Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-13

prevails today in all colleges
In the reign OF James / one woman could
be found broadminded enough to found a
college in a university so intoerant OF
womankind Dorothy Wadham founded
Wadham college, but was even more unfair
to her sex than the male founders of coll
leges had been.
Toward the end OF the last century some
provision made for women at oxford,
and there are at present three orRaniza-
tions Of women students, Somerville col
lege, St. Hilda's Hall and the Society OF
oxford Home Students. Though in the
university they are not of It, for Oxford
does not encourage to any extent feminine
zeal for learning. Many professors do not
permit women in their classes and though
women may do the same work as men and
pass with as much credit the "honor
schools" they can never take a degree. II
is a surprise to Americans that English
women are content to remain here upon
suffrance when they might 90 to Cam
bridge or Edinburgh, where conditions are
SO much more favorable for them. This
might be ascribed to the Inherent peEvers- ;
ity Of womankind. but doubtless the charm
and beauty of this Oldest center OF learn.
ing is the moro potent reason
oxford today has lost much Of her polit-
ical influence. but she stin sends to Parlia-
ment two representatives, the present in
cumbents being Lord Cecil. son Of the late
Marquis Of Salisbury and Sir william An
son, the authority on constitutional law
and warden OF All Souls college. But hsR
real political power Ii Indirect and consists
in the dominating influence Of her gradu-
ates on the affairs Of the nation. England's
representatives abroad, her soldiers and
statesmen are In great numbers Oxford
men, and in the past decade her sphere OF
influence has widened to include other lands
beyond the sea, who are sending each year
their young men to learn statecraft ana
political economy at oxford. Young Japa-
nese since the Angio-J Japaneso alliance.
swarm here in increasing numbers. Negroes
from South African and many Hindoos add
variety TO the personnel Of the university,
and most important OF all the Rhoades
scholarships have brought to oxford from
England's colonies, from Germany and the
United States some three hundred picked
men, who after three yearS residence CARRY
back to their own people the spoil Of Ox-
ford's classic learning.
Though each college OF the university m
an Independent institution there is a COM
mon head, the chancellor The preaenk
chancellor, Lord CurEon OF KedlaSton.
though politically conservative, is a man
Of advanced Ideas on education, and IA
trying to bring about certain reforms at
oxford. He feels as do many that the
university is suffering from tSo much
classlclsm and that Greek and Latin are
given the prominent places in the curricu-
lum to the detriment OF the sciences. Tho
same idea was probably in the mind Of
Cecil Rhodes when he used his Influence
to bring from America the distinguished
Johns Hopkins professor, DR.. Osler, 10
take the chair OF medicine at oxford. Lord
Curzor in his desire for reform has a hard
task before him. oxford wants no change.
She points triumphantly to her past glory
and to the great men who have received
their inspiration at her affairs, men who
have moulded the empire-sir Walter RA-
leigh, Admiral Blake. Hampton and
Prynne, William Penn, Pitt and Gladstone;
men who have given TO the world the best
traditions Of literature and scholarship.
Sir Philip Sidney. Ruskin, Addison. Jowatt
Gibbon, Pater, Mathew Arnold, John Locke.
Or. Johnson. sOuthey. swinburna De-
Quincy and Shelley; men who have kent
the lamp OF religious freedom burning
through the ages, Wycliffe, Erasmus. John
ana Charles Wesley and Cardinal New
man. But the reform party replies that
times have changed; that the little sys-
TENS have had their day; that It is stag
nation to be content with past glory ana
TO let the prizes OF today go to universities
with a less noble past. We must leave
the problem to Oxford to decide; she must
work out her own salvation. II is fairly
certain, however. that the next decade
VIII see change in tho university curricu-
Ium ana then we shall have a chance to
make interesting comparisons whichever
party may prevail, conservative or reform
ers' am sure that all who have come
within the portals OF Oxford will join ma In
health 10 her and lasting peaoa
To factions an end and 20 power increaaa
LOUISE MaoNAIR CRAWFORD.
Oxford. England.