31 OCTOBER 1947, Page 5

The creation of a new college at Oxford or Cambridge

is some- thing of an event. The last additions to the list were, I think, Keble at Oxford (I88o) and Selwyn at Cambridge (1882)—though Selwyn has in fact not completely full college rank. The decision of Con- vocation at Oxford on Tuesday to give St. Peter's Hall the style and title of a college is of special interest,_ for St. Peter's dates even as a Hall only from 1928; its rise in status is therefore remarkably rapid, and congratulations are due, in classic words, to the reverend and learned Master (Canon R. W. Howard), the Fellows, Scholars and all the students of the same. There is thus created another pair of simi- larly-named colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, but as the Cambridge St. Peter's is invariably known as Peterhouse no confusion need arise.