Higher Education for Women in Great BritainSheavyn, Phoebe
History
Higher Education for Women in Great Britain
Sheavyn, Phoebe
Education, Higher -- Great Britain; Women -- Education (Higher) -- Great Britain; Women college students -- Great Britain
A considerable number of educated women find administrative positions
as Heads of University Colleges, Halls of Residence, and Training
Colleges for Teachers. Some of the older Training Colleges are still
presided over by men as Principals; but it is the policy of the Board
of Education to replace these upon retirement by women. All Heads and
Assistants in Elementary and Secondary Schools for girls only are
women; but in schools open to both boys and girls, it is customary to
appoint a man as Head, with or without a senior woman in special charge
of the girls. In Scotland it is still common for a girls' school to
have a Headmaster.
Secretarial work is a career coveted by many University graduates
unwilling to enter upon the occupation of teaching. The Universities
do not, however, provide a professional training for this; nor are the
openings suited for University women very numerous. Some occasionally
find congenial posts as foreign correspondents in banks and commercial
firms; many become organising secretaries for philanthropic or
kindred organisations; a favoured few become private secretaries to
literary, scientific, or political personages. The demand, however, for
secretaries of University education is not at this moment equal to the
supply.
The Church offers at present very little scope for women: except in one
or two of the free sects, the ministry is not open to them. The Law
has only within the last year or two been opened to them.
Librarianship offers a very limited number of opportunities. Some
College and University libraries employ a few women in comparatively
subordinate positions; the ordinary City Library does not offer any
opening to women of University education. An attempt has recently been
made to provide a professional training for Librarians, following the
example set long ago by the United States; but for women the prospects
seem at present precarious.
Home Economics and Domestic Science being (with the exception noted
above) still outside the purview of the Universities, practically no
University women are qualified to undertake posts either as teachers
or as practical workers in this sphere. There is, however, a very
large demand for highly qualified Institutional Managers, Matrons,
Superintendents, etc., and good salaries can be earned in such
positions. It is to be hoped that with the return of better financial
prospects in the Universities, advanced training in work of this kind,
eminently suitable for educated women, may be undertaken.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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