Alice Oldham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alice Oldham
Born	1850 (1850) Dublin, Ireland
Died	21 January 1907 Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Alma mater	Royal University of Ireland
Occupation	Educator, Suffragist
Notable work	An Introduction to the study of Philosophy

Alice Oldham (1850–1907) was an important Irish woman who lived from 1850 to 1907. She was one of the Nine Graces, a special group of the first nine women to earn university degrees in Great Britain or Ireland. Alice was a strong leader in the fight for women to get a higher education in Ireland. She especially worked hard to help women get into Trinity College, Dublin.

Alice Oldham's Life

Early Life and Education

Alice Oldham was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1850. Her father, Eldred Oldham, was a linen seller in Dublin. Her mother was Anne Oldham. Alice had a brother named Charles Hubert Oldham, who became the first professor of National Economics at University College Dublin. Her sister, Edith, helped start the Feis Ceoil music festival in Dublin in 1896.

Alice went to Alexandra College for her education. After finishing her studies, she became a teacher there in 1886. She taught many different subjects, including English, History, Logic, Ethics, Latin, and Botany. In 1884, she earned her Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the Royal University of Ireland.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Alice Oldham was a member of the Dublin Women's Suffrage Association. This group worked to gain voting rights for women. She cared deeply about women having equal chances in education. She traveled to London with Mrs Byers from Victoria College. Their goal was to make sure that girls' schools were included in a new law called the Intermediate Education Act.

In 1882, Alice helped create the Central Association of Irish School Mistresses. This group aimed to support education for girls. It also worked to make sure girls could go to university. This is why Alice was so determined in her fight for women to be allowed into Trinity College, Dublin.

The Campaign for Trinity College

Around 1892, Trinity College Dublin was celebrating its 300th anniversary. At this time, the Central Association of Irish School Mistresses became even more focused. They wanted to open Trinity College degrees to women. Alice Oldham was the honorary secretary of the Association. This meant she was a key part of the campaign.

Some people within Trinity College supported the idea. However, many leaders, including the Provost, George Salmon, were against it. The college received legal advice that stopped women from being admitted. Because of this, the campaign lost its energy by 1895.

In 1902, Alice became the first president of a new group. It was called the Irish Association of Women Graduates. This group worked to achieve coeducation in higher education in Ireland. Coeducation means that both men and women can study together. Alice also wrote regularly for The Journal of Education, a monthly magazine published in London.

A Victory for Women's Education

Finally, in 1904, Trinity College, Dublin allowed women to join the university. That same year, the college gave special honorary degrees to three important Irish women. These were Isabella Mulvany, Sophie Bryant, and Jane Barlow.

Even though Alice Oldham had worked so hard to get women admitted to Trinity, she was not given an honorary degree. Women were fully admitted to Trinity College shortly after Provost George Salmon passed away.

Alice Oldham died on January 21, 1907. Her obituary, a notice about her death, was published in The Journal of Education in February 1907. It said that "Miss Oldham was widely known and greatly esteemed in Ireland." It also praised her as "an effective advocate of the claims of women in all walks of life." The obituary stated she would be remembered for her "splendid work" for women's higher education.

After she died, in 1908, a book of her lectures was published. It was called An Introduction to the study of Philosophy.

Memorials

A special award, the Alice Oldham Memorial Prize, was created in 1908. It was funded by donations to remember Alice Oldham. This prize is given every two years to the most outstanding woman student who attended Alexandra College.

Also, Oldham House at Trinity Hall is named after her.