THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN.

The discussion of the higher education of women has been a prominent feature in the New York papers of late, and an exhaustive article appears in the Woman's Journal on the subject, of which the following is a brief summary: The article says that in Belgium the question of admitting women to the universities was brought up in 1875, but not until 1881 was the plan adopted at Brussels and Liege. At present there are women studying at both these places. France not only allows women to attend the lectures at most of her colleges, but graduates are permitted to practice their chosen professions. The present attitude of the French government towards the movement is said to be very favorable. Several Russian ladies have followed the medical course at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Eight years ago, over a hundred lady students were at this university, but now the number is considerably less from political reasons. Nearly all the educational institutions of Italy are, and have been for years, open to women. In Bavaria since 1880, women are actually prohibited from taking a medical course, and in fact Germany offers little or no advantages of higher education to them. In 1872 a medical faculty for women was organized at St. Petersburg and the first year's course was attended by 106 women. The course has now been abolished. Sweden offered a medical career to women by royal decree in 1870, and several courses are now open to them in the various colleges. In Great Britain the University of London offers degrees to women in every course but medicine; the University of Cambridge in all courses. The Royal University of Ireland is open in all its branches to women students, and the institution and success of Girton College in England is well known. In addition to these facts, President Barnard of Columbia College says in his annual report, that no one can have failed to remark the growing interest in this subject in New York city during the past year. He thinks that Columbia College must soon admit women as students on an equal footing with men; that where, as in Michigan University, this has been done, the results have been very reassuring and gratifying.