SUMMARY:
A set of newspaper clippings reports Miss Joan Procter’s appointment as curator of reptiles at the Zoological Gardens and profiles her expertise with snakes. Additional short items cover women’s higher education at Cambridge, married women’s financial dependence, international peace efforts, and grants for women sculptors.
CONTENT:
FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1923. THE VOTE 235
WOMEN AT HOME AND ABROAD.
Empty Titles at Cambridge.
One hundred and twenty-two Cambridge women
students have recently received diplomas of the title
of the degree of B.A. Fifty belong to Girton, and
seventy-two to Newnham. Ninety-six women students
have received diplomas of the title of the degree of
M.A. Thirty-six belong to Girton, and sixty to Newn-
ham. Two Girton students have also obtained, respec-
tively, diplomas for Bachelor of Law, and one for Mas-
ter of Law. The number of students in residence during
the last Easter term were 180 at Girton, and 257 at
Newnham.
Woman Curator's Appointment.
Miss Joan Procter, F.Z.S., F.L.S., has been ap-
pointed curator of reptiles at the Zoological Gardens,
and will assume her duties in the late autumn. Miss
Proctor was educated at St. Paul's School for Girls,
and, since 1916, has worked in the reptile department
at the British Museum, first as voluntary assistant to
Dr. Boulenger, and, since his retirement, in charge.
She is the author of a large number of papers on the
anatomy, classification, and habits of reptiles and
batrachians, and for many years has kept a private
collection of living snakes, frogs, and lizards.
Married Women's Dependence.
Speaking at a recent women's luncheon party at the
Lyceum Club, Mrs. Champion de Crespigny said that,
while the unmarried woman now had opportunities not
thought of in the last century, the married woman of
small means was cramped and nullified by her absolute
dependence. A married woman should be entitled to a
definite proportion of the salary of her husband, and it
ought not to be given as a favour.
Women and Peace.
At the recent meeting of the Board of Officers of the
International Council of Women, held at the House of
Cromar, Aberdeenshire, it was decided to hold a Con-
ference of women's international organisations next
March in London, to discuss the "Prevention of the
causes of War, and how women can promote World
Peace."
Grants for Women Sculptors.
It has been decided to use the money collected for the
Lady Feodora Gleichen Memorial Fund, amounting to
over £2,000, in giving grants to women sculptors for
the purpose of their work. The original object of the
Fund was to provide studios and materials for women
sculptors.
Cutting from the Birmingham Weekly Post
Address of Publication
Issue dated 28-7-27
English Lady Snake Charmer.
Miss Joan Procter, F.Z.S., F.L.S., who
has just been appointed curator of reptiles
at the Zoo, is English, and only twenty-five
years of age. She will have complete charge
of dozens of venomous cobras, deadly
pythons, boa constrictors, alligators and croco-
diles. Miss Procter, though unknown to the
world at large, is famous among zoologists
as one of the greatest snake experts of the
day, and her interest in the subject is
probably hereditary, as her grandfather was
a famous entomologist, and she had her
first pet snake when she was only ten years
old.
Cutting from the Hampstead Advertiser
Address of Publication
Issue dated 26-4-29.
Miss Joan Procter, F.Z.S., has been
appointed curator of the reptile house at
the Zoological Gardens. She is regarded
as one of the greatest experts on snakes
in the world.
Cutting from the Manchester Evening News
Address of Publication
Issue dated 28-7-29
Eve and the Serpents.
AT the Zoo in London a girl has been
appointed curator of reptiles. This
unusual course has been adopted because
the lady, Miss Joan Procter, F.Z.S., F.L.S.,
is one of the leading authorities on these
rather terrifying creatures. Ever since
she was a tiny child Miss Procter has
been fond of reptiles, and her list of pets were
of a nature to terrify the average person. She
read every book that dealt with snakes and
lizards, so that when she came in contact with
men who made a life study of reptiles they were
amazed at her knowledge. She adopted her
present career on leaving school, Miss Joan
Procter's fame has penetrated over the world.
The Zoological Society of Bombay made her a
Fellow, and American experts held her in high
regard. She is also one of the experts at the
Museum of Natural History at South Kensing-
ton, and loves and fondles dangerous serpents
as an average woman would pet kittens and
puppies.