SIR HUGH GILZEAN-REID'S TRIBUTE 279 scheme does not contemplate a three years period of study leading to a degree, but is intended to furnish acting journalists with a useful course of instruction which they can attend while actively pursuing their profession."

It is hoped that the " pious founder " will speedily come along and have the honour as well as the satisfaction of creating a foundation which will realise the ideals of the originator and bring lasting benefit to working journalists in the Midlands and elsewhere, whose needs and deserts well-merit recognition and help.

Some time ago this was the fortunate experience of the four Scotch Universities, to which Andrew Carnegie who generously helped Birminghamgave two millions sterling for the general objects, and particularly to help deserving students, and the noble gift has proved an enormous benefit.

Professor de Selincourt, D.Litt., successor in the Chair of English Language and Literature has been appointed to act as general adviser of the students in Journalism. He is a distinguished Oxford scholar and an author of high repute. The University is thus doing its duty to the Candidates would be admitted to any of the existing courses of lectures in the University, but the following group of subjects is recommended as specially suitable for journalists:-1. English Literature-two hours a week; 2. General European Historythree hours a week for one and a half terms; 3. a course in Modern Languages-French or German; 4. Commercial; 5. General Economics; 6. Public Finance; 7. the Social Study Course; and 8. some Science Subject. A composition fee of five guineas per annum will be charged for the full course of five hours per week, and no additional charge will be made for examinations. If such students desire to use the University Club, a membership fee of £1, 11s. 6d. will be charged in addition."

memory of its late Professor, and the cause which he espoused, with rare intelligence and enthusiasm, and it is now for journalists to take advantage of the valuable privileges provided.

In America the movement in this direction has been taken up during the last few years with characteristic energy. It has been said that the most complete and perhaps interesting development is to be seen at the great State University, Columbia, of which as an honorary graduate, I can speak with actual knowledge. Professor Walter Williams -an eminent Journalist, both writer and teacher, and long associated with the University-promptly seized upon the ideas propounded and (like Collins at Birmingham) succeeded in arresting the attention of the President (or Principal) Dr Jesse and arousing the active sympathy of his colleagues.

To the wise initiation and well-regulated action of Professor Churton Collins, we owe in a large measure the recognition and advanced position of the Journalistic "School" in Universities; it was his fertile mind and fine enthusiasm which gave confidence and courage to the pioneering journalists -of whom it was my privilege to be one; and decisively inspired and stimulated the movers in different centres of learning. Amongst the permanent and beneficial results of his labours, these facts are placed on record as a memorial and thankoffering. Had he been spared to us for a time, the results would have been more tangible and farreaching; but there is no lack of professors and journalists to carry forward the work and complete what can be fairly regarded as a needed and wholesome revolution in one domain of popular literature.

DAWN OF A NEW ERA IN JOURNALISM 281

Yet one more important step to the realization of his scheme.

It was announced at the annual Conference of the Institute of Journalists, held at the Guildhall on the 12th September, 1910 (by a coincidence the second anniversary of his death), that the council had

Appointed a committee to consider the question of the establishment in London of a school of journalism under the direct auspices of the institute, and working on university lines. They hoped to see set there, said Mr Miller (London), the standard of the journalism of the future, the standard of high ideal, professional tradition, and adequate training.1

This committee, Mr Cornish (the Secretary of the Institute of Journalists) tells me, is still (July 1911) considering a scheme, the principle of which is the collaboration of representative journalists with the University of London. The co-operation of these two important bodies should ultimately crown the work which is already being done to effect a higher standard in journalism, should mark a new era in the history of the press of this country.

1 Daily Mail Report.

CHAPTER XVIII

LAST DAYS

C

HEERED as he was at the progress

made towards the establishment of his

long desired School of Journalism, yet when he left Birmingham in July 1908, he seems to have been, if not very, at least mildly depressed. Apparently this was not generally noticeable. One of his pupils at Birmingham tells me, speaking of the last lectures he gave ; "He never struck me as being very weary looking or lacking in his usual enthusiasm.'

Soon after his holiday began, he went down with my mother to Cardiff to visit his daughter Michal, who was seriously ill.1

He stayed there for a few days, and arrangements were made that she should be moved as soon as possible to Weston-super-Mare, and a house was to be taken to accommodate all the family. He then left for London to attend a dinner and to see to other matters, saying that he would be back again soon. However, having come to London,

1 She never recovered, and, after a lingering illness, died in 1910.

ARRIVAL AT OULTON BROAD

283

he could not resist visiting Oxford, where he seems to have become very depressed.

As the negotiations for the house at Weston were not quite completed, he thought he would fill in the time by going to stay with his old friend and medical adviser, Dr Daniel, who with his wife was living at Oulton Broad, close to Lowestoft. Here he would have congenial society, the benefit of the bracing air of the east coast, as well as the advantage of such medical advice as he needed.

His old friend, the Reverend Canon Skrine and his wife had, in the meantime, been pressing him to stay with them in Oxford; and a like invitation came from Mr and Mrs Boutwood, who lived a few miles out of Oxford: but he seemed to think that the sea would do him most good, so with reluctance declined these kind offers of hospitality.

66

He arrived at Dr Daniel's on the 21st of August, and very soon recovered health. He both ate and slept remarkably well, but he was not quite successful in keeping off his old enemy, his depression," and as was usual with him when possessed by this, he made a "diary of his feelings in a small note book. This "diary gives a somewhat false impression of his actual life there, as will be seen; for he usually only wrote in it when he was depressed or when something had upset him. From all reports, he was