GIRTON COLLEGE : A CORRECTION.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTAT011."1
Sin,—In a paper by Mrs. Creighton on " Women's Work for the Church and for the State," which is being circulated in connexion with the Pan-Anglican Congress of 1908, the state- ment is made that the first Women's Colleges were undenomi- national, and contained no chapel for divine worship. Girton College, Cambridge, started at Hitchin in 1869, is referred to as the first Women's College. This overlooks the fact that Queen's College and Bedford College were already in existence in London. With regard to Girton College, may I point out that the Memorandum of Association contains the following clause ?
"Religions instruction and services, in accordance with the principles of the Church of England as by Law established, shall be given and held in the said College or in connection therewith, but attendance at such instruction or services shall not be required from any student who, being of full age, or whose parents or guardians, if such student be not of full age, may object thereto in writing."
While the buildings were on a small scale there was no chapel. This deficiency was supplied at the time of the extension
completed in 1902. The College has now a chapel in which, in addition to daily morning prayers, services are held during term time, Evening Prayer and Sermon on Sundays, and an early celebration of the Holy Communion on alternate Sundays. Attendance is entirely voluntary. May I ask you to insert this correction of a statement which might otherwise be misleading P—I am, Sir, &c., MARY CLOVER (Secretary of Girton College, Cambridge).
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