THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREW'S AND THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE EPEOTATOR.") Sra,—You were good enough a year ago to insert in your columns a letter referring to the movement then lately initiated by the Senate of the University of St. Andrew's for the pro- motion, in connection with their own examining staff, of the higher education of women. Those interested in the efforts thus made will learn with pleasure the success by which they have been attended. Last year twenty-seven candidates entered for examination. This year there have been seventy-five. Out of this number, according to the analysis of the examinations, fifty- seven candidates have passed in one or more subjects, eighteen of them with houourk; while fourteen have succeeded in obtaining the L.A. (Literate of Arts) degree, awarded to those who have passed in four subjects, or who have gained honours in any one subject, and passed in two more. The standard of attainment for this L.A. degree for women at St. Andrew's is the same as that re- quired for the M.A. degree in the subjects included in the University curriculum. The selection made from these subjects by the candidates who have succeeded in satisfying the ex- aminers is not without significance, as indicating the direction of thought and study among the more highly educated women. Setting languages aside (a pass in one of these being essential to a degree), we find that education and history stand first upon the list, followed by political economy and comparative philology, the papers on political economy especially being, I understand, distinguished for merit. St. Andrew's, I may add, possesses, almost alone among our Universities, a Chair of Education, filled by one of our most able English educational- ists, Professor Meiklejohn. The questions for 1879 will shortly be published by Messrs. Blackwood.
I may be pardoned, perhaps, for remarking a second time on one feature of the St. Andrew's examinations, of special im- portance from an educational point of view,—that, namely, of allowing candidates to select one subject each year for examina- tion, and to spread the course, if desired, over two, three, or even four years. There arc at present three centres for examina- tion,—St. Andrew's, London, and Halifax. The next examina- tion will be held in April, 1880. Full information respecting it may be obtained from Professor Knight, the University, St. Andrew's.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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