The Cambrian

LADIES' TRAINING COLLEGE, SWANSEA. The annud meeting of present and past students of this flourishing College was held at the Lecture Room, on Friday evening last, at seven o'clock. The room Was crowded with the friends of education, the princi- pal feature of the evening being the address of the Rev. Alfred Bourne. B.A., of London. Mr. S. S. II. Horman- Fisher occupied the chair, who was supported by the Rev. Alfred Bourne, B.A., Rev. Mr. Binns, late Government Inspector of Schools, Rev. Eli Clarke. Rev. W. Williams, Argyle cbapel, Rev. Mr. Higman, Messrs. Thom is Phillips, Thos. Hall, Ebenezer Davies, J. Farrant Fry, Daniel Jones, David Jones, Brown, Davies, F. Cole, J. Lewis, and a number of ladies. Letters apologising for their absence were read from Mr. L. L. Dillwyn, M.P., and His Worshipful the Mayor of Swansea. The Chairman, in introducing Mr. Bourne, referred to him as one of the founders of that College, and the deep interest which he always took in its welfare. From his long connection with the British and Foreign 11 School Society, London, and his experience of schools and their surroundings, there was no one more compe- tent to address the present and past students; and he was sure that his remarks would be both interesting and instructive, not only to the young ladies who were about to leave, but to all present. Mr. Bourne then rose and delivered a most impres- sive, practical, and able address. He said-I have been asked to address you, dear young friends, the outgoing students, and bid you good bye in the name of the committee, in view of your leaving at the close of your two years' course of study this day three weeks. I undertake the duty with a mixture of reluctance and alacrity—reluctance, beclUse I am sorry to take the place of some abler spokesman, and because in saying good-bye one cannot help casting a shadow, though it be only a shadow, of sadness and gloom. I am ready, on the other hand, to do my best, because I yield to none in real interest in your future welfare, and I may be able, from my acquaintance with schools and their surroundings, o say good-bye in a tone and manner which will make it almost equivalent to "Friend, go up higher; leave this state of pupilage for a higher plat- form, a freer and fuller life, and more useful and pro- ductive work." For the good-bye which I am charged to utter is really, God be with vou," the French adieu, t,-e Italian addio. I do not forget that some of your dictionaries give you another etymology—" good" and "bye" in the sense of passing or going—thus making the word equivalent to farewell." It i3 the fashion nowadays to rob things of their sacredness and get rid wftbe name of God when we can. You have probably heard the story of the sea captain's lament when a brother salt remarked on the uncertainty of the Weather, "What can you expect?" said the captain, when I was young and God managed the weather, one could tell what was coming; but now that those Americans have taken it in hand, who is to know what they will send us ?" Other men less ignorant and fooljgh than our mythical captain delude themselves with the notion that the advance of science, the in- creased knowledge of cause and effect, of natural sequences and methods, removes God to a greater dis- tance, and makes it more forcible than it was to leave God cut of our calculations and plans, as though knowledge of the working of an intricate machine could Convince us that nobody made it, or increased acquaint- ance with a complex system of laws could prove to us that there was no law-giver, or make us more ready to believe that the laws, if not self-originated, are at any rate self-enforced. The first thing I have to impress upon you is, that the managers of this institution have no sympathy with this irreligious and secular view. We love freedom to think and worship, but it is that we may draw the nearer to God. We refuse to insist Upon sectarian badges and denominational expositions, but it is that we may have the more time for the Bible itself, and be more ready to listen for what God is saying to us in His word. We are sometimes called secular by those whose shibboleth we decline even to pronouncp. Secular, indeed Why it is we who in- sist on the use of the Bible in the schools-neither more nor less than the word of God—and we can soar Do higher in our aspirations for you, and penetrate no further into the possibilibilities of your lives than is involved in the prayer "God be with you." Were this the time and place, I shonld like to expand the thought that God may be with you as the great unseen power—behind, above, beneath everything-working in nature with an energy which would be crushing but for its wondrous gentleness, governing the world with a minuteness which would paralyse us were it not some- how consistent with our free agency, an awful, all- pervading presence, which makes every spot holy ground: with you, moreover, as the gracions friend, sticking closer than a brother, fpoken to familiarly, loved with the whole nature, trusted to the uttermost: and, once again, with you as the Comforter whose advo- cacy and guidance and help can never fail, and be long to a region of heart and life where earth's closest friendships must prove insufficient. Does this three- fold aspect of the Divine presence ever perplex you ? Think—the analogy need not be irreverent—think of electricity, as science is revealing it to us, existing all around, unexpected, unfelt, unseen, unheard, save in the lightning's occasional