14 JANUARY 1905, Page 14

Sin,—In your sympathetic notice of the Jubilee book of the

Working Men's College in last week's Spectator you question whether its students are indeed working men. As this is a matter of some importance to the College, I trust you will allow me to state the facts. I have taken the figures for the last ten years, and I find that the students have been half engaged in manual and half in clerical occupations ; but the latter half can in no way be described as "habitually clad in broadcloth," nor, indeed, are they separated by any distinct social line from the artisan class. We are at pains to attract the latter class by keeping in touch with workmen's organisa- tions, and I have every reason to think that we succeed. At the same time, we have no wish to discourage clerks, who need-

a liberal education as much as citizens, and have as little opportunity of obtaining it. As you have kindly invited your readers to support the College, I hope I may add that an additional income of a very few hundred pounds will make all the difference between starvation and comfort when we move to our larger home. In other words, we are anxious to secure an adequate number of annual subscribers.—I am, 46 Great Ormond Street, W.C.