The Statute to be submitted to the Convocation of the
University of Oxford on Tuesday respecting the examination of women appears to be in some danger, though it has passed through Congregation,—the resident University,—by consider- able majorities. The argument which appears to toll most against it is that the University will thereby lose the power of adapting the examinations of women to the Oxford teachers' con- ception of the scope of women's studies. But the truth is that, let the University do what it may, it cannot possibly compel women .to study no more than the wise men of Oxford choose to think good for them. If women can equal or surpass men in their studies,—as many of them can, without any undue strain on their health,—they will do so without reference to the opinion of the University of Oxford on the subject. London and Cambridge permit women to take their honour examinations and to get all the credit of an honourable success,—London, of course, giving women the degree as well as the honour,—and all that Oxford can do is to obtain for itself the reputation of trying to deprive women of this advantage. It seems to us quite reasonable for teachers to warn the parents and guardians of women against encouraging or even allowing them to overstrain their minds. But it is not the function of a University to determine who are to enter its examinations, but only whether the examination is a good one to test the higher culture, and which of those who go through it have passed that test well.
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