500 



NATURE 



[February 8, 19 12 



The acnd<»my then provide* a thrw yenr*' courw in com- 

 rnoroinl siilijccts, jind ^{riintR n diploma which f»nabl(^s the 

 out^oin^ scholars to ontrr upon banking, accounting, and 

 oth»T rnorcantilc and commercial careers." 



Of secondary education in Russia, her Kxcellency 

 Mmo. Philosophoff writes : — " In the Russian Empire 

 there are (>8o ordinary secondary schools for boys and (xjj 

 for Hiris ; the numbers in attendance are 149,438 boys and 

 11)4,500 fjirls. There are, moreover, special secondary 

 schools, technical, commercial, artistic, &c., which are 

 attended by i()3i<)53 boys and 46,911 jjirls. . . . The schools 

 usually have the rij^ht to give the pupils who pass the 

 final examination a diploma. In the boys' high schools for 

 classics this diploma opens the way to the university. 

 Pupils of ' Roalschulen ' must pass an additional examina- 

 tion in Latin. Girls who have passed through a girls' 

 high school may be admitted to the private university 

 colleges or medical colleges for women, but not to the 

 universities. Women were admitted to the universities in 

 1905, 1900, and 1907, but the right was then withdrawn. 

 The syllabus of work in the high schools for girls is much 

 the same as in the classical high schools for boys, except 

 that it does not include Latin." 



For complete equality of opportunity in an education that 

 shall be preparatory either to the university or to various 

 forms of professional careers not demanding a university 

 diploma, one turns to the United States : — " Both the 

 elementary and the high schools are absolutely free to 

 residents. To non-residents a small fee is charged, 

 averaging according to locality. Practically all institutions 

 above the secondary schools offer scholarships and fellow- 

 ships, awarded on various grounds, to students in under- 

 graduate and in graduate work. 



" The majority of the high schools are co-educational, 

 though in large centres segregated high schools are also 

 maintained by the public-school system. . . . 



" A phenomenal expansion has recently been witnossod 

 in agricultural, technical, and vocational training. Great 

 progress in agriculture has been attained by the universi- 

 ties, notably that of Wisconsin, and agricultural high 

 schools have been opened in many localities. The first 

 vocational public school was opened in New York City, 

 September, 1909. Technical and trade schools have been 

 opened in many cities, and technical instruction is also 

 offered by cooperation between manufacturers and local 

 school boards. Business colleges are numerous throughout 

 the country, and the university curriculum at certain 

 institutions has been extended to include courses in rail- 

 road administration, consular service, business methods, 

 cS:c." 



Miss Keys comments upon the promise of usefulness 

 given by the Carnegie foundation for the advancement of 

 teaching : — " During the five years of its existence 

 (organised 1905), in its function as a pensioning body for 

 the faculties of colleges and universities, it has investi- 

 gated the curricula and teaching equipment of such institu- 

 tions with a view to determining their eligibility to benefit 

 by the pension fund. The result of such investigations 

 and the subsequent publication and free circulation of find- 

 ings have thus far been of indubitable advantage to sound 

 educational methods. Notably has this been the case in 

 connection with the report on tRe medical schools of the 

 United States and Canada r the facts there published have 

 been instrumental in closing some of the least defensible 

 of these schools and in profoundly modifying for the better 

 schools well-meaning but ill-equipped. Thus far, then, the 

 foundation, by the ideals and methods of those conducting 

 it, has happily contradicted the apprehensions of those 

 educators who saw in it a possible agent for formalising 

 the higher institutions of learning, and thus retarding 

 progressive development." 



The question that deals with universities, university 

 colleges, and polytechnic institutions has elicited an 

 interesting series of responses. In the United States these 

 number 606, and only 89 of them are under the control of 

 the State or of municipalities, 517 being under private 

 corporations. The autonomous government of the private 

 colleges has given rise to the notorious want of uniformity 

 in the" degree standards throughout the States, and to 

 certain of the inadequacies which have been exposed by 

 means of the Carnegie foundation. 



