Numbers of students trained for the WEC

Church of Scotland and Free Church Normal Seminaries

Year of the Report Report No. Number of applicants Number of students accepted for training Number rejected for lack of funds Number rejected for insufficient qualifications Number under consideration Number withdrawn Number appointed to schools4
1839 First
1840 Second
1841 Third 6 6
1842 Fourth 29+11 7+11 22
1843 Fifth 302 182 12
1844 Sixth 1103 42 37 23 8
1845 Seventh 136 44 59 20 13
1846 Eighth 132 60 43 12 17 38
1847 Ninth 117 38 42 29 8 45
1848 Tenth 116 43 59 14 40
1849 Eleventh 835 30 37 14 5 32
1850 Twelfth 665 30 20 3 4

1 One student was preparing at Glasgow for St Mary’s in the Gambia at the expense of the Missionary Committee.

2 As with all Committees who are trying to demonstrate hard work and success some numbers encapsulate previous candidates. Ten of this number, who are named, are first mentioned in the previous two reports.

3 The number of applicants in Sixth Report must be a summary of the numbers so far

4 The schools to which students were sent are detailed below.

5 These numbers do not tally. It is probable that the number of applicants should be 86 and 57 respectively.

The Manuscript Register of Teachers[footnote]The numbers are pencilled on each page of the Register and totalled as above on p.43.[/footnote]at Westminster gives the number of Wesleyan Glasgow trained students as 248 men and 90 women, total 338 or less 4 doubtful = 334. It is from this source that the statement was obtained which now appears on the tablet in the entrance porch to the college, namely,

“July 1837, Wesleyan Education Committee formed. 1839. Two students sent for training to Glasgow, two to Borough Road.

1839-1851, 248 men students and 90 women students were trained at Stow’s Normal Seminary, Glasgow.”