evaded by the
University OF st. Andrews. which, while ad-
| hitting female students to the examination
| In arts, conferred on the successful candi-
dates the degree. not OF Bachelor, but Of
Licentiate In Arts. But IL was sQuarely met
by the University OF London, which In 1873
resolved that all its degrees should be open
to women. Ono right, however, attaching to
degrees was still reserved, and 1t was not
until 1882 that female graduates Of London
University were empowered to vote in Con-
vocation. 1t is true that this institution
merely furnishes the machinery for exami-
nation. and itself possesses no appliances
for instruction, but two Of its ancillary
establishments have taken caro- that
the privileges conferred on women should
not prove barren. Since 1878 University
College. London, has admitted girls to ell its
lectures. though In the junior classes the
sexes are kept separate, and about the same
time Kings College, London. established
separate classes for women In all the subjects
taught. The Importance OF such tuitionsl
services may be exemplifled by the casa of
Durham University. which in 1881 threw
open its examinations and first degree in
arts to women, hut, rs no place OF residence
or means Of instruction were provided. the
concession was practically valueless.
It was not until February, 1881, and then
only under strong pressure from It's moet in
huential resident members, that the Universe.
ty OF Cambridge consented to formally admit
the students OF Girton and Newphau Col
leges to Its Eipos examinations. Three
years have been required to extort tho same
measure OF otiicial cognizance from the even
more conservative Oxford. In both cases,
1t will DO noticed. women are still excud-
ed from the ordinary "pass" examine
ton, and are still refused degrees. The
resistance to tho bestowal Of degrees comes
mainly from those who oppose the extension
OF the Parliamentary suffrage to women.
Should girl graduate acquire In due course
a Masters diploma, she would be qualified
to vote In Convocation, and tn the discharge
OF that function she might claim to partici-
pate in the election Of the two members Of
Parliament representing the university. An
escape was sought from this diniculty by
the University OF London through pro-
vision excepting the right to vote for
members OF Parliament from tho privileges
enjoyed by its female graduates In Convoca-
ton. But the discussion provoked by this
unreasonable attempt Mt discrimination will
probably lead to the bestowal by statute OF
the Parliamentary suffrage on all those
women, at all events, who have proved by
the attainment Of academical honors their
competence to exercise all the powers and
franchises pertaining to university degrees.
The Connecticut River Dam Case.
"A novel question has lately been decided
by the Circuit Court Of the United States
for the District Of Connecticut, In the case OF
the Holyoke Water Power Company against
tho Connecticut River Company.
The defendants maintain dam at Enfield
in Connecticut. The Legislature Of that