204 KEPOKT — 1871. 



tioners. Scarcely, however, had even this small liberty been gi-antcd, than they 

 •were privately given to understand that the passing of the Bill was considered a 

 mistake, and "that no more applications need be made to Parliament for permission 

 to alter the wills of founders. As it seemed, then, only a waste of money to en- 

 deavour to obtain additional powers, the Company did not fail to stretch those they 

 had to the utmost extent. In the case of the Merchant Maiden Hospital, they ad- 

 mitted as day-pupils a limited number of ghls belonging to the pri-i'ileged classes ; 

 and while tliey deeply regretted that they could not make a more extended use of 

 their funds, they felt that the blame of this did not lie at their door. In the mean- 

 time, however, the cry against the hospital system continued, and the Assistant 

 Koyal Commissioners reported that there were large revenues connected with the 

 liospitals in Scotland which did comparatively little educational good. Although 

 the Mercliant Company believed that their institutions would bear favourable com- 

 parison with similar ones either in Scotland or England, yet it was deemed expe- 

 dient to endeavour to get their usefulness extended by all possible means. Accord- 

 ingly, in 18G9, on the representations of the Company, the " Endowed Institutions 

 (Scotland) Act" was brought into Parliament, as a Government measure, by the 

 then Lord Advocate (Sir James MoncrieH"). It encountered considerable opposi- 

 tion, but the Company having obtained the support of the managers of two or 

 three similar foundations in Scotland in behalf of tlie measure, it finally 

 passed. 



The Act gives power to the Home Secretary to issue a Provisional Order for in- 

 creasing the usefulness and efficiency, and for extending the benefits of any En- 

 dowed Institution in Scotland, on a petition of the Governors thereof; and if the 

 order lie forty days on the tables in both Houses of Parliament without an address 

 being presented, it becomes law. 



Alter the Act was passed, a Scheme for reforming the four institutions had to bo 

 prepared. No gi-oup of educational hospitals, or even any individual one, had 

 hitherto been efficiently reformed, and there was therefore no plan in operation 

 which could form any guide in the matter. AVhatever scheme might be devised, 

 it would of necessity require to give good grounds for believing that it would 

 efficiently and satisfactorily utilize the large funds to be disposed of Eesides, 

 there was this further difficulty, that it had to be framed in a way which would 

 satisfy the Merchant Company and the Governors of the four hospitals on the one 

 hand, and have a fair chance of being accepted hj the Home Secretai-y and Par- 

 liament on the other. 



In preparing the Scheme, it was specially kept in view that it shovdd be of 

 such a kind as would not be likely to clash with the plans which other hospitals 

 in Edinburgh might contemplate undertaking, so that money might not be squan- 

 dered in fruitless competition. Particularly, regard was had to keep clear of the 

 work which the Governors of George Ileriot's Hospital were accomplishing with 

 their outdoor schools in the education of poor children. 



The following is a brief outline of the leading features of the Scheme : — They are 

 (1) the removal of all the foundationers from tlie f<5ur hospital buildings, and pro- 

 viding for their maintenance elsewhere ; (2) the converting of these buildings into 

 great day-schools, under a graded system of education, for the instruction of chil- 

 dren of the general community, along with the foundationers, on payment of mo- 

 derate fees ; (.3) the throwing open of presentations to the foundations for compe- 

 tion amongst the pupils attending the schools ; (4) the estabUshing of bursaries 

 and travelling scholarships for the further prosecution of the studies of such pupils, 

 both male and female ; (5) the endowing of a Cliau' in the University of Edin- 

 burgh, to complete the commercial side of education to be given in the schools; 

 and (0) the establishing of one or more industrial schools for the neglected cliildrea 

 of the city. 



A joint meeting of the four Boards of Governors was called for the purpose of 

 considering the Scheme, at which a resolution generally approving of it was unani- 

 mously passed. In order to ascertain the opinions of the directors of similar insti- 

 tutions in and near Edinburgh regarding the matter they were invited to a con- 

 ference. At this conference the Scheme was very fully considered, and, on the 

 motion of Sir Alexander Girant, the Principal of the University, who is a Governor 



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