Before crossing the Atlantic to Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania, it is worth looking at the situation in England, and more specifically at Cambridge. Charlotte Angas Scott (1858–1931) first became famous in the spring of 1880, when an unexpected feat drew attention to her: she had placed eighth in the Mathematical Tripos (see the article "The difficult acceptance of women mathematicians at Cambridge"). Because she was a woman, not only was she barred from attending the ceremony, but her name could not even be mentioned. Yet the event caused such a stir in the press that women students won the right to have their names included in a separate column of the official list—though they still received no degree; one must not go too far… News of the event spread around the world. Charlotte became a role model for women. On April 18, 1922, during a ceremony held in her honor by the American Mathematical Society, mathematician James Harkness (1864–1923) recalled hearing about the event as a very young man. To him, it marked "the turning point in England between the theoretical feminism of Mill and others and the practical education and political advances of the present day." It was also tremendous publicity for Girton College (see the article "The difficult acceptance of women mathematicians at Cambridge").
