WOMEN AT CAMBRIDGE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15124, 13 October 1909, Page 8

WOMEN AT CAMBRIDGE.

——♦ ("The Graphic") Now that Cambridge University has given up issuing a " Wranglers' " list—that is to say, the practice of placing its most_distinguished scholars in mathematics in order of their merit in the examinations—it must not be forgottea. that the old plan has had a highly beneficial effect) - the intellectual status of women. It has proved for all time the power of the female brain to comprehend the most abstruse 'md abstract of all subjects of study. There has been one woman placed at Cambridge " above tho Senior Wrangler," and another " equal to the sixth Wrangler," and quite a large number of' other' students of Newnham and <f Girton have been found qualified for places somewhere on that roll of honour, "the Wranglers'" list. The success of Mr James Ramsay Butler in Classics is another point to notice about this year's Cambridge lists. Both his father and his mother have- occupied the proud position in which this year the young student finds himself—- " Senior Classic," at the head of the list. Mr Butler had previously taken an unprecedented number of prizes and scholarships in classics; in short, nobody can stand against this brilliant student in the subjects in which he has received his hereditary gifts from both sides of his house. ' His success is the more interesting as an illustration of the importance of'heredity because his mother's father and her uncles were distinguished classical scholars in their University day. Another instance of the value of hereditary ability on both sides had been previously given by the family of Professor Hudson, of King's College. His wife was on© of the early students of Girton, and several of their children, both sons and daughters, took very high places in the Mathematical Honours lists. After all, it is common sense to expect this; and can measure what our race has lost by the past system of holding women back from culture and high endeavour? If thev may only " chronicle small beer," they will be very likely also only to " suckle fools."