Subjects of social welfare / by Sir Lyon Playfair.

  • Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Subjects of social welfare / by Sir Lyon Playfair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    twenty-two were taken by students of Oxford, Cambridge, University College, or King’s College, leaving only three for private institutions. The latter were, however, more suc- cessful in moral philosophy, logic, and the cognate subjects, for out of thirty-two exhibitions and medals, the private in- stitutions carried off seventeen. If the influence of the University of London on higher education be progressive, a larger crop of students should, as in all healthy universities, produce a larger crop of degrees; but this is not the case with that examining board, for its old and new degrees now remain stationary, though its enrolled students increase. From 1838 to 1862 four matriculated students produced a new graduate in arts; for the last five years nearly six students are required for that purpose. Nor can it be said that increased severity of examination ex- plains the anomaly, because, during those five years (the only period comparable among its years on account of the institution of new degrees), the number of candidates is as stationary as that of its degrees.* If the standard of de- grees be increased, so must the corresponding standard of matriculation ; for whereas six candidates previously to 1862 produced five matriculated students, it now requires ten to pass the same number; yet, with these presumably more highly qualified students augmenting in number, the degrees are stagnant. The fact that a smaller proportion of candidates than formerly passes the matriculation examina- tion has another important signification. If a mere ex- amining board suffice to direct the course of superior education in a country, the London University has now had time enough to exercise its influence on the schools which attach themselves to it; yet we find that they have * From 1866 to 1870 inclusive the candidates at all degree examinations are 615, 610, 649, 620, 631; while the degrees are 158, 131, 127, 128, 131. This period of five years is large in its arts candidates as compared with the preceding five years, 200 as against 158, yet the degrees are only 63 as against 60.