Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/183

The Public Library in Relation to Education. 171 for library purposes, were sufficient for the classes ; but in the year 1880, the number of students had grown considerably, and it became necessary to build two extra rooms. In the session which followed, 572 persons came from all parts of the town and district for instruction ; 267 of these entered for instruction in arithmetic, shorthand, languages, book-keeping, and other com- mercial subjects ; and 305 were admitted as students in the classes connected with the Science and Art Department. Three years later, ten years from the commencement of the classes, the number of students had increased to 671. This year extra subjects were taught, and the standard of success of the examinations was very high. In agriculture, magnetism and electricity, &c., for instance, the whole of the students were suc- cessful in satisfying the Government examiners. In the year 1884, a remarkable increase was shown in the number of students requiring instruction ; 945 persons were registered, an increase of 274 over the preceding year. Marked progress is also observed in the number and nature of subjects taught ; thirty-one classes were formed, fourteen being regu- lated in accordance with the instructions of the Science and Art Department ; fourteen were confined to the study of languages and commercial subjects ; and others were formed for instruction in the subjects of iron and steel manufacture, mechanical engineering, and electric lighting, in accordance with the require- ments of the City and Guilds of London Institute. At this period in the history of the Wolverhampton People's College for such it can truly be called the teaching of chemistry and metallurgy had attained to so great a degree of perfection, and the interest of the students in these subjects became so intense, that it became absolutely necessary for additional accommodation to be found for instruction in practical chemistry and metallurgy. By the kindness of the Chairman of the Committee, a large piece of land was obtained adjoining the library, and on this laboratories have been erected, the cost of which has been defrayed mainly by local gentlemen. The chemical laboratory has been used for several years, and has proved of immense advantage to those students who had pre- viously passed the examinations in theory. " The teaching and practical work in the chemical labora- tory," says the Librarian's report, " have succeeded beyond expectation ; some of the students obtained the highest distinc- tions at the May examinations, held under the regulations of the Science and Art Department." (Twenty-first Annual Report.)