been an issue of debate for more than two decades. Oxford's decision was also a reaction to what Cambridge had done. That “other” university had ended its Greek requirement for all students a few months earlier, and Oxford feared looking antiquarian and losing students to its competitor. Many in Oxford resented being forced by Cambridge to make this concession to the twentieth century. Cambridge had been debating this question for nearly fifty years, and yet Oxford dons condemned the “indecently prompt action” of their rival.5
Yet another concession by Oxford to Rhodes Scholars was the granting of senior status. Normally freshers admitted to the colleges were considered junior members until they passed the preliminary examinations at the end of their first year. After that, usually for the next two years, they were considered seniors. Prior to the First World War, Oxford granted immediate senior status to a handful of American Rhodes Scholars – those from a select few of the most prestigious universities. The list of universities was enlarged to about 150 in 1919, and by 1922 virtually every scholar who came to Oxford with a bachelor's degree from any American university was granted senior status.6
This change was important both socially and academically. Socially, it meant that they escaped some of the snubbing to which freshers were subject. Academically, it meant that most scholars could now obtain a B.A. in two years instead of three. This would permit him to return sooner to the United States to enter a career or graduate school. Or, even more frequently, it permitted him to spend his third year in Oxford pursuing an advanced degree. Getting such a late start on an advanced degree meant that a scholar would complete his thesis after returning to the United States or that he would have to use his own financial resources for an additional year or two in Oxford.
This period also witnessed changes in the central administration of the program. Francis Wylie remained as Oxford Secretary until 1931, when he was succeeded by C.K. Allen. Allen had been Professor of Jurisprudence at University College and would hold his new post until 1952. Through the 1920s and 1930s the Secretary's powers and responsibilities grew. This was partly due to the retirement of George Parkin in 1920. By that time the program was firmly established, and thus there was no longer a need for an “Organizing Secretary.” The Rhodes Trustees continued to maintain their headquarters in London. In 1919 they appointed one of themselves to the position of General Secretary. That person would supervise the management of the endowment funds and make decisions on broad policy issues.7 Increasingly the Oxford Secretary handled daily affairs and corresponded with Aydelotte and the other national secretaries.
The end of the decade also witnessed some important developments. As noted above, the granting of senior status made it possible for many scholars to obtain a B.A., B.Sc., or B.Litt. – but not a D.Phil. – in two years. Nonetheless, many were dragging out their studies to three years. In many cases this was because they did not study hard enough in their first two. To encourage all scholars to work harder, Francis Wylie gradually made the scholarship into a two-year program.8 One could apply for a third year only by demonstrating its necessity. In most cases the extension was granted. This was especially true for students who had completed a B.A. and wanted to go on for an additional degree, or for students pursuing a D.Phil. In the 1930s most scholars remained for a third year, but in later decades most chose to return home after the second.
An event of particular importance occurred in 1929. This was the gala opening of Rhodes House. About two hundred former scholars from around the world, half of them Americans, returned to Oxford to participate in the celebrations. They were joined by dignitaries like the Prince of Wales, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.9
Situated on South Parks Road, near the heart of the university area, this imposing edifice was designed by Herbert Baker, who had been Cecil Rhodes' friend and architect in South Africa. Aesthetically, the building was not universally admired. A quarter-century after it was built, the head of the trustees could find no warmer words of praise than “imposing Cotswold pile.”10 What it lacked in beauty, it made up for in size. It was designed to serve several functions. It became the residence of the Oxford Secretary. Up to then Francis Wylie had conducted all of his business from his home. Now he and his wife would have spacious living accommodations plus several rooms for storing all the records of the program. The Secretary now also had facilities for entertaining the current scholars. Each fall there would be a formal dinner for new scholars and each summer a grand affair for those about to go down. In addition, Rhodes House was a place where scholars could listen to guest lecturers. The building contained several impressive meeting rooms and halls, but what most impressed many visitors was the fact that the building possessed eight fully modern toilets. Part of the structure was set aside as a branch library of the Bodleian. Rhodes House Library quickly became the chief repository for most books relating to the United States and the British Commonwealth. Finally, Rhodes House was a gift to the city and the university as a whole. Many of its rooms were open to the public, and the university began to use it for various meetings and conferences. In keeping with the magnificence of his new surroundings, the Oxford Secretary now acquired a second title: Warden of Rhodes House.
One final change came in the 1920s. Despite the inclusion of former scholars on the selection committees and an increase in the applicant pool, the academic record of American Rhodes Scholars improved only marginally. Frank Aydelotte gradually came to discern what he believed to be the major flaw. It still lay in the selection process itself. Cecil Rhodes had wanted scholars to come from each state of the Union, thus guaranteeing the widest geographical distribution. This meant, however, that smallest states, in terms of population, produced just as many Rhodes Scholars as the largest states. Inevitably, the applicant pool in North Dakota, Nevada, and Idaho was much smaller than in states like New York, Pennsylvania, and California. In the 1920s there were still some instances of committees in the less populated states deciding that no candidate was worthy; thus some slots went unfilled. Worse than that, some committees, when faced with mediocre candidates, went ahead and made appointments anyway. Aydelotte reported that a few Oxford colleges had become upset with the caliber of these men and were threatening to reject all future scholars from those states.11
In the mid-1920s Aydelotte began to float an idea that George Parkin had first mentioned years earlier. He wanted to make sure that each appointment came from a sufficiently large applicant pool. In 1929 he finally proposed his idea to the Rhodes Trustees and to the Association of American Rhodes Scholars.12 The result, approved by both organizations, was the district plan. This new scheme involved a departure from Rhodes' will, and thus required an Act of Parliament for authorization. Both Houses gave their assent.
Beginning in 1930, for what would be the class of 1931, the United States would be divided into eight regional districts. Each of these consisted of six states.13 There were still some glaring differences in population between the districts. Nevertheless, even the regions in the western half of the country would now produce enough candidates to allow committees to choose men of the highest quality-or so it was hoped.
The new selection procedure was now split into two stages. An applicant first applied to his state committee. The latter selected two candidates who would progress to the district level. The district committee would then interview the twelve finalists – two from each state. After a day of interviewing, the committee would then inform four of the anxious twelve that they had been chosen. The eight districts thus combined to produce thirty-two scholars each year. All this took place within one week, usually in early December.
The district plan might seem justifiable and non-controversial to an outside observer. However, it met with howls of protest at the time and continues to meet some objections today. Though most former Rhodes Scholars who participated in the 1929 vote gave it their approval, there was a vocal core of opposition. Some argued that the novelty was objectionable because it violated Rhodes' will. Defenders of the reform, however, countered that it maintained Rhodes' desire for geographical distribution and bolstered Rhodes' aim of attracting the “best men.” Other critics lambasted it because it was yet another slander against the quality of earlier appointees. Numerous scholars from