flash and the thunder's fitful peal think of it again as it is drawn to a focus and made visible and useful by the electrical machine: think of it again as its current flows hither and thither, creating light, distributing power, working marvels and rushing to recesses hidden and closed against every other form which science has taught us to use. Need I add that if the presence of God in any one of these ways, is to be a blessing, it must be because He is an expected and welcomed guest, coming to a disciplined body, a renewed heart, and a quickened spirit. In the hope that you may enjoy these, we bid you heartily— good-bye. God be with you as you close an important chapter of your history, God be with you as you go fresh to your land of promise, God be with you as you make for yourself a home, God be with you as you address yourselves to your chosen work, God be with you as you reap your reward, and God be with you when but for Him you will be utterly alone, icebound in the grip of death. Dear young friends, you must let rne speak to you very plainly. I want, if I can, to say a few words which vou cannot misunderstand and which you will not easily forget. (1) You are just at the end of a college course, during which you have grown from girls to women. You came to the College, I dare say, with strange humillious feelings of joy, doubt, hope, fear, and loneliness 22 months ago. Twenty-seven of You succeeded out of 118 who sat here, and when more than 1,100 who had passed the examination failed to get into college at all. You have had the best instruc- tion and training, the most comfortable arrangements, the most healthy life we have been able to secure for You, ably and vigilantly aided by Mr. Williams, Miss Bendy, Miss King, and others. You have enjoyed full religious freedom—liberty to think for yourselves and select your own places of worship and have had a lesson in the harmonious co-operation of members of different sects. Among the 26 there are 7 Episcoplians, 6 Calvanistic Methodists, 5 Congregationnlists, 3 Wesleyans, 3 Baptists, 1 Presbyterian, and 1 Primitive Methodist. You have done well at your final examination as far as it has gone, and will no doubt leave the College with credit, and find when the certificate list comes out in March that you have made a good start in the profession. For all this, thank Goi, dear young friends—thank him with a full heart. You remember what Samuel did when his enterprise came to a prosperous end, how he remembered God and set up a stone which he called Ebenezer, or the stone of help, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped Us. God has prospered you. It is not every set of students of whom so good an account can be given. Sometimes disease and death thin the ranks. Some- times sin and sorrow stain the record. You can set up all Ebenrzer-pach for herself and the class as a whole -as a gratified memorial that God has been helping you. I am glad to bear th-it nine are already engaged at an average salary of-E70, varying from X80 to £,50, while nine more are in treaty for schools. The rest need not be over anxious. There is a great and constant demand for good teachers, and a little patience and prayer will shew you your place. But whether settled or not the College door will soon close behind you. As visitors you may always be sure of a welcome, such a welcome as you have joined in giving to your pre- decessors, and I bone you will visit the old place whenever you can. But as inmates you will not return unless any of you should be chosen for the post of governess. Some one else will sleep in your room and sit in your favourile seat and take your place on the roll-call. I hope you will be remembered lovingly, admiringly, proudly but your presence within these walls will soon become a thing of the past. May God, the great loving good God, help you to close your stay well!—help you, for instance, intellectually. You ought in finishing your course to be able to bring to a focus the different subjects of study and the separate features of your training. You have often, I dare say, been called off from arithmatic to drawing, from history to needlework, from one thing in which you were getting intensely interested to another which you dis- liked, and have almost reverted the arbitrariness of the bell and the tyranny of the time-table. You should be able, as you look back, to see how the subjects are related—how they have been carefully arranged to secure the greatest progress in the smallest time. You should be able to make sure of the links, to gather together the threads, and gain a firm grasp of a strong and well twisted cord by which you may raise your- selves to higher things. Don't be nervous about your examinations the week after next and the week follow- ing. Make ready as far as you can. Avoid anything which can injure your health. Seek healthy and merry recreation between the sittings. And when you get into the examination room, pray to possess your soul in patience. Look well at your paper of questions. Make sure that you understand all the directions as to how and when to write, and what questions may, and which must be taken. More fail from carelessness than from ignorance. Do not grudge five or ten minutes, or 3ven half an hour spent in laying a plan of your work, and another half hour spent in reading it over and making corrections. Be particular to strike out what you do not wish to be taken as part of your answers. In nothing is the proverb more true''Make haste slowly," or as the