The Royal Visit to Glasgow

Abstract

THE laying of the memorial stone of the new buildings for the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College by His Majesty King Edward on Thursday, May 14, is a gratifying indication of the importance now attached to an efficient system of technical education. The ceremony at the College was the first item on the programme of the Royal visit to the city, and, except as regards the weather, which was more lavish of the April shower than the May sunshine, was most successfully carried out. An hour before the arrival of the King and Queen upwards of 4000 guests had assembled on the site of the new buildings, and their Majesties, on stepping on to the royal platform, received a most loyal welcome. Lord Balfour of Burleigh, the minister in attendance on the King, introduced to His Majesty Mr. W. R. Copland, the chairman of the Governors of the College, and Mr. D. Barclay, the architect of the new buildings, and the laying of the memorial stone was immediately proceeded with. In thanking His Majesty, Mr. Copland recalled the fact that, so long ago as 1881, on the laying of the memorial stone of the Central Technical College of the City and Guilds of London, His Majesty was pleased to recognise the importance of educating persons destined to take part in me productive industries of the kingdom, and referred to the training of the intelligence of the industrial community as the great factor in retaining the position of Britain as a manufacturing nation. The King, in reply, expressed the great pleasure it had given him to lay the memorial stone; he had long recognised the importance of the work done by institutions of this kind, and hoped the building now to be erected would realise to the full the expectations of the governors.