THE WORKING MEN'S COLLEGE.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—I have recently succeeded Sir Charles Lucas as principal of the Working Men's College, which was founded in 1854 by my grandfather, F. D. Maurice, and a group of men which included Charles Kingsley, Tom Hughes, James Ludlow and Llewelyn Davies, a group with which the Spectator was in close touch and sympathy. Amongst the first teachers were, besides the founders, Ruskin, Brewer and Westlake, and these were followed by Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown and a large number of other men of the highest distinction. Thanks to the tradition established by the founders and the first teachers, the educational facilities which the college has been able to offer the working man have continually developed. To-day there are more than seventy voluntary teachers assisting in the education of some twelve hundred students. It is the number of voluntary teachers which gives the college its special character. It was founded in a time of great social unrest, not only to give the working man an opportunity of obtaining a liberal education, but especially to bring together the man of educa- tion and the working man who seeks education, so that, in Maurice's words, " there should be created a body of men united together for high ends by other than mercenary bonds." Fellowship between classes has always been and still is the keynote of the place. It will, I think, be agreed that the need for such fellowship is to-day as great as it was in 1854.
The college is now established in Camden Town in fine buildings, well equipped. The foundation-stone of the present buildings was laid by His Majesty when Prince of Wales, and we have recently been honoured by a visit from the Duke of York, who told us that he was greatly impressed both with the scope of the educational facilities and with the wide interest taken in the college by the students.
We are, however, faced with difficulties in maintaining the special character of the college. Increased expenses have forced us to raise our fees, and this tends to drive away the type of working man for whose benefit the college was founded. Further, to meet our expenses, which come to about £8,300 a year, we have had to obtain a grant from the London County Council amounting to £1,200 a year. We have nothing but gratitude for the assistance and encouragement which the educational officers of the L.C.C. have given us, but the Council finds it necessary to ask us in return for this grant to conform to rules which make our free development upon the lines designed by our founders difficult. We are therefore appealing to the big businesses of London and to all who are in sympathy with our aims to help us to establish' an endowment fund of £32,000. The prime purpose of this fund is to enable us to lower our fees and be independent of the L.C.C. grant. We believe that we are doing work which is of real value to the industrial life of London, and it is. therefore to the business men of London that we address ourselves especially. May we for old sake's sake have your valuable support ?
Contributions should be sent to Sir Arthur Lowes Dickinson (Bursar of the College) and cheques crossed Westminster Bank, Ltd. All correspondence should be addressed to the Superintendent, Working Men's College, Crowndale Road, N.W., who will send to anyone interested a copy of our appeal.—I
am, Sir, &c., F. lideumcn. 44 Kensington Park Gardens, W. 11.
[We wish the heartiest support to Sir Frederick Maurice and his excellent cause.—En. Spectator.]
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