The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-13
A Woman Senior Wranrler.

The announcement that Miss PHIL1PPA
FAwCETT, daughter Of the late Postmaster
General, has been bracketed above the
Senior Wrangler In the mathematical tripos
at the University Of Cambridge is singularly
interesting to those who appreciate the sig
nihcance of the honor thus attained The
achievement Of this particular distinction by
a young woman would almost make DR..
WHEwELL turn over In his grave; and it IN
questonably leaves those who attribute
specific character, involving specific weak
ness, to the feminine brain, without leg to
stand on. 1t begins to look as II all that
woman's intellect has needed has been train
ing and opportunity, and as II. OF the problem
Of woman's cerebral capacity, we might say
that solvit,tr eundo, 1t Is solved by her going
to the head. Now thai Miss FAwoETT has
outstripped the Senior Wrangler by, we are
told, no fewer than 400 marks. TENNYsoN's
Princess" with its patronizing chatter
about sweet girl graduates with their gold
en- hair" seems to be out OF date. In spite
Of tho grievous physiological Disqualified
tions under which, according to the late Dr.
CLARKE OF Boston, the female student labors,
she has beaten the sturdiest masculine toiler
in Cambridge out Of his boots.
1t Is well known that at the University OF
Cambridge young women have for some
years had precisely the same opportunities
of instruction which are open to young men,
Whether, moreover. they are content simply
to pass, or prefer to go In for honors they
are subjected to precisely the same ex-
aminations as their fellow undergraduates
Of the rougher sex The university has, to be
sure, as yet withheld degrees from them, but
1t has given them an equivalent proof of aca-
demical desert by bracketing their names op-
posite those of masculine students whose
proficiency, as tested by the marks OF the
examiners, is on level with their own. 1t
was in the classical trlpos that young
women first demonstrated their competence
to compete with young men. They soon
obtained credltable rank In the second class,
and before long places Of eminence In the first
class in classics. 1t was. meanwhile, deemed
doubtful on priori grounds. whether they
would be equally successful In the mathe-
NAUTICAL tripos, which attracts the strongest
intellects among Cambridge men, and dis
tinction In which constitutes the most
coveted honor in the gift OF the university.
AS matter OF fact, however, young women
were presently observed to figure among
the junior optlmes. next among the senior
opt1mes, then one OF them was ranked
with the eighth wrangler, and now Miss
FAwoErT has distanced all the mathemati-
clans OF her year. male and female, by gain |
Ing hundreds OF marks more than the man |
who holds the unique and paramount posi- |
tion Of Senior Wrangler.
Without reviewing the memorable contro- |
Versy between Sir WILLIAM HAMILTON and |
Dr.. WHEwELL as to the relative usefulness
OF mathematics and the classics, considered |
rs an Intellectual gymnastlc. We may say |
without fear OF contradiction that the Senior |
Wranglership represents larger expendi- |
ture OF cerebral energy OF high order than |
any other academical honor conferred by
either OF the English universities. Compared
with o first class In classics, 1t involves a
minimum taxation Of the memory and
maximum exertion OF the master faculties
OF concentration and analysis. These are,
VIC need not say. the faculties to which
we are indebted for the great advances
OF tho human race on the ratiocinatiye
as distinguished from the ethical and ar
tisdo side. We may also say OF these
faculties OF concentration and analysis that
they were least called into exercise by the |
shallow subjects and careless methods OF In |
struchon which made up the system OF fe- |
male education up to about thirty years ago. |
Having done our best to discourage the do
velopment OF such faculties In tho female
mind during the plastic and decisive years
nrecediDg the. age OF twenty, We naturally