New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15

e,ecf,on IN others. and secondly. because IL
would enehla women to obtain at Oxford more
thorough intellectual discipline and sounue''
better-proportioned education than they no" re-
ceive The Council decided adversely TO the APP
pIicants on the first ground but favoraply on me
second argument Although women arc aoie 10
secure degrees from nre other universities
In the United Kingdom. and only an IN
formal testament at oxford. the Council has
held that this does not operate as a serious
disadvantage But on the other ground. the
beneficial effect Of stricter and less elastic
course Of study for examinations. the Couhch
has agreed with the petitioners and submitted
the proposition to Congregation.
LOGIC WITH THE WOMEN
Accordingly. after weeks Of controversy. during
which many meetings have been held on each
side and a great mass OF literature in prose ana
verse has been printed the main question came
before Congreget ton to-day N this form: ke-
solved That il is desirable. subject to certain
conditions to admit to the degree Of B. A. women
who have kept residence at Oxford Tor tweiNc
terms in a place of residence approved oy 'ne
university, and who have passed. unoer inc
same regulations as apply to undergraduates u"
the examinations required for the degree OF ~
a" Speeches were made by the leaders on each
side: by the Rev. 4. II. Gross. Professor Dice!
and the president Of Magdalen In favor OF inc
resolution and by Mr.. Strachan Davidson ana
the Rev P A. Wright Henderson against H.
but every point had been scored in advance III
leahet and pamphlet. and the last speaker was
interrupted with impatient cries Of divide"
Not a vote changed by the speeches. "'e'
Maitland. the accomplished principal OF Somer-
vile College had told me In advance OF the meet
ing that the resolution would receive l4o votes
The accuracy of this forecast was shown by the
divjsion--14o ayes and 215 noes. SO thorough
had been the preliminary canvass that 1t was
known In advance how every one OF the sou o~-
ford dons would vote on the main question
A in the controversial literature so also III
this formal discussion the advocates OF 'ne
women's cause had marked advantage. Logic
ally their argument was unansweraoie' "o'o"
now qualify for degrees at OXFORD they resiue
in their colleges during the appointed periou'
thev attend lectures and do the requisite amount
~ reading: they ar tested by the same exam
nations as men: but when they nave passeu
them they are not allowed to receive the recos-
nized mark, namely. the degree, by wh'ch 'ne
university attests the successful candidates
qualification Logically there is no SATISFACTORY
reply to the contention that If women DO the
same work as men. and pass the same eAa'""a
tons they should have the same recognition III
tho form, of degrees But men are seldom loSica
On discussing their relations with the other sex
Adam, certainly was not when he offered the
exclamation: THE woman whom thou gaVest u
be with me. she gave me OF the tree anu "i'
eat" He had really wanted the who'e apple MN
Golf and found IT hard to forgive her for taking
the first bite
Certainly the majority OF the Oxford dons, IN
their anxiety to keep the degrees to themselves
and to exclude women as fair Uitlanders from
the privileges OF membership in the UNIVERSITY
evade the main question Of a common reward
for common service. They discuss great va
r,ety Of side issues. They profess sol'citnde Io'
foolish women who do not seem to know "ha'
10 rea,Iv good for them They assert that the
degree would be worth nothing to woman "
she were to get 1t: that It would be serious dis
advantage for her to have II brought w'th'n ner
reach because she would have TO take stricter
and narrower course Of study. and learn more
Creek and less music and modern language; that
the granting Of the degree would interfere with
the freedom and elasticity from which they have
benefited that it would involve Capitalization
OF higher education for women In Oxford ana
Cambridge and impair the usefulness OF other
colleges for women. and that II would lead TO the
coeducaton Of the sexes The male ostrich Is
never impressive when he hides his head in the
sand and imagnes that the rest OF him II not In
plain sight. Tapping in the breeze. The dust
raised over these side Issues does not conceal the
main question Of common justice. If a woman
at oxford or Cambridge be allowed To qualify
herself for examinations. she should have full
recognition Of her success on equal terms with
'"e" FICTION OF COLLEGE LIFE.
But. then there is the question Of academic
life and discipline The leader Of the opposition
has asserted that women may participate in the
examinations but not in the life Of the universe
ty; and that II is to the mans career as whole.
the life stamped on the character by the train
ing discipline and environment to which the
degree really certihes. This is really one Of the
stock arguments against degrees for women.
nimsy it may appear There are 1000 or
more Young men in oxford. who are under the
constant surveillance Of watchful guardians and
the restraining influences OF paternal govern
| ment and il Is this academic life in which
women have no share. and consequently they
ought not to have the degree Of r. A. When
one hears the changes rung upon this idyllic ex-
istencc it is hard to believe that Tom Brown
ever had a serious Irritation with a barmaid or
| that underera duates mobbed a tutor. or
lighted bonfire In quadrangle. or that the
scene Of the Road to Ruin was ever laid in an
Oxford students quarters. But. when all is said.
what has this matter OF environment and discip-
line to do with the question Of degrees for wom-
en-? The young ladies OF Somervile College. Lady
Margarets and st. Hugh's are also under faithful
guardianship They have their academic en-
vronment: and maternal discipline ought In the
long run to be as wholesome as the paterna dis
! cipline Of the Proctors.
AS / described the group OF female scavengcrs
in the streets OF Oxford at the opening Of this
letter / may briefly refer to another striking
scene which witnessed In the evening. 1t was
| O Salvation Army meeting under the grim walls
Of Baliol. the centre OF the intellectual activity
OF the university. 1t was mainly group Of
women standing close to the walls and singing
with fervor their religious hymns. The leader
was a young woman with a musical voice and
thoughtful, earnest face, which lighted up with