Glimpses of old Glasgow

Part I. Historical

Educational progress

NOTHING is more striking during the last sixty years than the vast strides made in systematic education and in the improvement of school buildings and school appliances. In the olden time large numbers of children must have attended school but fitfully, if indeed at all. The demand for education, such as it then was, was fairly met by the High School of Glasgow, by a number of private and adventure schools, and by the sessional schools, which were connected with certain churches, of which the Barony Church, under Dr. Norman Macleod, maintained six, located in the poorer parts of that large parish.

The High School of Glasgow, founded somewhere about the twelfth century, has long been a distinguished seminary, and many generations of Glasgow citizens have passed through its portals, not a few to play distinguished pans in the history of the city and of the empire. The present buildings in Elmbank Street were acquired from the directors of the Glasgow Academy on Whitsunday, 1878. Up to that time the school occupied the well-known premises in John Street, now forming the City Public School. The High School was under the management of the Corporation of Glasgow till the passing of the Education Act of 1872, when it passed under the charge of the School Board.

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Another very celebrated educational institution was Anderson's College, long known as the Andersonian University, in George Street, which had been founded as far back as 1796. Here popular lectures were given on scientific subjects. Its medical school, which has now been removed to more suitable premises in Partick, near the University, was early famous, and among its professors and students were many distinguished men. By the liberality of Mr. John Freeland, residing at Nice, Mr. William Euing of Glasgow, and Mr. James Young of Kelly, the efficiency of the college as a science school was greatly increased. The evening classes were especially popular, and many a youth there received the scientific bias which was afterwards to determine his career in life. The classes of Drs. Penny and Taylor are still held in affectionate remembrance.

Many of the readers of this book will recollect the Mechanics' Institution. It was the first of its kind in this country, having been founded by Dr. Birkbeck in 1823. In its early years the lectures were delivered in a hall in North Albion Street - as many as 800 students having been in attendance. However, in 1831 more suitable premises were erected in North Hanover Street, and, in addition to the evening classes, a day school was established. In 1862 the institution was removed to the buildings it now occupies in Bath Street. Its name was, however, changed to that of "College of Science and Arts," under which title it holds a high reputation as a school of science.

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In addition to these various institutions much had been done from time to time for behoof of the education of the poor by the benevolence of wealthy citizens, by whose bequests many schools had been established. The most important of these, and one of the earliest, was the bequest of the brothers Hutcheson, made in 1639, and administered by "The Royal Incorporation of Hutchesons' Hospital." The establishment of School Boards, and the introduction of free education, completely changed the condition of matters educational. The usefulness of many of these charitable foundations was much impaired, and it was deemed desirable to reconstitute them in such a manner as to bring them into harmony with the times. Accordingly, in 1882 the Educational Endowments (Scotland) Act was passed, empowering commissioners to be appointed for the purpose of drawing up a scheme to regulate the administration, and extend the usefulness, of all funds left for educational purposes. Under this scheme four governing bodies were instituted.

The governors of Hutchesons' Educational Trust, who receive at least two-fifths of the annual revenue of Hutchesons' Hospital, to be expended on their school for boys in Crown Street, and their school for girls in Elgin Street, and on scholarships and bursaries.

The Glasgow City Educational Endowments Board, which absorbed Anderson's School (Calton), Bell's Bequest, Coulter's and Scotstarvit Mortifications, and Murdoch's, Hood's, Maxwell's, Alexander's, and Macfarlane's Schools The benefits under this Board are granted to scholars attending public schools in Glasgow only.

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The Glasgow General Endowments Board, which absorbed Millar and Peadie's School, Wilson's Charity, and Gardner's, M'Lachlan's and Graham's Free Schools'. The bursaries, etc., of this Board are available for children in public schools under the School Boards of Glasgow and the contiguous parishes.

The Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, founded according to a scheme whereby Anderson's College, the Young Chair of Technical Chemistry, the College of Science and Arts, Allan Glen's Institution, and the Atkinson Institution, were placed under the management of one governing body, for the purpose of affording suitable education to those desirous of following industrial professions and trades. The Technical College has met with extraordinary success - the day and evening classes being attended by thousands of students.

Another striking development of these later years has been the foundation of Queen Margaret College for the education of women in arts and medicine. It was established in 1882, Mrs. Elder having generously placed the buildings and grounds at the service of the promoters. In 1892, with the consent of Mrs. Elder, and by arrangement between the University Court and the Council of Queen Margaret College, the whole buildings and endowments were transferred to the University Court on condition that they would be devoted to the establishment and maintenance of classes exclusively for women. Queen Margaret College has thus become the Women's Department of the University of Glasgow.

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This college owes its origin to the removal of the college of the University of Glasgow to its present position in the west-end, many of the students who attended the infirmary for practical and clinical instruction and demonstrations attaching themselves to the Western Infirmary, to the detriment of the older hospital, which ceased to be a medical school. To remedy this state of matters a medical school, under the name of the Royal Medical School, was opened in 1876, lecturers on the several subjects required for the medical curriculum being appointed. This scheme failing to realise the expectations of the Infirmary managers, in 1889, when the passing of the Universities Bill (now the Act of 1889) was recognised as assured St. Mungo's College came into existence. The objects for which the college is established are, inter alia, "the institution and maintenance in Glasgow of classes for higher education; the absorption and continuance as a part of St. Mungo's College of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Medical School; the teaching and instruction of students in science, literature, art, law, and divinity, and learning of every description by lectures and otherwise; the establishment and maintenance of laboratories, museums, and libraries; and the advancement and encouragement of these objects or some of them, by the giving of prizes and the creation of exhibitions, scholarships and fellowships." As the first instalment of this scheme, the Governors have instituted a Faculty of Medicine calculated to meet the modern curriculum, and to utilise to the fullest the Infirmary's grand clinique of nearly 600 beds. They have also instituted a Faculty of Law, of wider range than any hitherto attempted in Scotland.