on was given in Molson Hall to the benefactors of the
University who had recently subscribed so generously to its revenue. At
this gathering, Chancellor Day referred to the necessity for providing
the means of furnishing a higher education for women, "a matter," he
said, "in which we are wofully behind the age.... I trust the time is
not far distant when McGill College may become the privileged instrument
of ministering to this urgent need. In this whole matter of education
for either sex, women are directly and deeply interested."

A few months later, in 1871, Hannah Willard Lyman, the former Principal
of the school for girls, died. Her former pupils in Montreal determined
in some way to perpetuate her memory. They collected the "Hannah Willard
Lyman Memorial Fund" for the establishment of a scholarship or a prize
for women to be awarded in McGill when women would be admitted to its
classes, "in a College for women affiliated to the University or in
classes approved by the University." But no way existed for the carrying
out of this desire. The Governors showed little sympathy with the idea
of admitting women students to men's classes; they had no objection to a
distinct women's College, but no funds for such an undertaking were
available. Dr. Dawson then appealed for help to the women friends of
McGill, and his appeal at once met with a ready response. In the autumn
of 1871 a number of women interested in the higher education of their
sex met at the residence of Mrs. John Molson, and formed the "Ladies'
Educational Association of Montreal," for the purpose of obtaining, in
the absence of University opportunities, instruction for its members.
This Association carried on its work for thirteen years, until women
were at last admitted to McGill. It was self-supporting, although it
asked only very moderate fees from its students and paid its lecturers
generously. Principal Dawson gave the introductory lecture of the first
session in October, 1871. The students who took the full course of
lectures and passed an examination on the work received a certificate of
"Associate in Arts."

[Illustration: _Percy Molson
Founder of the Molson Stadium
Killed in action July_, 1917]

But the hope of admitting women to the classes in Arts had not been
abandoned. On October 25th, 1882, Professor Clark Murray moved at a
meeting of the Arts Faculty a resolution, which was carried, to the
effect "that the educational advantages of the Facu