The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-26
THE RHODES
SCH0L ARSHIpS

Cecil John Rhodes, the great build
er of South Africa, died fifteen years
ago today. About a year later "three
young Germans, ceremonially array
ed, stood in the lodge of an Oxford
College. inquiring for the Oxford
Secretary to the Rhodes Trustees
These Teuton lads were the advance
guards of the hundreds of Rhodes
scholars who have since been admit
ted to Oxford, under the terms of the
magnificent bequest of Cecil Rhodes,
who bequeathed about $10,000,OOO of
his fortune for the support at oxford
of pupils from the British dominions
and colonies, and the United States.
In a codicil to the will five annual
German scholarships were provided
for, the selections to be made by the
German Kaiser. Since the outbreak
of the war the German appointments
have ceased of course, and the Ger
man fund has been diverted to other
purposes.
Many of the Rhodes scholars from
the United States, as we'll as from the
British colonies, have left the halls
as fighters and other in the ambulance
corps and in hospitals. Not a few of
the American benefciaries of the
Rhodes trust have achieved special
distinction.
The full number Of Rhodes scholar
ships, when all are filled, is now 1879,
of whom 100 are from the United
States, each state and territory being
entitled to two. In former years
scholars have been elected in all the
states of the Union in two successive
years, while in each recurring third
eyar none was chosen. In the future
scholars will be chosen each year
from thirty-two states, but qualifying
examinations in Latin, Greek and
Mathematics will be held in all states
each year. Such examinations will be
held in all the states next October.
+ In the British Empire the methods
of final selection vary. In several of
the Canadian provinces the appoint
ments are made in rotation by the
leading universities, but in other
! provinces of the Dominion, and in
Newfoundland, Jamaica, Bermuda,
New Zealand and the Australian
states the final choice is left to COM
mittees of selection.
The examinations are not competi-
tive, but Qualifying, and in the final
choice due attention is PAID to all the
qualities enumerated by Mr.. Rhodes
strong and manly qualities of cour-
age, generosity and kindness, high
moral character, love of athletic
sports, and a desire to serve in public
affairs, as well as literary and
scholastic attainmentS.
The candidates are required to have
satisfactorily completed the work Of
at least two years in some college OF
! liberal arts and sciences. Each stu
dent receives 1850 per year, which
| is. paid in quarterly installments.
Records of past Rhodes scholars
show that more have taken up teach
| ing than have been attracted by any
other profession. Lawyers constitute
the next largest group, and consid-
cradle number have entered the diplo-
matte and consular services. Rellg-
| ious work, medicine, business, mining
and engineering, journalism, agricul-
ture and forestry are also repre-
| scented.
| The benefaction of Cecil Rhodes
was intended primarily to promote
the solidarity of the English-speaklne
world, and to aid in fostering an en-
tente cordiale" between the people OF
the British Empire and the United
States The inclusion of a few Ger
| mans among the beneflciarles was ar
alterthought expressed in cod1cll
and it is likely to be many years be-
fore Teuton scholars are again admit
tied to Oxford.