negroes have it, Sof'ly, sof'ly, catch monkey." Bear in mind that you are only responsible for doing your best at the time—the best which at that very moment you can command—leaving God to take care of the result. And that you may do this review your studies carefully, and see that you have a good grip of outlines and principles before the examination begins. May God help you in another matter also Two years is a long time. For upwards of 500 days you have been giving and receiving influence, living with Principal, lady-superintendent, teachers, students, and servants. What a arowd of thoughts, looks, words, acts Are you gladdened by the sight of them all as they march past in memory's review? What records on these 500 pages what blanks what blots Do not close the book having blemishes which will shame you hereafter. It is the Christian's privilege to sponge out whatever defaces the page. Bind up any wounds you have given. Obtain forgiveness for any rudeness, or harshnass, or neglect. Heal breaches, remove false impressions, make ready to look every one honestly in the face as you give the hand the last shake and say, I am sorry for what has been wrong. I meant to do better. I meant to rise on slipping stones of my dead self to higher things. Good-bye then ere you close this chapter of your history." (II ) We bid you good-bye, too, in view of the land of promise to which you are going. I call it a land of promise because, after your self-dedication and the training you have received you have a right to expect it. There is a sense in which it has been promised you. And yet we can none of us ensure you a school just when you want it, where you want it, and of the kind you prefer. I am abused sometimes because a round man can only find a square hole, or a square woman a round one. It is not always easy to fit teachers and schools, even when there are no corners and prickles in the way. The College is not bound to find you a school, though it is the committee's interest and desire that you shonld be comfortably settled, and you may be sure that your kind friend, Mr. Williams, will do all he can. We all do as much as we can in this centre of the world, this capital of Wales, as well as in the neighbouring county with its little town, London, and somehow or other the promise comes to be fulfilled. And you are going to a good land-to independence, to the privilege of sup- porting yourselves, and perhaps father, mother, sister, or brother. Your heart beats faster as you think that you have a profession—a profession which is honourable and ennobling in itself, and brings tangible reward in money worthily earned, in the respect of neighbours, in the love of children, in the sweets of independence. Confess now. Have you not had bright visions ? Have you not dreamed dreams ? Does not a glory from the rising sun gild the prospect as it op?ns out before you? This, dear young friends, is as it should be. We are glad that you are hopeful. We almost catch the infec- tion of your enthusiasm. We are thankful that teachers are honoured and valued now as they were not a few years ago. But, but, but—there are so many buts that I do not know which to begin with. There are as many risks and dangers as beset the ten little nigger boys, even to the very last. One little nigger boy left all alone, He got married, and then there was none. I beg your pardon, I should have made the words more suitable One little angel teaching for her life, Cupid came by and then she changed to a wife. But there is a serious side to this subject of matrimony. I could make you cry louder than you laugh if I were to tell you of the ways in which young teachers' hopes have been blighted and their lives embittered by thoughtless marriages, among other things. I make more of this than I should do otherwise, because a lady- superintendent-not Miss Hendy, I am glad to say— told me that she thinks that not more than three or fonr out of some forty outgoing students really look forward to teaching as a life-long profession, teaching being in their eyes only a stepping stone to matrimony and one of your own classmates could not even wait for the completion of her college course. This is foolish and wrong. You are pledged to render at least a quid pro quo for your education, and you may have heard what a poet puts into the mouth of a young spinster— "Marry no faith husbands are like lots in The lottery you may draw forty blanks Before you find one that has any prize In him a husband generally is a Careless domineering thing, that grows like Coral, which, as long as it is under water, Is soft and tender but as soon As it has got its branch above the waves, Is presently hard, stiff, not to be bow'd." There are other causes of failure, needless expenditure, frivolous conduct, half-hearted work, dishonest regis- tration, too free use of cane or fist, neglect of health. Oh! if we could but feel that you were all the followers and friends of Jesus—that you were saying to him what Moses said in reference to his promised land, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence," how much brighter would be the prospect A young woman in a strange place, suddenly made her own mistress, almost frightened at the multiple of her duties and responsibilities crowd upon her, exposed to a very whirlwind of influences, a young woman espe- cially has need cf divine help. (III.) Much will depend on the homes you make for yourselves. Home of some sort you ought to have. not a mere sleeping and feeding place, but a home. Jt