The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-01 00:00:00

City of London College•

The distribution of prizes and certificates awarded to
the students of this institution by the heads of the College
and the Society of Arts at the July examination for 1886
took place last evening in the theatre of the College, 52'
Leadenhall-street. At that examination representatives of
the College carried off a larger proportion than usual ei
the prizes, and the occasion, consequently, assumed solne
features of special interest. Sir Thomas Phillips, .42,°'
chairman of the Council of the Society of Arts, attended to
distribute the prizes, and there was a numerous gathering
of members and friends of the institution as s
The City of London College had its origin some 18 Yet
ago in the metropolitan evening classes, founded hi t
Rev. C. Mackenzie, with the object of improving theme
and intellectual condition of young men in the metrePert
In those days educational effort, especially that phase _1- • ,
dealing with " evening classes," had not as many sup'
porters as in more modern periods. But the experiinent,
as it was then considered, of giving instruction in artll,;
sciences, and languages in a familiar form and at an eas'
rate, was persisted in, and ultimately, against many 812°
cud difficulties and in the face of sneers still more ehav
dant, the College succeeded in establishing itself on firind
footing. From the report read last evening it appeared
Pectators.
that out of 50 prizes offered by the Society of Arts to 17"
candidates from all parts of the kingdom, the 66 candidate
sent up from this College gained no less than 17 prizes, i„3
addition to 33 first-class certificates out of a total of .20`).
The young men who came forward in turn to receive the
honours thus awarded represented most creditably the class
to which they belonged, and some of their number who were,
afterwards called on to move or second resolutions acquittee
themselves admirably, speaking fluently and to the point" Sir T. Phillips, in his address, referred to the conflict, In"
creasing in intensity, in which young men found till:
selves entangled, between, on the one hand, the struggle for
the means of existence, and on the other for intellectual
Oh
culture. These evening classes afforded to all who chose to
avail themselves of their advantages an important means.°,,
self-help, and facilities for ultimate advancement whit
"
otherwise might never come within their reach. But these,
classes had still higher claims and functions. By withdrall
ing the youth of a great city from temptations to Whi°
they were too freely exposed, and giving them habits 0';
methodical study, they added largely to the formation cs,
character, and exercised a beneficial influence on society
5
large. Votes of thanks to the Society of Arts for the libe3
ral encouragement given to the College, to the examiner°
and adjudicators for the services they had rendered ta
the professors and educational staff of the college, an,
conspicuously to the Principal (Rev. Mr. Whittington)..
were carried by acclamation. Mr. E. G. Clarke, in pro
posing the latter vote, drew attention to the fact that th;
examination held at the instance of the Society of
ThArts, I
vided itself into 23 subjects, in nine of which the O,
places had been taken by pupils of the College. e 110
ceedings closed with complimentary recognitions a to
services rendered by Sir T. Phillips, who gave torsi t
prizes, and the Rev. C. Mackenzie, who presided.