AN APPEAL FOR GIRTON COLLEGE.
[To THY EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."I Sin,—I venture to ask for your kind help to draw the attention of the public to the needs of Girton College and to the appeal lately issued in its behalf.
The high position held by Girton in the educational world, and the great benefit it has conferred on largo numbers of women students, are generally known, but few people realise on what exiguous funds it carries on its admirable work. It has a debt of nearly £40,000 incurred by building a much-needed extension eight years ago, and after paying current expenses and the interest on this debt, the ordinary income which accrues from students' fees suffices only to pay off about £1,000 of the loan every year. At this rate it will take about thirty years to sot the College free from debt, and meanwhile all schemes for develop- ment of research work and for improvement of. its, instructional capabilities have to be kept in abeyance. The dividends on the small endowMents it possesses do not suffice to pay for the scholarships and studentships now given, although these are far below what is requisite to reward brilliant students and to encourage those of the poorer class. of bequest of Lady Goldsmid will only bring in a revenue of about .47Q0 a year when a present life lapses, and this may not occur for years. It is hoped that when the facts are fully known those who recognise the valuable work already done for women's education and the immense scope there is for its extension will come forward with generous help to rescue Girton College from such a starved and pinched existence, and enable it to be fitted out with all the equipment (staff, students, and appliances) which an institution of its rank and merit deserves to possess.—I am, Sir, [We are obliged for reasons of space to refuse most of the. appeals for subscriptions that roach us, but wo feel bound to make an exception in the case of so excellent an institution as Girton.—En. Spectator.]
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