may be in a family circle. Happy those who can live under a father's roof, or find conveniently near their schools a Godly family, where at cheerful meals and in occasional social intercourse the brighter side of life and character may be cultivated. But yours may necessarily be the home of a lodger with a couple of cosy rooms and a good landlady to cook and do the cleaning, or what I have had in my time, a single room with a little bed in the corner. But you must have some place which you can call your own, when ycu can lock the door and say, No one shall disturb me unless I choose," where you can be at case—alone, save for the presence of God. If you want to be ladies, you must be yourselves every- where, natural, simple, unaffected, refined in dress and gait and manners, not ruling to be peculiar, yet not ashamed to possess and exhibit the individuality which God has given you but away from home you cannot help being more on your guard, cloaked and shod. At home you may be the same self, uncloaked and slippered. You must, if all is to go well with you, have, and use, a place where you can think and pray, where you have at hand a few lavourite books, and can keep a seat for an intimate friend. It should be neat and beautiful; it should grow and contain new treasures as you grow, and give expression to the tastes within you, your inner self. Above all, heart and home should be such that none but the pure and good will ever share them with you. May God be with you then, as he was with Isaac when he meditated in the field at eventide; with Jacob when he pillowed his weary head upon a stone with Mary when she drank in spiritual refreshment at the feet of Jesus. (IV.) God be with you, again, as you do your work. All are architects of fate, Working in these walls of time Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme. Nothing useless is, or low. Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show Strengthens and supports the rest. For the structure that we raise, Time is with materials filled Our to-days and yesterdays Are the blocks with which we build." All are architects of fate, but the work of which I speak is more than the building up of your destiny. You have undertaken to assist in shaping the destiny of others-how many none can say. You have elected to be teachers in public elementary schools, and it is of this special work that I would speak. Time will not allow me to say much so that I must single out one or two points for a little homely counsel, viz., your rela. tion to managers, to the Government, to the parents, and to the children. First, your managers will be entitled to your respect and gratitude and hearty co- operation-respect because they are people who volun- tarily give gratuitous service (a service which is anxious, laborious, and irksome,) to promote the good of their neighbourhood and neighbours, often with scant thanks; and even at the cost of suspicion and abuse when they endeavour to compel the children to come to school- gratitude and hearty co-operation because they have chosen you, have vouched for your character and ability and guarantee you the means of support. If you want to know what you owe your managers, fancy yourselves going into a new place, getting premises and appliances, gathering the children, gaining the confidence of the people, making slow and tedious pro- gress even if you succeed at all. All this you are to a large extent saved. A building has been put up, furni- ture provided, the nucleus of a school formed, and you take your place at once and unhesitatingly, because a body of gentlemen and ladies present you to the children and their parents as a helper whom they are willing to trust. I assume that you have a vocation, that you wish to exercise your calling, that you want a school- room and pupils and pecuniary support while you do your woik. The managers say, Here is a field here are tools, here is seed, here is food while your harvest is growing." In view of this enormous benefit which they confer on you, what is a little caprice, or fidgeti- ness, or dilatoriness, or coolness, or ignorance? Have you no faults which require forbearance ? Depend un it the more you work heartily with your managers the faster will your mutual respect grow, and the better the backing up you will enjoy as you toil and struggle with your task. Of them may be said as was said bv St. Paul of rulers in general. Let every soul be sub- ject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake." Rom. xiii. y -po the Government, you must give what is due-reais- tration scrupulously honest, a time-table well arranged and conscientiously kept, willing and graceful submis- sion to inspectors. You should be prepared at all times to welcome the inspector, to receive his sugges- tions as coming from one who has more experience wider knowledge, and at least as great an interest in the welfare of the children as you have. Inspectors are not alike. God has not, and man cannot, cut them all to a pattern. They are people of like passions and frailties as we are. The impending changes in the hierarchy of the inspectorate, having senior inspectors to review the juniors' work, and meet in solemn con- clave to equalise standards and secure justice to all, will not turn the inspection into an angel's visit. But if your registers are clean and neat and thoroughly checked, and your room is made bright by the healthy, happy, intelligent faces of your scholars, and your own countenance is frank, open, and cheerful, I promise you that