In Canada the larger universities, such as the Toronto 

 NO. 2206, VOL. 88] 



the McCiill Univ 

 Universitv nt Hi 



4 



UniverjHty, 

 l)nlhou»ic 



•• S.-Vfr ' 



will JJi^ :: i .: ... 



that part of the Dominion. . . . i he fees 

 ('anadian college* are Ubuatly small, and the < 

 is moderate, except in the larger cities, such as* Montr' 

 and Toronto." 



Germany has now thrown its ur ' ' ' " 



technic institutions i-ntirely open to v 



tion of the Roman Catholic theologiral 



may take the same degrees as men in me'l 

 sophy, and science. In law they may take ti; 

 a Doctor in Law, but most .States do not allow tli^m 

 1 pass the examination demanded for a lawyer, and non" 

 enter the Civil Service. In theology, some Pr^ 

 faculties allow women to take their university degr 

 Theol.), but none to pass the examination leau..,^, 

 church service. . . . Literary, professional, and sci' 

 tific societies generally admit women of university rar 

 yet not all do so. The cost of university education is V' 

 different. It may be fixed between 400 marks and if> 

 marks (ca. 20/. and 50/.) a year, residence and board iv 

 included." 



Sweden also excludes women from the licentiate 

 theology, but permits them to attend the lectures. All ot! 

 ■ degrees are the same for men and women. " .Accord; 

 ' to an Act of Parliament passed last year, a\l careers u 

 ! open to •women graduates, except in the faculty 

 theology and the army and nas'v medical posts in i 

 faculty of medicine. Women of university rank 

 eligible for all societies upon the same terms as men 

 university rank. .All university instruction in Sweden 

 free. There are a great many bursaries offered to studei 

 of small means. Students who are under training 

 teachers are offered no special facilities." 



Norway, Denmark, and Servia are other States in wh- 

 university instruction is given without any payment 

 class fees. In the Netherlands the cost of univers 

 teaching is 16J. 35. 4d. per annum during the first if 

 years ; in Switzerland it is about 3CK>-400 fr. annual! . 

 in .Austria the minimum is 40 kr. a semester, or half- 

 session, and the maximum is 100 kr. a semester fir 

 the ordinary student in the faculty of philosophy; in m*^' 

 cine, the ordinary fees are 100 kr. a semester in the t"n 

 and second years, and 200 kr. a semester in the thir 

 fourth, and fifth years. In Russia the cost is 10/. to i 

 annually. In New South Wales the cost is as much 

 25Z. to 30/. annually. Thus there are great differences 

 the expenses of a university education, but in every count 

 there are scholarships and bursaries for deserving studen 



The educational conditions in Great Britain and IreIn: 

 have been ably described by the Hon. Mrs. Franklin, who 

 represents the National Union of Women Workers (or 

 British National Council) upon the International Council 

 of Women. 



The information gathered together in this very in- 

 expensive pamphlet is full of suggestion, and if r' 

 pamphlet succeeds in making for itself a circulation, th- 

 is little doubt but that the various contributors will 

 encouraged to amplify their statements at a future dn 

 and to reissue this trustworthy record of educational con- 

 ditions and advances from time to time. The International 

 Council of Women is undoubtedly fulfilling its high ideals 

 in placing its world-organisation, at present presided o\ 

 by the Countess of .Aberdeen, at the service of the pub 

 in such ways, and it is sincerely to be hoped that ev- 

 encouragement will be given to the disinterested work 

 the council in the cause of education. 



UXIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — Dr. J. B. Hurry, of Reading, has offer 

 to present to the University securities adequate for i 

 endowment of a research studentship in physiology of ; 

 value of 100/., tenable for one year, and available ev. 

 two years. He suggests that the holder of the studer 

 ship should bear the title of " Michael Foster Resear. 

 Student," in memory of one who did much for the 



