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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 85

City and Guilds of London Institute

City and Guilds of London Institute.

In concluding this part of our subject, we deem ourselves justified in giving, at the risk of repeating some of the statements we may have made in the earlier parts of our report, a short review of the work initiated, controlled, and contemplated by the City and Guilds of London Institute, inasmuch as this important organization has been created in order to promote the technical instruction of persons of every grade engaged in industry.

The institute had not been in existence very long when your commissioners were appointed, and consequently they have scarcely had the opportunity of estimating the value of the work it is doing in some of its branches. Even now that work is in many parts of the kingdom unknown, and this is particularly the case in Ireland. In Dublin, Cork, and in many other Irish towns nothing was know at the time of our visit of the encouragement to technical instruction offered by the institute's scheme of technological examination, where a in Belfast advantage has been taken of it, and the establishment there of a technical school for instruction in the weaving and dyeing of linen and in mechanical engineering is largely due to its action.

Central Institution.—The Central Institution, which is not yet opened, is intended by the institute to fulfil functions resembling those of the great polytechnic schools of the continent. Your commissioners have examined the 'proposed scheme of instruction embodied in the report of the institute, and they have also inspected the building, which is nearly complete. They consider that, as the number of technical classes and technical schools increases, as it is like] v to do, the want of such an institution as that in Exhibition road for the training of teachers will be more and more felt. It will be of great advantage as a technical high school for the metropolis, which is in tact one of our great, st industrial centres. It is intended to afford additional facilities for the prosecution of original research in science. In order, however, that the institution may effect the purpose for which it is intended, it should be well endowed, both for the provision of adequate special instruction and also for the establishment of exhibitions to defray the cast of maintenance of poor students while purshing their studies. Without expressing any positive opinion as to the amount required for this purpose, your commissioners fear that the annual sum at present subscribed by their livery companies is inadequate to the future requirements of the institution.

Finsbury technical College.—As regards the Finsbury Technical College, your commissioners believe that the evening classes connected with it are giving valuable technical instruction, such as is greatly needed by the artisans of the district in which the school is situated. The practical laboratory instruction in the applications of electricity to trade purposes is worthy of special mention.

The Program of the day school is well devised, and the offer of scholarships to the principal middle class schools of the metropolis, when enable select there-from to continue their education at the Finsbury College, is a good feature in the scheme. Considering the want that is generally felt of good trade schools into which promising pupils from the upper standards of the public elementary schools may be drafted, your commissioners are of opinion that a more intimate connection of the day department of the Finsbury Technical College with the elementary would also be desirable.

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We think that similar trade schools, in which the curriculum consists mainly of practical science teaching, work-hop instruction, drawing, and modern languages, might with advantage be established in other parts of London.

South London Technical Art School.—Your commissioners examined with great interest the work of the South London Technical Art School. The teaching of this school has had a direct bearing upon the important manufacturing works of Messrs. Doulton, and in few cases have we been able more definitely to ascertain the extent to which technical instruction has benefited a local industry. In many other branches besides that of the manufacture and painting of pottery, the teaching of design in connection with the material to which it is to be applied would be undoubtedly advantageous. In this school practical instruction is also given in wood engraving, and a class is about to be formed in enamelling; the City and Guilds of London Institute might usefully extend this kind of teaching in other directions.

Technological classes in the country.—By means of the institute's scheme of technological examinations, classes have been formed in all the large manufacturing towns, in which the instruction is more specialized, according to the requirements of persons engaged in different industries, than has been thought desirable in the state-aided classes which are held under the direction of the Science and Art Department. It will be seen by the collection of letters from eminent manufacturers, that classes of the former kind are greatly valued and regarded as deserving of continued encouragement.

The regulation of the institute which restricts the payment on results to the case of candidates engaged in the industries to which the examination refers, is a good one; and the introduction of practical tests and the importance which the institute attaches to preliminary science knowledge and to skill in drawing are to be commended. From the rapid increase in the number of candidates for these examinations during the last four years (the number in 1879 having been 202. and in 1853, 2,397), it may be assumed that, as they become more generally known, that number will still further increase, and that much larger funds will be required in payment to teachers on results.

We consider that the institute has rendered efficient service to technical education by means of the contributions it has given to the establishment of technical schools in the great centres of manufacturing industry, where they are even more necessary than in the metropolis. The institute appears to have distributed its grants with judgment and discretion, and in many cases, notably in Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, and Leicester, its contributions have had the effect of stimulating local effort in the establishment of new technical classes.

Your commissioners are able generally to indorse the several schemes of technical instruction now in operation or about to be carried on by the City and Guilds of London Institute, and in view of the efficient and permanent working of these schemes we should be glad to sec the funds of the institute made fully adequate to the efficient carrying out of the objects it has in view, which, in our opinion, is not yet the case. We think it is of importance that the grants made by the contributing livery companies should be placed upon a permanent basis.