University Education. 543 



In addition to the University, several institutions, calling them- 

 selves colleges, have arisen ; beginning as a rule as boys' or girls' 

 schools, later adding work above matriculation to their programmes, 

 and finally evolving a special " College Department," which has in 

 some cases developed into a University College of the highest 

 efficiency. When the separation is complete, the school, which was 

 in a sense the parent of the College, generally becomes known as the 

 " College School." 



This evolution of a University College out of a Secondary 

 School, which undoubtedly has certain attendant disadvantages and 

 dangers, is the natural result of a growing demand for University 

 work, in a country where the population is sparse and distances are 

 great. It has, none the less, been the history of every college in 

 South Africa, except the Transvaal University College, which was 

 founded as a full faculty of Mining and Engineering, adding its Arts 

 department at a later date. 



In South Africa the present tendency, without a doubt, is for 

 institutions to assume the title " University College " before they are 

 anything more than good High Schools. 



This tendency has unquestionably been fostered by our system of 

 " Degree by Examination." 



Nobody will deny that this tendency will, if unchecked, bring 

 its own retribution in a needless multiplication of weak colleges, in a 

 general discrediting of " University Colleges " as a class, and in a 

 decided fall in the prestige of these institutions that have really 

 earned that name. 



To come to the individual institutions doing University work. 

 The South African College opened in 1829 with about a hundred 

 " students " and three " professors." The " School " was founded 

 in 1874 as the " junior department of the College," and thus occupied 

 buildings in the College grounds, from which it was removed in 1895. 

 As the Matriculation classes were not transferred from the College 

 to the School till the year 1900, the institution's life as a University 

 College in the strict sense can be dated from that year. 



The College gives Certificates in Engineering subjects, and has 

 an Associateship. It also prepares students for the Arts Course, the 

 Survey examinations, and the Law Examinations of the Cape Univer- 

 sity, and does the first and second years of the Mining Course ; and 

 also the first year's Medical work of the Home Universities. 



During the year 1905 there were 275 students and 26 lecturers. 

 The Victoria College, Stellenbosch, was founded as the Stellen- 

 bosch Gymnasium in 1865. In 1874, owing ro the incorporation of 

 the University, an Arts department was established, which was incor- 

 porated as a College in 1881. The name Vicioria College dates back 

 from 1887. There is a complete separation between the school and 

 college, and the college confines its attention to University work above 

 matriculation. It covers preparation for the Arts, Survey and First 

 Mining Examinations, and the first year's medical course. During 

 1905 there were 196 students and 16 lecturers. During 1905 the 

 number of students was half as great again as in 1904. 



