Pro THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—The Working Men's College,
founded in 18.54 by F. D. Maurice, Thomas Hughes, J. M. Ludlow, and others with a view to providing an Academical or University education for London working met, has during its fifty years' existence succeeded to a remarkable degree in accomplishing the purpose of its founders. It is now about to signalise its jubilee by building (at Crowndale Road, in the borough of St. Pancras) a house worthy of the work in which it is engaged.
We have in hand a sum of about £32,000, arising partly from the generosity of friends and partly from the sale under favour- able circumstances of the old and inadequate building in Great Ormond Street. Of this sum .£8,000 have already been invested in the purchase of a desirable site ; £24,000 remain to be divided between the two purposes of erecting a building and of providing a Maintenance Fund,—that is, of a fund for paying teachers and supplying the necessary educational plant. But it is estimated that to accomplish both .these purposes adequately and com- pletely a further, sum of, say, .28,000 will be required.
It is of great importance that the building, however simply designed, should be thoroughly adapted to its special purposes. But the really essential thing is that the Maintenance Fund should be ample enough to enable the College to keep paco with the ever rising standard of a liberal education for the people ; a standard which its own successful work has done so much to raise.
The gracious act of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales in consenting to lay the foundation-stone of the new building on July 16th assures us of a degree of public sympathy to which we may appeal with confidence for the help we need. We trust that it will enable us to carry on for many years to come the excellent work begun by our founders, and which has already to so great extent fulfilled their hopes.
The College is deeply valued by the working men of London, many of its former students joining with young men of University distinction as volunteers in the work of teaching, which to all engaged in it has been truly a labour of love.
—I am, Sir, &c., . A. V. DICEY,
P.S.—Donations and subscriptions may be sent to Professor A. V. Dicey, Principal, The Orchard, Oxford; Lionel Jacob, Vice-Principal, 43 Buckland Crescent, N.W. ; R. J. Mure, Bursar, 7 New Square, Lincoln's Inn ; or to the Secretary, Working Men's College, 46 Great Ormond Street.
[We sincerely trust that the support required will be received by this excellent institution. We know few more worthy and enlightened schemes of practical philanthropy. The work has been done mainly by volunteers, including many distinguished Oxford and Cambridge scholars, and also of late years by some who have themselves been educated at the College. The experiment has had many followers, but we trust that the pioneer institution may long continue to carry on successfully the work which it so nobly inaugurated fifty years ago.—En. Spectator.]
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