Preaching

All students preached about three times a term in local churches (some at quite a distance) on the college plan made by the student Plan Secretary.  They were always ‘doubles’ and often required an overnight stay of one or two nights with church members. Such hospitality, though doubtless well-meaning, tended to be variable. If there was no public transport the circuit would send a car. There exists in the Archives a record of students’ experiences including warnings for the unwary. The circuit concerned paid the college a fee for each service which was paid into a separate account (known as ‘clears’) administered by the student treasurer. Expenses were claimed from the account. At the end of term the surplus was distributed to the students judged to be most in financial need. There was no standard maintenance grant; students, or their parents (candidates were not accepted for the ministry over the age of 28 and most were in their early twenties, still in full-time education) were assessed for what contribution they could make toward the cost of their academic training and various ways were found to make up any shortfall in maintenance.