Collegiate Instruction of Women.

Following is a summary made from the advance sheets of the sixth annual report of the secretary and the treasurer of "The Society for the Collegiate Instruction of Women by Professors and other Instructors of Harvard College." The executive officers of the association are, president, Mrs. Louis Agassiz; secretary, Mr. Arthur Gilman; treasurer, Miss Alice M. Longfellow. Many of Harvard's most noted professors are members of the corporation. The important event of the past year is the purchase for the use of the society of the Fay estate, 10 Garden street, at a cost of $20,000. This sum is to be paid by subscriptions, of which $11,375 has been already paid in. One hundred volumes have been added to the Reference Library during the year. This library now numbers 1146 books, but needs many more for daily use, especially books for reference in the study of history, and works of the noted English novelists.

The Harvard library has been open to the students of the society, and the librarian and his assistants have given them valuable aid in the selection of books, as well as many facilities for their use. During the past year, 44 certificates of study have been granted by the society; 39 of these for courses of one or more studies carried through the year; 1 for work done through four years, corresponding to the degree of A. B. at Harvard; 2 for second year honors in classics; 1 for final highest honors in classics.

The Women's Education Association of Boston relinquished last June its supervision of the Harvard examinations for women in Cambridge, and these examinations are now under the charge of the society. The number of students taking courses last year was 49; this year there are 55 names on the roll. Most of these students come from Massachusetts, though nine states send representatives.

Of the different departments, the English electives lead with 59 in attendance, followed by Latin with 31, Greek with 25, History with 20, and the other seven departments with from 4 to 16 students each. Of the whole number of students, 22 are taking the regular four years' college course, 7 an elective course of four years, and 26 choose a smaller number of electives than are necessary for the second certificate of the society. Of the number now studying, 33 are apparently intending to enter upon teaching or professional work. Thirty-two electives in the various departments are offered to the students.

The treasurer's report states that the cost of instruction and administration together for the year was more than $200 per student, and that the tuition fees received from students averaged $135.53. It is plain that these fees cannot meet the expenses of instruction. A large endowment fund is needed, for which the society has appealed. The permanent endowment fund of $100,000, to be raised by subscription, now amounts to $88,584.94, and is invested in good securities.

In conclusion, the report states "that the enterprise enters upon its seventh year with greater reasons for hopefulness, both in respect to the co-operation of the professors of Harvard College and the earnest work of its increasing number of students, than it ever before enjoyed."