MORE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GIRLS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 187, 12 September 1914, Page 6

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GIRLS.

WHAT ETON THINKS OF CAREERS FOR WOMEN. "By making it more possible for women to pursue the career for which they are adapted, vre shall not only be rendering them a service, but we shall be rendering a service to the nation at large." Thus the Eton College "Chronicle," in an article on "Careers for Women," wherein it urges the necessity of more scholarships for girls. "Looking at the matter from the girl's point of view," says the "Chronicle," "we find she desires a career—something definite to do with her life—and therefore feels that some preparation is necessary. She is no longer satisfied to tread a formal social round while waiting for the sphere of home life, which, after all, it does not fall to the lot of every woman to fill. Since a degree qualification is required for most of the better paid employments, the best preparation is to go to college or to take a thorough course of sound technical training after a good general education at school. All this, however, is costly. The family resources arc often small, and it is expedient to let the boys have the first claim on what there is. Owing to all these facts there is to-day excessive competition for the few scholarships there are, especially at the older women's colleges. This injures not only the girls who succeed and go up to college weakened in health by the strain of hard work, but also a larger number who never get there at all. The whole movement for modifying and reforming the curriculum in girls' schools is checked by the influence 'of competitive scholarship examinations, while only too often there is real overwork of the ablest girls. Yet the colleges say they cannot lower their standard—and Lhe girls must go to college. What are schools and parents to do? The only way is to find more scholard)ips.,,r