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    THE SOCIETY OF ARTS EXAMINATIONS. 831

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    „_ N» Whiie The Opening's For Women's Ad...

    themselves _$ o give attention , in selecting- their employes , to these certificates .

    Up to this present year—such is the force of habit , and the patient acquiescence of women in their own exclusion from

    compeconsidered tition with this the important other sex , movement that scarcel as y affecting any one 1 any appears but young to men have .

    In some of our manufacturing towns , where women are much more numerously employed in industrial occupations than in London ;

    many of these institutes comprise a large proportion of -women their members ; but no one dreamed of competing for one

    of among the Society ' s certificates . The possibility of such an event seemsindeednot to have entered the minds of the original

    promoters , of the , system ; and when two years ago it was incidentally alluded to , it appears to have startled the most benevolent and

    active of its supporters , and to have been looked upon as a delicate and a dangerous subject . Mr . W . J . Fox , however , who was

    present at the conference , boldly asserted that "he saw no reason wh awarded y females by the should Societ not " compete but the suggestion for the honorary was not certificates responded

    to . The idea seemed to y ; be felt like a sudden note of discord in a well-trained orchestra . It passed away , and was forgotten .

    This year , however , upon the institution of the widely extended lan of local boardsan unexpected question was put to the society

    p , members by one of should its institutions offer themselves in union to be . examined Supposing , would women the , Society being

    refuse to , allow them to be admitted , and to grant them certificates if successful ? Some young women had indeed offered themselves !

    The board deliberated , and to their great honor , finally determined that the sex of the applicant in nowise concerned them as examiners .

    Young women , coming within the conditions applicable to the other sex When , would it not is remembered be refused . that the idea is novelthat to up very

    , recently it was not known that these candidates would be admitted , it is not to be expected that they would be numerous , or that they

    would exhibit any remarkable proficiency ; but we regret to find that no one has been successful in obtaining a certificate of the highest

    class . None have presented themselves for examination save in thei French language . These were from literary institutions in Bristol * each

    Manchester , and Macclesfield . Two young persons , aged ei ( second ghteen , class and ) one in age this d twent stud y- . eight Three , take others certificates aged of respectivel proficiency y

    y , have seventeen taken , ei certificates ghteen , and of the thirty third -seven class , — . the We latter regret a that governess the results , — -

    are , as yet , no better than this , because we feel convinced that the testimonial possession of to one young of the person Society ' anxious s certificates to obtain would emp be loyment a valuable or

    improve her condition any , and therefore , a new means of breaking

    down the barrier which at present shuts them out _from so many

    The Society Of Arts Examinations. 831

    THE SOCIETY OF ARTS EXAMINATIONS . 831

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), July 1, 1858, page 331, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01071858/page/43/