The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-13
SCHEME FOR WORKING
 MEN TO ATTEND OXFORD
Notable EducatfonaI Movement Has
 Been Launched in London.

a aF q
 London, Dec. 12--The scheme to en- able working people to study at OK ford University has now been success fully launched. This somewhat ann bilious proposal originated little over year ago at national conference of the workers Educational Associa- ton held at Oxford. when q committee of seven Labor representatives. and seven University representatives was appointed to consider the question: The recommendations of this body are of a practical character, They pro pose the establishment in working class eesitefs Of a syasem of tutoriaI classes managed by the woripsople themselves under specially selected uni versity teachers who will teach for a portion of the year in the university. These students, who will undertake to pursue a continuous course for two years, and they win be financed partly by. the college. partly by local and Government grants, and also. 1t is hoped, by grants from trade unions and other working class organizations. When the students have satisfactorily passed through this two years course. arrangements will be made for them to take special courses at Oxford in subjects cognate to those studied in the classes. They will not be eligible to study for the ordinary degree course" for which Greek and Latin are required, but as members of the uni- versity they will, with this exception. share in all the advantages, both social and intellectual. of their fellow students. The administration of the scheme is to be entrusted to a stand ing conmitte of the University Ex- tension Delegacy, which having been legally constituted, has already several classes successfully working under It's care.
 That in brief outline was the scheme which was placed before conference of 345 delegates representing 126 working class societies in London at Toynbee Hall a few days since. It was appropriate that Canon Barnett should preside, for, as he rightly said, "Toynbee Hall has stood for the union between knowledge and industry"
 An elderly man asked whether Mir. Carnegie had been approached on the question of financial assistance. MT. Zimmern, joint secretary of the Ox- ford committee replied, amid cheers, that they had not approached Mir. Car negie. We don't want blood money" was the comment of young man with A flaming red tie. "Is your object to make men capable and clever work men for working class leaders2" was another question. but Mir. Crooks M. F., replied that 1t would still be left to technical classes to make men better mechanics As for the rest. democra- cy, as hitherto, would have nothing to do with educated snobs. "The object is not to lift a man out of his class. but to make him more useful to his class" was the remark of a workman who appeared to grasp the central idea of the scheme.
 Other questions elicited interesting information. There would be no age limit, women as well as men were ln- cluded in the scheme. If a man was married provision would be made for his wife and family while he was at the university. and also for all men who, on their return. did not ind im- mediate employment. The delegates be- fore separating pledged their societies to further the scheme by every means in their power. The university au- thorities are to be asked to provide courses of instruction at Oxford suit able for worlIpeople, to make residence at Oxford more possible for work people and to confne more scholar ships to poor men.