Page:The Feminist Movement - Snowden - 1912.djvu/100

With the utmost courtesy the University examiners undertook to test the women students in order that the excellence of their training might be demonstrated and certified. But in spite of all that can be done to prove their ability to win, and their fitness to wear, the honours that the University conferred on deserving students, it is still impossible for women to take their ordinary degrees at Cambridge. Similarly at Oxford. Three colleges for women were established at Oxford, and women who studied there have brilliantly distinguished themselves from time to time; but in the matter of conferring ordinary degrees upon women this University, like Cambridge, remains obdurate. The attempt to secure equality of treatment in respect of ordinary degree examinations was renewed in 1907, but with no effect. It was conceded as desirable that women should have all the opportunities of study and that they should be granted certificates of proficiency, but it was said that 'the advantage of allowing women to enter the General and Special Examination for the ordinary degree are less obvious.' What the exact difference is between the ordinary degree and the higher examinations open to women has never been clearly shown. The great Universities of England stand alone in their sex-prejudice, amongst the Universities of Great Britain.