ns--the largest and the most popular--the Polytechnic of
Regent Street, called familiarly the Regent Street 'Poly,' with its
thirteen thousand members. Take first its social side, as offering
naturally greater attractions than its educational side. It contained
about forty clubs. The new member on joining was asked in a pamphlet
these three questions:

1. 'Do you wish to make friends?'

2. 'Are you anxious to improve yourself?'

3. 'Do you seek the best opportunities of recreation in your leisure
hours?'

Observe that the serious object is placed between the other two. What
the Poly lads said to the new member was: 'Come in and have a good old
time with us.' It was for the good old time that the new member
joined. Once in he could look about him and choose. The Gymnasium, the
Boxing Club, the Swimming Club, the Roller-skating Club, the Cricket,
Football, Lawn Tennis, Athletic, Rowing, Cycling, Ramblers and
Harriers Clubs all invited him to join. Surely, among so many clubs
there must be one that he would like. Of course they had their showy
uniform, their envied Captains and other officers, their field days,
their public days, and their prizes. Or there was the Volunteer Corps,
with its Artillery Brigade, and its Volunteer Medical Staff Corps.
There was the Parliament, conducted on the same rules as that of the
House of Commons. For the quieter lads there were Sketching, Natural
History, Photographic, Orchestral, and Choral Societies. There was a
Natural History Society and an Electrical Engineering Society. There
were also associations for religious and moral objects; a Christian
Workers' Union, a Temperance Society, a Social League, a Polytechnic
Mission, and a Bible Class. There were reading-rooms and
refreshment-rooms; in the suburbs there were playing-fields for them.
Up the river was a house-boat for the Rowing Club, the largest on the
Thames. Add to all this an intense 'College feeling'; an ardent
enthusiasm for the Poly; friendships the most faithful; a wholesome,
invigorating, stimulating atmosphere; the encouragement always felt of
bravo endeavour and noble effort, and high principle--in one word the
gift to the young fellows of the working class of all that the public
schools and universities could offer that was best and most precious.
Such an institution as the Polytechnic--mother and sister of so many
others--was a revolution in itself.

But for the second question: 'Are you anxious to improve yourse