Calendar: 1886-1887 Page 86

82 REPORT having largely increased being now about 500 The House was advantageously purchased but in addition to the £7 000 which was subscribed for the foundation of the Department the Council have had to borrow £4 000 for its establishment in its new home and this debt remains charge on the Department It is no burden to the College as the interest is treated as first charge on the receipts of the Depart- ment but it seriously diminishes the remuneration of the Professors and Lecturers and until it is paid off by sub- scription or otherwise the Department can furnish no pecuniary benefit to the College as whole -The Civil Service Classes are again very flourishing The numbers in the Male classes are 768 and in the Female classes 268 total of 036 which is an increase of nearly 100 on last year During the past year our students have won in open competition 276 appointments on the establish- ment of the Civil Service besides numerous temporary appointments This is an unusually high number of successes and all these classes are in very satisfactory condition -The number of boys in the School has from various causes declined during the past year and is now 438 as against 539 in last Lent Term But the successes gained at the Univer- sities and elsewhere and the results of the examination held under the Oxford and Cambridge Board show that there is no falling off in the character of the work which is being done In view of the fact that similar diminution has been ex- perienced in at least one institution holding similar position in London the Council have no hesitation in attributing this decline to the severe competition occasioned by the recent establishment in the suburbs of important schools which offer advantages in buildings and playgrounds such as can never be enjoyed in the heart of London The Council and the Headmaster have deeply deplored the melancholy death of pupil in the school year ago They "are satisfied from the careful enquiry they instituted at the time that there was no ground for the charges against its discipline