QUEEN MARY’S COLLEGE, MADRAS.

New Zealand Tablet, 31 January 1918, Page 34

QUEEN MARY’S COLLEGE, MADRAS.

Madras ; possesses a Government College for women. But what will particularly interest Catholics is the fact that out of the 110 undergraduates at present in the college as many as 1 27 are Catholics, including European, ’' Anglo-Indian, and ~ Indian, , even . two , Catholic nuns, sent ' under ! the auspices ' of ; his Lordship the Bishop of Trichur (states the Catholic Watchman). A further satisfactory feature is this that the staff of lady professors includes two ’ Catholics. ‘‘ Quite recently his Grace the Archbishon of Madras paid 1 a visit to the college, when the Catholic students read an address, in the ■ course of : which they expressed their happiness at the c provision - lately made for a - priest to come and give them instruction.I*'The 1 *'They 1 are already doing their best to help and encourage one another in the practice of their religion, by 'combining for certain prayers and spiritual reading in common ; and the very legitimate • desire for a suitable'room' in which to ' meet for this purpose * is to be gratified when the new building under construction makes it possible to reserve one room apart. In doing all this they have been very judiciously helped and guided by the Catholic lady professors, especially Miss Gunther, so that naturally they also expressed the wish that at all times there should be a Catholic on the resident staff.:. 1 It must be added that the Principal, Miss D. de la Hey, manifested a real desire to do everything reasonable for the welfare of the Catholics in the college under her direction, for she recognises the place of religion in education, even .though . it is, for obvious reasons, impracticable for government directly to deal with it. There is, therefore, .a promising field here for Catholics to develop,

that of female education. / Catholic lady teachers and Catholic lady 'doctors , are t invaluable ' helps in the sphere of Catholic social . action. ■- - Here at the Queen Mary’s College is the opportunity _for.their : acquiring the ■' necessary secular knowledge, on terms and in a manner such as it would be impossible for any diocese or ecclesiastical province to offer. A fair beginning has been made. May the example these pioneers of Catholic female higher education are setting in the Queen Mary’s College be followed by their sisters throughout the presidency in ever increasing numbers. ‘