their careers, and the product of their school training. The ‘evident ill-health’
of a fair proportion of the candidates—‘especially perhaps the girls’—suggested problems with the syllabus of the examinations of the schools which
prepared the students, or with the matriculation examination itself, or both.
Many candidates (again the girls) were ‘anæmic, stooped markedly, or sat at
their desks in a crooked attitude’. The average age of students sitting the
matriculation examination was 17, the percentage ‘manifestly ill’ was 20–
30%, and there were 27 h of written work spread over 9 subjects. It was felt
that one cause of this ‘evil’ was that the candidates were too young—especially when compared to ‘Oxbridge’ entrance examinations. There were also
concerns regarding the syllabus of the examination which was felt to have
become ‘more practical’ in recent years. The compulsory subject of elementary science in particular included a ‘multiplication of subjects’ (mechanics,
chemistry, heat, light and electricity) of low standard which encouraged
‘cram’. This gave students a ‘smattering of everything’ which was regarded as
beneath the dignity of a University. Questions in some subjects were criticised as not demanding ‘thinking power’ but simply memory recall. Finally,
the conduct of the examination was criticised. The lack of ventilation during
the summer examinations led to ‘impure air’ which caused some students to
faint. Many were strained, suffered ‘stage fright’ and were siezed with
diarrhœa. To alleviate this it was suggested, the simpler subjects should be
examined on the first day. Although this strain applied to both sexes, the
plight of the girls caused particular dismay. Girls were often markedly
‘anæmic or choreic’ and a school that ‘urged [such a] girl to go up for
examination had mistaken her vocation’. It was even suggested that with the
help of a medical Inspector or Inspectress, the markedly neurotic might be
discouraged from undertaking the strain of examinations and induced to take
up a life of open air labour. Unfortunately, many of these problems are a
consequence of an ‘on the day’ examination system and they remain with us.
Brutal examination or not, R. C. Chirnside in his obituary of Le Rossignol in
1976
23 records that Robert ‘always spoke affectionately’ of University
College. Even so, by 1900 serious concerns were emerging regarding the effect
of university examinations on the health of some students, and many years
later such a system was to play its part in undoubtedly one of the most tragic
episodes of Robert’s life.
Robert’s choice to study at the University of London however, occurred
more by chance than one would have first thought. Five years earlier, his
brother Austen won a Victoria College scholarship to become a Channel
Island ‘Exhibitioner’ at Exeter College Oxford where he studied Natural
Sciences. However, the British Medical Journal of 22 August 1896 records
1 Robert Le Rossignol
15
of a fair proportion of the candidates—‘especially perhaps the girls’—suggested problems with the syllabus of the examinations of the schools which
prepared the students, or with the matriculation examination itself, or both.
Many candidates (again the girls) were ‘anæmic, stooped markedly, or sat at
their desks in a crooked attitude’. The average age of students sitting the
matriculation examination was 17, the percentage ‘manifestly ill’ was 20–
30%, and there were 27 h of written work spread over 9 subjects. It was felt
that one cause of this ‘evil’ was that the candidates were too young—especially when compared to ‘Oxbridge’ entrance examinations. There were also
concerns regarding the syllabus of the examination which was felt to have
become ‘more practical’ in recent years. The compulsory subject of elementary science in particular included a ‘multiplication of subjects’ (mechanics,
chemistry, heat, light and electricity) of low standard which encouraged
‘cram’. This gave students a ‘smattering of everything’ which was regarded as
beneath the dignity of a University. Questions in some subjects were criticised as not demanding ‘thinking power’ but simply memory recall. Finally,
the conduct of the examination was criticised. The lack of ventilation during
the summer examinations led to ‘impure air’ which caused some students to
faint. Many were strained, suffered ‘stage fright’ and were siezed with
diarrhœa. To alleviate this it was suggested, the simpler subjects should be
examined on the first day. Although this strain applied to both sexes, the
plight of the girls caused particular dismay. Girls were often markedly
‘anæmic or choreic’ and a school that ‘urged [such a] girl to go up for
examination had mistaken her vocation’. It was even suggested that with the
help of a medical Inspector or Inspectress, the markedly neurotic might be
discouraged from undertaking the strain of examinations and induced to take
up a life of open air labour. Unfortunately, many of these problems are a
consequence of an ‘on the day’ examination system and they remain with us.
Brutal examination or not, R. C. Chirnside in his obituary of Le Rossignol in
1976
23 records that Robert ‘always spoke affectionately’ of University
College. Even so, by 1900 serious concerns were emerging regarding the effect
of university examinations on the health of some students, and many years
later such a system was to play its part in undoubtedly one of the most tragic
episodes of Robert’s life.
Robert’s choice to study at the University of London however, occurred
more by chance than one would have first thought. Five years earlier, his
brother Austen won a Victoria College scholarship to become a Channel
Island ‘Exhibitioner’ at Exeter College Oxford where he studied Natural
Sciences. However, the British Medical Journal of 22 August 1896 records
1 Robert Le Rossignol
15