you will enjoy the inspection, and find in all but the rarest of rare inspectors a welcome friend. But remember, always, you are not the servant of the inspector, but of God. Render to Cassar the things that are Caesar's, but to God the things that are God's You are in no sense civil servants—servants of the Government. With all the improvements of the New Code-aud it is a blessing to have intelligence and ex- perience, and zeal for education at the Code manufac- tory,-WIth all the changes which aim at directing and encouraging the better kind of education, the Educa tion Department is only a vast piece of machinery for so distributing public money that the grants may do as much good, and as little harm, as possible. The responsibility of the state of the school is not the inspectors', not the Departmsnt's, but yours. I( it js a good school, yours will be the credit; if a bad one yours the disgrace. Everybody and everything which' can help you to make your school perfect, at whatever cost of self-love, and pride, and ease, is a messenger of gel' 0 God for good. But you must weigh the message and receive or reject it as conscience bids. You have master, even Christ. (3) Of the parents, make frieridfT They can help or thwart you. Be on good terms with them. I do not mean that you are to be gadding ab t from house to house, and a frequent visitor at th children's homes. There may be occasions for tl but it is easy to do too much of it. It is not ls' business to fetch children to school, but to do H°Ur good when they come. Out of school they belo the parents, to the neighbourhood, to the State "H ? without idle gossip, or officious visitation, 0'r ill t" interference, or doubtful familiarity, you may every parent feel that you are a friend, that your flucnce is good, that you are to be trusted, that their children's interests are safe in your hands. Bear mind that you have taken in hand to help these parents" The progress and welfare of the children is their con' cern you give them what help you can. They may be careless, and wicked you cannot relieve them of their responsibility. You can only in some small degree make up for their deficiencies. If they misunderstand you, bide your time. Wait on, quietly, patiently earnestly, till they come to see that you are their h i' dren's ;best friend, and they will reckon you among their own. Somebody lately, fresh from reading the police report cases of assaults upon teachers by nar t has been making wild suggestions. I do not think"he goes quite so far as to recommend the distribution among teachers of the armour now on view in the Tower of London and worn in the dark ages of f it and bloodshed, but he evidently contemplates a si^e and heroic feats both of attack and defence. Do not I beg you assume a warlike attitude, or meet nngVor even violence with the Devil's weapons. Try forbear- ance. Try to win over the parents. Believe iu the power of goodness, gentleness, and love. Make the parents your friends and your schools bid fair to prosper. (4.) But never lose sight of your personal responsibility as far as the little ones are concerned By taking them into your school you pledge yourself to do your best for them, to bring out and train, as far as your opportunities go, and they are very many the faculties and powers of each single scholar. i'fear that many teachers would treat this as Utopian and that some would even call it nonsense. I do verily be- lieve that some of our teachers—God grant it may be but few—have fallen so low that they have only a mercenary object in schoolkeeping, and look on the scholars as so many grant-earning machines, useful only as they add to the length of the schedule, and make the percentage more respectable and remunera- tive. But I do not believe this of you. You would regard this as prostitution of the teacher's office. Each ODe no doubt would say, I take any pleasure and profit which comes, but I work because it is my duty. If the children are being educated, and their education brings in money, happiness, love, I welcome these advantages. But I will not have them at the cost of injury to the child's physical or mental, or moral or physical nature. That child has been sent to me by God that I may make her more intelligent, more truthful, more able to comprehend and love what is beautiful and good. Not being the parent, I cannot sav in so many words what the fact puts into the parent's mind, but something very like it. "Where did you come from, Baby dear? Out of the everywhere into here. Where did you get your eyes so blue ? Out of the sky as I came through. What makes the light in them sparkle and shine ? Seme of the starry spheres left in. Where did you get that little tear ? I found it waiting when I got here. What makes your forehead so smooth and high ? A soft hand stroked it ss I went by. What makes your cheek like a warm white rose ? I saw something better than any one knows. Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss ? Three angels gave me at once a kiss. Where did you get that pearly ear? God spoke, and it came out to hear. Where did you get these arms and hands ? Love made itself into hooks and bands. Feet, where did you come from, you darling things ? From the same box as the cherubs' wings. How did they all come just to be you ? God thought of ms, and so I grew. But how did you come to us, you dear ,5 God thought of you, and so I'm here." "That dear little baby," I can fancy you saying, has been taught to be very rude and dirty and unpleasant before she comes to me, but I recognise in that little child one of God's masterpieces in course of creation, and believe that she has been sent to me that I may help to make her a blessing to herself, her family, her nation, and fhe world." I know that you cannot thus single out each child in a large school and devote your- self to her. But if you deal with your school as a whole in the spirit in which you would deal with each one if you had but a single pupil—the spirit which I have been trying to describe—you will be the source of an influence very subtle, but very mighty, which every pupil-teacher and every child in the school will feel, and every human being who comes within those walls will be better for your presence, How utterly worth- less, beside this, is the goal of those who make a trade of schoolkeeping, and barter an inheritance for a mess of pottage If this be your ideal of a teacher's work, no wonder we say to you as you go to it, God be with you." Whoso would do Divine work must do it with Divine help and in the presence of God. Suffer one word of caution. This position is not to be attained in a day, nor this pinnacle to be reached at a bound. There was sound trust, as well as grim satire, in Tally- rand's advice to a man who confided to him his disap- pointment at being unable to found a new religion. He said people would not listen to him, his propaganda made no way. What was he to do ? The ex-Bishop politely condoled with him, feared it was indeed a diffi- cult task he had undertaken, more difficult than could be imagined,-so difficult that he hardly knew what to advise. "Suill," so he went on after a moment's reflec- tion, there is one plan which you might at least try. I should recommend you to be crucified, and to rise again the third day." "If any one, says the master, will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up bis cross and follow me." Do not expect results to secure which you either cannot or will not take ade- quate s'aps. Shallowness and self-indulgence gain nothing (V.) But my time is going rapid'y, and I have vet two goodbyes to utter. May God be with you as you reap your reward! What reward? A good salary ? Perhaps so. If so, may God help you so to spend it that every penny will be a blessing to some- body, and incline you to put by something when you are past work. A certificate and a complimentary en- dorsement? I hope so. If so, may God give you loving and loved ones to welcome and rejoice in your success. A large and prosperous school with loving obedience inside, and sympathy and respect outside, the walls ? By all means if you get this. May God help you to grow in spirit as you prosper in your work, and give you the full benefit of your success. A good hus- band and a happy home ? Maybe. If Mr. Right comes. I would not, for all I have said, wish you to drive him away. In this case. may God give you grace for the new duties and joys! An honourable pension for the evening of life's day ? I wish teachers would take this matter up and press it. It is heart- rending to see to what straits teachers sometimes come. At any rate you can lay by something to help you then. But, if none of these things come, is there no reward of duty done ? Are these not distinctly and audible to the ear of faith the echoes of the Master's areetin", Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of your Lord ? (VI.) And may God be with you in the hour which must come, sometime or other-the hour when you feel that everything is pass- ing from your grasp, all earthly props breaking, and the natural world crumbling to dust beneath your feet. I never read Campbell's Last Man without a thrill of delight, though almost transfixed at the imaginative power of the"piece, and awestruck at the grandeur of the scene depicted. It has no special reference to you as teachers; it belongs to no one class of men or women. But it puts so forcibly the moral of my address, burning up in its fierce and lurid brightness all the littleness of earthly things, and brings home so powerfully my closing idea, Loneliness, in which nothing but the presence of God can avail," that I ven- ture to quote it entire. (This having been done, the rev. gentleman, with marked emphasis, concluded by saying):—Iu view of solitude—triumphant solitude like tbat-we bid you once again Goodbye. (Loud applause.) The Rev. W. Williams proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Bourne for his address. The Rev. Mr. Binns seconded, and referred in the warmest terms to the admirably practical and earnest character of the address, and the deep interest which Mr. Bourne always took in the welfare of the students. That college had done an important work, and had conferred on the Principality at large a lasting boon. Intermediate and higher education had met with a solution at this college, and in reality they had there a Welsh University which was extending its influence to every remote corner of Wales by the number of school- mistresses it sent out year after year. (Applause.) Mr. Bourne having acknowledged the compliment, a cordial vote of thanks was awarded to the Chairman, on the motion of Mr. Thomas Phillips, seconded by the Rev. Eli Clarke, for presiding on that occasion. The proceedings then closed. During the evening the lady students sang, I would that my love (Mendelssohn), Softly falls the shade of Evening (Hatton), and The Spring song," by Hatton. The pieces were admirably rendered, whilst the voices were clear and resonant, and evi- dently under excellent control.