LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
A PROPOSAL FOR AN OXFORD GIRTON.
[TO THE EDITOR OF Till ..EPROTILT071.1
&n,—Notices have appeared in some papers that thoughts are entertained of establishing at Malvern a ladies' college, that should bear to Oxford a relation somewhat similar to what Girton bears to Cambridge. Perhaps such plans are still immature, but the idea is worth careful consideration. Will you give me space to point out briefly that there exists the necessity for such a college, and that Malvern is a good site for it?
Last year Oxford issued a programme for the examination of women over eighteen. It is very similar to what the University requires of her students for the B.A. degree in pass and in honours. A preliminary examination, not difficult, is required, for such as Lave not in two languages and mathematics passed the Oxford Senior Examination. The further examinations are one for a pass and one for honours. The pass consists of six sections : A. Lan- guages. B. Ancient History. C. Modern History. D. Mathe- matics. E. Physical Science. F. Logic and Political Economy. In the examination for honours there are eight sections : 1. Eng- lish. 2. Latin and Greek. 3. German, French, Italian, and Spanish. 4. Mathematics, pure and mixed. 5. Ancient History, with Latin and Greek texts. 6. Modern History, with original texts. 7. Mental and Moral Philosophy. 8. Physical Science. Out of these I will only take English and Mental and Moral Phi- losophy to show the high standard of the examinations proposed. . English.—Papers will be given on English literature, from Chaucer to Pope, and on the philology and growth of the English language. The following authors must be specially studied :—Chaucer: "The Prioresses Tale," "The Clerkes Tale," 4' The Prologue," "The Knightes Tale." Piers the Plowman. Sackville : "Poems." Hooker : "Ecclesiastical Polity," Book I. Shakespeare: "Macbeth," "Hamlet," "Richard II.," "Tempest." Milton : "Minor Poems." Sir T. Browne : " Religio Medici." Bacon : "Essays," "Advancement of Learning."
Mental and Moral Philosophy.—This is divided into groups, two or more of which must be taken :-1. Aristotle : "Nicomachean Ethics," " Elementa Logices." Plato, Protagoras, Gorgias, " Philebns," " Theastetus," " Phaido," and " Enthydemus." 2. Bacon : "Novum Organon." Descartes : " Discours de la Methode." Spinoza : "Tractatns de Intellectus Emendatione." Locke : "Essay on the Human Understanding." Leibnitz : -"Nouveaux Essais Philosophiques." 3. Berkeley: "Treatise on the .Principles of Human Knowledge," " Alciphron," "An Essay to- wards a New Theory of Vision." Hume: "Essays." Kant: "Prole- gomena zu einer jeden Kiinftigen Metaphysik," " Griindlegung sur Metaphysik der Sitten." 4. Sir W. Hamilton : "Lectures on Logic and Metaphysics." Manse! : "Prolegomena Logica." : "Logic," "Examination of the Philosophy of Sir W. Hamilton." 5. Mackintosh : "Introduction to Ethical Philo- sophy." Butler : "Preface and Three Sermons on Human Nature, with the Dissertation on Virtue." Bentham : "Principles of Morals and Legislation." Mill : "Utilitarianism." Sidgwick: "Methods of Ethics." A general "acquaintance with the History of Philosophy will be required, and candidates will also be ex- pected .to show a more detailed knowledge of the periods and branches of philosophy specially represented by the groups of authors offered."
The question now presents itself. Can home-study or any existing colleges qualify candidates for such an examination? Instances are, indeed, rare where home-study could accomplish it. They must have uncommon gifts who could reach such an emin- ence without the helping hand of those who, with past help and hard labour, themselves gained the summit. Girton College and Newnham Hall and London University College no doubt can
qualify, but they belong to Cambridge and to London. It cannot be that the teaching shall be that of one University, and the certificate that of another. In proposing such an examination, Oxford has borne the highest testimony to what she considers the intellectual power of women, but if she thinks the result can be obtained without the means—the standard reached without the tuition—she pays women a compliment beyond all experience, and places them on a level immensely above their contemporaries of the other sex. No doubt the examination is tentative, and the University must intend to provide the instruction needful, or else make the necessity so great that a commercial company will come in, and for the return of a good dividend, do that for women which Oxford refuses. I hardly think this should be so. I hope that Oxford only requires time to alter statutes so that such a college may be affiliated to the University, for I do think that women have some claim for a share, if not in the endowments of the past—many of which have been received from women's hands, —at least in those of the future. In a state of things now past, it seemed enough to say that a woman's college would be useless, that none would care to go, that the demand should precede the supply. The demand has come, Girton and Newnham are full to overflowing, and many a woman has looked at the Oxford examination-paper, and inquired how she was to obtain the necessary instruction.
I am glad to know that there is a thought of a college, to meet this demand, being opened, if possible, next Session, and that it will not rest on a commercial basis. The wish is that a Board of management should be formed, a subscription list opened, a building either hired or purchased, good lecturers secured, and the commencement made, at least on a small scale. If the build- ing could be secured by means of donations, the institution might become self-supporting, and in due time Oxford might affiliate it.
The second inquiry is, — Is Malvern a good site ? and this is of no little consequence: Where a college is founded, there it generally abides for centuries. Notwithstanding the sur- rounding low land, Oxford has for a thousand years received students from all parts of England, and it seems certain that it will do so as long as England lasts. Women have begun to taste the pleasure and profit of that higher education, and we do not doubt the number of students in a good college will annually increase, and that Malvern may become to women something of what Oxford is to men.
For health and beauty of situation, Malvern is, one may fairly say, unrivalled. It is nearly central, or at least inclines to the south-west of England's centre as much as Girton does to.the north-east. Malvern and its neighbourhood—for Cheltenham, Worcester, and even Birmingham are not far off—already forms a centre of education, and several lecturers could be found now resident in that area. It is on the direct route between Oxford and Hereford, and only two hours' journey from the former—not much further than Hitchin—where Girton College was first established — was from Cambridge. Malvern is also the centre of an educated population. Seventy or eighty entrances are even now made every term for classes founded by the Ladies' Educational Association. Another great advan- tage is the privacy and independence that ladies would enjoy. Girton is thought by some to be now too near Cambridge, but there is nothing to distract attention at Malvern ; its social surroundings might draw out the sympathies, and not alarm the most retiring nature. Altogether the movement is one which I hope will prosper, and that when a Board of management is formed, generous friends will provide funds, which will be returned abundantly in the intellectual elevation of the female sex.—I am, Sir, &C., ONE WHO HAS DEVOTED MUCH TIME AND LABOUR
TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN.
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