Second report of the commissioners appointed by his Majesty William IV November 23rd 1836 and re-appointed by her Majesty Victoria I October 2d 1837 for visiting the Universities of King's College and Marischall College, Aberdeen / presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. Commission for Visiting the Universities of King's College and Marischal.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Second report of the commissioners appointed by his Majesty William IV November 23rd 1836 and re-appointed by her Majesty Victoria I October 2d 1837 for visiting the Universities of King's College and Marischall College, Aberdeen / presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    308/370 (page 274)
    Aberdeen. King's College. 274 APPENDIX to SECOND REPORT of the [Universities of full, or even the whole balances after deducting fees, is it the general practice that these students grant a discharge for the bursaries in full, and that the master of mortifications enters in his account that the whole bursaries are paid to them ? Letter from Master of Mortifications. Feb. 15, 1839. 6.—'Letter from the Master of Mortifications, with the said Answers and Returns. Dear Sir, Aberdeen, 14, Adelphi, 15th February, 1839. In consequence of yours of the 2nd, I now beg to hand you the accompanying an- swers for the Senatus of King's College and University, to the queries issued by the Aber- deen University Commissioners, together with a list of the names of the students by whom the vacant Competition Bursaries have been discharged, for Sessions 1825-26, and 1835-36, and intervening Sessions, &c. I regret that I was not able to furnish you with the above, by the 6th instant, as you requested, but I found this impossible. I remain, Dear Sir, Yours truly, Francis Edmond, Esq., Advocate, Aberdeen. (Signed) Wm. Gordon. 7.—Answers for the Senatus of King's College and University, to the Queries issued by the Royal Commissioners, of date 2nd February, 1839. Answers to Queries. Answer to Query I.—The Master of Mortifications, under the control of the Senatus, manages the Competition Bursaries, open to students of Arts, except those arising from Hut- ton's Mortification. In settling with the Bursars, the Master of Mortifications does not pay the Bursars in full, but retains the fees payable to the Professors and allowances to the ser- vants, and for buildings, &c, and pays the balance only. Answer to Query II.—Several cases, such as here referred to, have occurred. Answers to Query III. and remaining Queries. There are 73 competition bursaries ma- naged by the Master of Mortifications. The Professors' fees on these, if calculated at the rate payable by free students, would amount to - - - - £336 5 1^ The fees paid to the Professors out of these bursaries amount only to 253 14 0 Yearly deficiency in the payment of fees out of bursaries, as compared with the fees payable by an equal number of free students, - £82 11 \\ The above bursary fees, amounting to 253Z. 14.?. are, shortly after the commencement of each Session, retained by the Master of Mortifications out of the bursaries, whether full or vacant, and are paid by him to the Professors; so much of these bursary fees being paid equally to the four Regent Professors, viz., the Professors of Greek, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Moral Philosophy ; so much to the Professor of the second Greek class; and so much to the Professor of the first and second Humanity classes, and of the Chemistry class, all as specified in former returns. The bursary fees payable to the four Regent Professors, are not paid to them according to the number of bursars attending each class, but are thrown into one sum and divided equally among them, that is, among the four Regents. The ser- vants' allowances, &c, amounting to 14,?. on each bursary, whether full or vacant, are also retained by the Master of Mortifications, and accounted for by him. When the bursaries become vacant in the course of the second, third, or fourth Sessions, they are not immediately thrown back for competition among entrant students, but, under deduction of the Profes- sors' fees, servants' allowances, &c, are, at the end of each Session, handed over to the four Regent Professors, in equal proportions, and are by them distributed among the most de- serving of the poorer Students in their respective classes. As to the good effect of these small donations, the Regent Professors bear decided testimony. It is not the practice to no- minate any one student to a vacant bursary,—the amount of the vacant bursaries being handed over to the four Regent Professors, and distributed in small donations as now men- tioned. These donations are generally given to students who have previously paid their full fees, and sometimes to students who are unable to pay any fees whatever. It is the balance of the vacant bursaries, after deduction of the Professors' fees, servants' allowances, &c, that is distributed among the students as above. Free students who have paid their fees and servants allowances do not get repayment on receiving a share of the vacant bursaries. One student is selected for giving a discharge to the Master of Mortifications for the full amount of a vacant bursary ; but such student is aware that the sum so discharged goes for distribu- tion among the poorer students, under deduction of the fees. And the Master of Mortifica- tions enters in his accounts the whole bursaries as paid to the students who sign the discharge. No record is kept in the books of the Senatus, showing among whom the vacant bursaries are distributed by the Professors. The Senatus have, in all respects, full control over the indi- vidual Professors in the distribution of the vacant bursaries. A list is herewith sent, specify- ing the amount of the different vacant bursaries for each of the Sessions 1825-26, and 1835-36, and intervening years, and of the deductions made on account of Professors' fees, servants' allowances, &c, and specifying the names of the students by whom the bursaries