12 MAY 1923, Page 15

THE OXFORD WOMEN'S COLLEGES.

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,--The work of the Four Colleges for Women in Oxford is crippled for want of endowments. As your readers know,

they are making great efforts by means of an Appeal Fund to obtain for the women students of to-day the provision which was made in the Middle Ages for men, helped by the foresight and generosity of the women of those days. We know well that times are hard, and that many deserving causes pull at the strings of heart and purse, but we contend that the value of the research and other work done by women at Oxford, and the inestimable importance of scholarly training for members of the teaching profession, who play so great a part in shaping the future of our race, alone make our cause second to none, apart from the benefit to character to be derived from a course at the University by the girl student, no matter what her occupation in after-life.

We therefore suggest to the women of this country who arc the fortunate possessors of private incomes that they should give to the Appeal Fund for the Women's Colleges in Oxford the amount saved them in the coming financial year by the reduction of Income-tax just announced. They will not miss it, as the reduction was unexpected, and could not have entered into their calculations for this year. The gift, we suggest, would be a beau geste on the part of the women of Britain and would rank historically with the gifts of Lady Devorgnilla to Balliol or of Joyce Frankland to Brasenose- gifts which have had such sr-reaching effects on the intel- lectual life of the nation.

All donations should be sent to the Viscountess Rhondda (Hon. Treasurer), 19 Berkeley Street, Piccadilly, W. 1.-1 am,

Sir, &c., KATHLEEN FITZROY. 55 Lower Belgrave Street, S.W.