The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-12
FAWcETT Of NEWMAN.
She Triumphantly Carried on the
Highest Mathematical Honors
at Cambridge.
And In Consequence IL Now tho
Most Famous Woman In
England.
Methods and Manners Of the Young Lady
Notable Triunph of lille. Eleonora
Beloesca s

Miss Philippe Garrett Fawcett in the math-
snatioal tripos Of Cambridge. Gays the
New York Sun. Probably no one ever en-
tered contest with more complete control
of all her faculties and less nervous appre-
hension than did this woman, whose rivals
were Of the best metle, whose most formid-
able opponent was 90 distinguished q
mathematician that a formsr senior wran-
Rler ON hearing the result was heard to de
clare, "If she Ii senior to Bennett Bhs
would have been senior in any year." In
the achievement Of 60 important success
Miss Fawcett possessed the advantages Of
inherited intellectual power from both
parents, habit Of close attention
to study, an education Of the most thor
ough and advanced type, and, above all,
q wonderful deliberation and determine
ton Of character and unfalling good judy
ment and common sense in her habits of
study and living. She was not one of the
foolish virgins who indulge in the tradi-
tional vet towel and teapot treatment, or
their feverish anxiety until brain and nerves
are exhausted. Despite her keen desire to
succeed she never violated her rigid
habit of retiring at II and rising at 8
o'clock. About six hours day was her
usual allowance for study, but during those
six hours her work was conscientious and
freely into general and college society,
enjoyed plenty of exercise at her ia
vorite games of lawn tennis and hocky,
handled the foils with skill and ease born
of experience and admiration for the en-
counter, occasionally took 9 hand in the
and altogether disported herself in q
healthy, happy way, quite the reverse of
the typical prize winning grind. When
some one asked her at the approach of the
contest, ''Don't you wish it were all over?"
she answered simply, "No, don't want to {,
When the ordeal presented itself she faced
it with the resolution that she would do her
best and not worry, as anxiety only les
sened her chance Of success. She slept
every night as soundly as ever, wrote her
papers coolly and carefully without erasure,
done badly because she WAS not wearied.
On the morning of the day the lists we're
read she confesses to an early awaking, but
when Mr.. Ball took off his college cap and
read, amid the cheers of the assembled stu
dents, >"Faweett,, Newnham, above the
balcony beside her principal the most serene
individual in the house, and when it was all
over and she returned to Newman, escorted
by procession of students beating bells
and waving banners, she marched COM
pR1s labels % 1un %h and me
put her own right before proceeding to her
room
The furniture in the pretty little chamber
she occupies consists of polished old wood
pieces and cosey chairs, the decorations a
low relief of Donatello's in white plaster, a
near her mothers house, all hung on severe
plaster walls. Among the books on science,
poetry. and romance in her bookcase above
the heavy volumes of mathematical lore
are q few prettily bound by the fingers of
their owner, who is an expert needlswoman,
tea time kettle singing on the hob gives
an air of hospitality and cosiness to the
students chamber.
In dress Miss Fawcett conforms to con-
ventionalities though selecting always the
most unassuming OF fashions vagaries.
When she was younger she wore her thick
brown hair down on her shoulders and ex-
careless unoonventionality, slightly Bo-
hemian in its style, but after entering
Newman she realized that originality in
dress or department would DO seized upon
as indicative Of eccentricity, due to the
atmosphere OF the woman's college, and
demands Of the mantua maker, reserving
only the right to array her slight. girlish
figure in the simplest way conformable
with good taste. In manner she il vivacious
and merry, with quick sense of humor
and hearty appreciation of and relish for
jokes.
In her work her methods are marked by
extreme clearness and decision. She always
has definite purpose in tackling a prob
lem, and invariably accompanies it. She
usually celebrates until she discovers the
quickest way to result, and then more
than regains in rapid solution the time lost
stantly improved under the college training,
and she is quite as we'll now as ever in her
life. despite the excitement and nervous
strain she has undergone. And there was
excitement, for as Newman had shown it.
self equal to producing senior wrangler,
it showed itself equally capable of celebrat
Fawcett was chaired twice all about the
court, inundated with congratulations and
floral tributes, and in the evening her in
ltials dashed in fairy lamps over the door
way. and huge bonfire blazed upon the
lawn. around which Newman girls danced
evening dresses, shouting For she's jolly
good fellow" until they were hoarse, and
until the Selwyn College men across the
lane caught the inspiration ana broke
through the hedges to join the refrain. For
the nist time in centuries the bells of st.
through the graceful courtesy of Mr.. Ben
net in refusing to claim his technical hon
or az senior wranQler.
Miss Fawcett will gain no fellowship,
reap no pecuniary reward, and receive no
degree from her wonderful triumph. In
the records Of the university there will be
written simply the words which awakened
in the senate chamber the havoc and cheers
of the assembled Students: Facet. Nevn-
ham. above the Senior Wrangler."