University Life In London: Classes Of The Late 1800S

Between 1880 and 1900, the University of London underwent significant changes, including the introduction of mixed-gender classes and the establishment of new colleges. The university's role expanded, and it moved to larger premises in South Kensington in 1900. During this period, students could access a range of courses, including arts, science, medicine, surgery, and theology. The university also offered Tuesday Evening Lectures adapted for a general audience, including women, and there was a gradual integration of a Ladies' Educational Association with regular college classes. By 1900, thirty per cent of the university's graduates were women.

Women at University of London

The University of London has a long history of providing educational opportunities for women. As early as the 1830s, women students could attend classes at Birkbeck, and in 1832, two women signed up for lectures on electricity at London University (as University College was then known). While the date from which women were regularly welcomed at University College is often given as 1848, their presence is not officially recorded until 1861-2, when over a hundred schoolmistresses attended lectures on animal physiology.

The true breakthrough for women's education at the University of London came in the late 1860s, thanks to the efforts of Henry Morley, a lecturer in English who joined the university in 1865. Morley, who was unable to become a Professor due to his Unitarian beliefs, campaigned for the regular admission of women to the university. By the 1870s, women were attending most classes at the Slade School of Fine Art, and the London School of Medicine for Women was established in 1874. In 1878, University College began offering "Tuesday Evening Lectures" adapted for a general audience, including ladies, and mixed classes were finally established.

In the late 19th century, several colleges within the University of London played a significant role in providing higher education for women. King's College, for example, founded Queen's College in Harley Street in 1846, primarily for the education of future governesses. From the start, Queen's College was open to girls and women from the age of twelve. King's College also supported the non-denominational Bedford College, founded by social reformer Elizabeth Jesser Reid in 1849 as a college for women. Bedford College offered a liberal education, including studies in both the arts and sciences. In the late 1880s, six laboratories were built at a cost of £6000, earning the college praise from the scientific journal Nature.

Another important college for women during this period was Royal Holloway College, founded by Thomas Holloway and his wife, Jane, in 1879. The college, with its grand Founders Building modelled after a French chateau, was opened by Queen Victoria in 1886. By 1897, over 100 women were resident students, many of whom were preparing for examinations at the University of London or Oxford. Royal Holloway, along with Bedford College and the London School of Economics, became part of the University of London in 1900. By this time, thirty percent of the university's graduates were women, demonstrating the significant progress made in women's education during this period.

University College London

UCL became a school of the University of London in 1909, following the University of London's reconstitution into a federal university. The University of London was established in 1836 to promote access to higher education and was the first university in the world to admit students regardless of their gender, race, or religion. It was also the first UK university to award degrees to women in 1878.

In the late 19th century, tensions arose between the colleges and the University of London, leading to a campaign for a Teaching University for London. The University Senate rejected proposals to add teaching responsibilities to the University of London's function as an examining board in 1864 and 1878. The formation of the Victoria University in 1880 and the subsequent federal link between teaching and examining functions further fuelled the campaign.

During the period 1880-1900, students at University College London could pursue degrees in Arts and Science. The specific courses and curriculum details for this time period are not readily available. However, it is known that classes in medicine began at the opening of the college in 1828, and the University College Hospital served as a teaching hospital for these classes, organised under the Faculty of Medicine in 1836.

UCL has produced several notable alumni, including Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, Lord Herschell, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, and Jomo Kenyatta, considered the "Founding Father" of Kenya.

King's College London

The general course included the study of divinity, classical languages, mathematics, English literature, and history. The medical course, as the name suggests, focused on medical training. The miscellaneous course covered subjects such as law, political economy, and modern languages, which were not part of a systematic course of study at the time.

The junior department, also known as King's College School, started with just 85 pupils and three teachers. However, it quickly grew, reaching 500 students by 1841, outgrowing its facilities and relocating to Wimbledon in 1897.

In the late 19th century, King's College London underwent changes in governance, becoming a school of the University of London in 1900 under new statutes. During World War I, the medical school opened its doors to women for the first time, and after the war, the college experienced a significant influx of students, straining its existing facilities.

University governance

During the period 1880-1900, the University of London underwent significant changes in its governance structure. The university, founded in 1836, was established as a degree-awarding examination board for students from University College London (UCL) and King's College London.

In the late 19th century, the university faced criticism for merely serving as an examination centre, prompting calls for a "teaching university" in London. This led to discussions of UCL and KCL separating from the University of London to form a new university. However, the passing of the University of London Act in 1898 averted this potential split. The Act reformed the university's governance by giving it a federal structure, with responsibility for monitoring course content and academic standards within its institutions. This change was implemented in 1900, along with the approval of new statutes, marking a shift in the university's organisational structure.

The university's governance during this period was also influenced by the establishment of women's colleges and the integration of women into previously all-male colleges. The admission of women to degrees began in 1878, with supplemental charters, and by 1880, four female students had obtained Bachelor of Arts degrees. This development contributed to the growing presence of women in higher education, and by 1900, thirty percent of the university's graduates were women.

The Boards of Studies and the Academic Council played crucial roles in organising and improving the university's academic programmes. The Academic Council was responsible for building a university professoriate, recognising teachers, and admitting schools. However, its recommendations were often overridden by the Senate, the supreme governing body of the university. The Boards of Studies, on the other hand, were considered a success, making important progress in areas that were less observed.

In terms of specific courses and curriculum details during this period, there is limited information available. However, we know that the medical curriculum at the University of London aimed to provide a systematic and comprehensive medical education, building on general and scientific knowledge. The regulations for the M.B. required candidates to be matriculated and to have completed a minimum of four years of study before the First and Second Examinations.

Medical curriculum

The medical curriculum in London universities in the late 19th century was a time of transition and reform. While medical education had traditionally been through apprenticeships, the rise of medical schools and universities brought about a more systematic and comprehensive approach. The University of London, for instance, aimed to provide a structured medical curriculum that built upon a foundation of general and scientific knowledge. This shift towards academic education and theoretical teaching was not without its challenges, as traditional apprenticeship programs and proprietary medical schools remained prominent.

The University of London's medical curriculum required candidates to be matriculated and to have completed a minimum of four years of study. The Preliminary Scientific Examination, introduced in 1860, served as a prerequisite for the two subsequent medical tests. While the university did not have its own teachers in 1900, the medical schools within the university offered professional diplomas from the Royal Colleges. Students could also pursue clinical clerkships and gain hands-on experience through teaching hospitals and laboratories.

During this period, the content and duration of medical education were evolving. The University of Pennsylvania's medical curriculum in 1889, for instance, had expanded to a three-year program to accommodate new fields of study and practical experiences. This included an emphasis on surgery and hygiene, as well as specialised areas of medicine. The addition of laboratories and practicums to the curriculum enhanced the graduates' experience and prepared them better for their future careers.

The late 19th century also witnessed the admission of women into medical schools, marking a significant step towards diversity. The University of Michigan's Medical School, for instance, accepted its first female graduate, Amanda Sanford, who entered the program in 1871. Additionally, the University of Toronto offered a limited medical training program for women during this time, although some women, like Sophia Bethena Jones, opted to pursue their medical education at the University of Michigan due to the constraints they faced elsewhere.

The medical curriculum of the time was also influenced by the contributions of educators such as Abraham Flexner, who, in 1910, published a report describing his vision of ideal medical education. Flexner's ideas built upon the developments that had taken place within medical faculties during the late 19th century, a period marked by the emergence of pioneering schools and a campaign to reform medical education.

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