The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-07
Voice Of the People
Women Students In Oxford, England.

women Students In Oxford. England.
To the Editor of The Times-DIspatch:
sir,-Upwards Of twenty-five years
In Oxford or otherwise. were admitted
Sin,Ser yote Of the eonvoeat.on Of tho
general regulations. In the meanwhile
arrangements have been made by tho
friends of women's education for tho
in colleges or halls (such as Somer-
yille. Lady Margaret. st. Hughes and
families or in lodgings.
The colleges or halls ere indepen-
Of a lady principal and u staff of wo-
men tutors and lecturers. and of
council which includes certain num-
vate. as distinguished from an on
oiai, capacity. The home students arc
under the Supervisor, Of a lady prln-
bar OF women students in Oxford.
especially OF home students. has, in
fhenEst SO ueh that has osen
should exercise somo contro! over the
numbers. and within the last two
gge zee 5san university delssaeE Ga board
sion OF women students In Oxford.
consisting ,o1i:nss',gg partly Of members of the
connected with the sdu uest OF ToN Won
men In Oxford. This is the first kind
OF official recognition Of women stu
j Up to this date the university has not
| exercised any control over women stu
dents in Oxford. tho number o. recog-
for some time past an association for
the higher education OF women, on
which members OF the university inter-
1t is not a university body.
On the other hand. women students
| are admitted to the university examIn-
I n tfkNa IL, ~
same rooms and under the Same con-
ditfons as tho men-i. e.. members OF
f fne1 uniyessity-,he names Of success
SEPARATE list. They arc aiso--though
ms Is matter purely OF custom
aamitted to ,profeSsors' and other uni
they are admitted to all lectures on
/ the payment OF special fee. II only
i Gne w9 1soaTrs student should he attend
varsity, 1t Is usually required by the
authorities COZ the wonen's colleges.
etc. that she should DE accompanied
are no further conditions.
The women students also make great
or Individual teachers. If he is a mar
! RED man. they usually go to his house.
either singly or. as 1t may be, two or
and a resident In college, II is more
usual for him to go to one of the
w v;o men colleges or rooms q the asso-
also have the use OF the university
libraries and institutions on the same
eoT r;,,,l a,t as the men.
~ oNiord arc In no ,senee members OF
the university: they have many az not
noso OF their privileges, and really
ties, though they also have their own
teachers and tutors. The university
has so Tar refrained from, making them
IS the real reason why II has so far
refused 70 admit them to university
HgeiErmees' though they NAV have really
degree. II Is probable that In the near
s inture they may be awarded q titular
sity.
=! should say that the system have
With eSospton ., f sSe veRed oa aee
ton of the degree. TO the satisfaction
OF all the parties concerned.
lecture or examination is concerned, the
| life OF women students at Oxford is
quite independent of that OF tho men.
So far from It being the fact that the
/ has rroved-as 1t was proph esi eide
morailzing in any way. their pres
ably on the manners OF the men. The
position Is perfectly natural one, and
is accented as such. Nor are the We
distance from the colleges of the uni
versity. somerville College. for In
stance, is within Ave minutes walk OF
my own college. The colleges ara
maintained entirely by private endow-
ment. and have their own equipment
In the way OF libraries. etc, Sut SO far
they have to depend upon the unlver-
sitv for laboratories
Some OF the women teachers have
SO distinguished themselves In their
! Especial subjects that college tutors
VIII send their own pupils to them.
but this, OF course. is q purely private
and rather exceptional arrangement
Whatever opposition there may have
been Mt first to this amount OF co-edu-
cation al oxford. 1t may be safely said
that 1t has been more than reconciled
by experience OF the system as It ac-
tually works. The only outstanding
Issue Is that of wonens degrees. and
| the real objection to women's degrees
IS an objection to any stAp that would
make women actually members Of the
university, anenable to its discipline.
| etc. still more to any step that would
make II possible for them to be mem
bers Of the governing hohy OF the
IDiveYStty y