Читать книгу Higher Education for Women in Great Britain - Phoebe Sheavyn - Страница 3

Table of Contents

The movement for the education of girls is of recent growth, dating back less than a century, to the decade 1840-50. Before that time there was no public provision for them, educational endowments being used for boys only. The earliest tangible sign of the progress of the movement was the foundation in London of Queen's College, Bedford College and the North London Collegiate School for Girls, and in the provinces of the Cheltenham Ladies' College. This inaugurated the era of public secondary education for girls, who now have their large, well-equipped schools in every town.

At first the education given was necessarily very simple; but as the schoolgirls of the new age grew up, the need for a more extended training became apparent. It was met partly by an extension of the teaching given in certain of the schools; partly by the establishment of a system of lectures for older girls, notably at Queen's College, London, and in Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. Before long it became clear that some more systematic higher education must be provided, and efforts were made to enlist the sympathies of the Universities. University professors undertook to repeat their lectures for the benefit of girls; but the number of girls was for some time too few to finance these schemes, and it was apparent that either their numbers must be increased by the provision of residence, or expenses must be reduced by obtaining the admission of girls to the classes held for men. Both measures were attempted. A residential College for girls was established at Hitchin (1869), afterwards removed to Girton, near Cambridge (1873); Newnham Hall (later "College") was founded in Cambridge in 1871; and in Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall (1878) and Somerville Hall (later "College") (1879). Before long residence in or near London was provided by Bedford College, Westfield College, and the Royal Holloway College at Englefield Green in Surrey.

Meanwhile, a great impetus had been given in 1878 to the higher education of women throughout England by the opening to them of the examinations and degrees of the University of London. This University was at that time purely an examining body, and teaching had to be provided locally; but the possibility of obtaining the hall-mark of a University degree greatly increased the number of girls seeking instruction in the provincial towns, and many institutions gradually opened their doors, among the first being Owens College, afterwards the University of Manchester. At Glasgow, Queen Margaret College, availing itself largely of the services of University lecturers, was founded in 1883.

Further advance was marked by the statutory permission given in 1892 to the Scottish Universities, granting them power to admit women to graduation and to provide for their instruction. And in 1893 the Royal Charter for the new University of Wales definitely enacted that women should be eligible for all privileges accorded to men. Every University incorporated since that date has adopted a similar enactment. The last two strongholds of masculine privilege, Oxford and Cambridge, held out for many years. Quite recently, in 1920, Oxford has capitulated with a whole-hearted grace, which has won for this ancient University the gratitude of all women. Cambridge alone now still refuses to women the privilege of membership and graduation, but it cannot be long before there also admission will be granted. One may safely prophesy that the completion of the century (1940) will see the admission of women to full University rights.[1]

[1] Except a few privileges likely for some time to be reserved for men at Oxford and Cambridge, and certain which cannot legally be bestowed (e.g., scholarships with special trust deeds limiting them to men).