The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-20
WOMEN OUlRANK MEN.
VIEWS OF COLLEGE oFFI-
 CIALS

As to Their Relative stauding-G,rIs
 the Better students-They are Said
 10 Have Greater industry Than Bays
 and as Good Capacity in Acquiring
 Knowledge.
 Are young women surpassing young men in scholarship and honors at American institutions of learning where co-education prevails? -z
 Reports from colleges and universities all over the country indicate that such is the case, says the Chicago Record Herald, at least so far as the ordinary tests of ability, daily markings and ex- aminations can de termine. The heads of these institutions declare that wo- mans perception is keener, her memory better. her industry greater and her general capacity for absorbing knowl- edge is beyond that of her masculine competitor.
 At Boston University fifteen out of sixteen senior students elected to mem bership in the Phi Beta Kappa society, the sole test being schoparship, are Wo- men. A report recently completed at the University of Chicago shows that in the first ten years of the life of that great institution women have captured more prizes and honors than men and have secured much greater represen- tation in Phi Beta Kappa than men.
 SPORTS A HANDICAP.
 The college and university presidents who have given interviews on this sub ject emphasize the fact that the great devotion to athletics by men students randicaps such students against young women in studies. They point out also that women's greater aptitude is shown in the study of language and the less exact sciencese. But trey agree strik- ingly that so far as the ability to learn is concerned women are in no sense in ferlor to men and in some senses are superior to men.
 President w F. Warren, of Boston University, discussed the preponder- ance of young women over young men as winners of scholarship honors.
 The rule here has been for some time for women to pass higher exami- nations than men, he said, Hereto fore the smallest number of young men to earn admission to the Phi Beta Rap pa society has been three out of a total of twelve or more, and not infrequently the proportion of young men has been large. I do not think the present large number of younk women is due entirely to want or scholarship on the part of our young men, though it would look that way. The young men are wanting only in technical ability ao pass set ex- aminations; the groundwork of their knowledge is ample, I think. HoMev- CT, this fact stands out plainly young
 men do not give tn their college work the close application that young women give. There are more things to distract them when girls are applying them selves closely to. the acquirement of ex-, act information
 AT MIDWAY SCHOOL. At the University of Chicago the re port of Miss Marion Talbot. dean of women, to President Harper forthe de- cenniaI period ended last June shows surprising figures in favor of women students. Supplemented with statistics for the last year, the report shows the following per cent. of total men and women:
 Men who have received the bache- lor's degree .. ..s. x. oS.S Women who have received the bach
 elor's degree ..., ..#..s..s. ............... 461 Men admitted to Phi Beta Kappa solely upon scholarship records ..4S7 Women admitted to Phi Beta Kappa
 solely upon scholarship records <. 56.S
 The women, though constituting S.9 per cent. less than half of the total number of graduates of the university, for the last ten years have contributed 6.3 per cent more than half of the mem bers of Phi Beta Kappa society. Sure | ly in these figures the advocates of wo- mans mental equality with man, if not her superior to him in many important respects, may find a strong argument. Other statistics for the university are highly favorable for women. Since the award of scholarships and honors has been announced in the conyocation pro- grammes 929 students have received the junior college certificate, 496 of these be- Iingmen and 433 women. or 5 A per cent. men and 46.6 per cent. women Forty three of these men received senior col lege scholarships, or 54.S per cent. of all that were awarded, and 36 women, or 45.5 per cent. Honors for scholarship based on class and examination grades were awarded to 93 men and 12S wo-. men. If the women had received hon. ors in the same proportion to their numbers as the men, the number of wo- men receiving, these honors would have been only eighty-one instead of 123. Of those receiving honors for scholarship on graduation 145 were men and 199 wo-, men, Of those receiving special honors. forty-four were men and seventy-three were wonen. If the women had re- eeived honors and special honors only | in the same proportion to their numbers as the men, the number of women would have been only 190 for honors and thirty-nine for special honors, in- stead of 1g9 and seyenty-five reSnec-