Vancouver University (then VIPS) was passed the continuance and rights to Whetham College, which commenced in 1890 and was statutorily enacted as a non-profit in 1893. Whetham was housed upstairs in the "Whetham Block" (i.e., small building) at the northeast corner of Cordova and Cambie. Downstairs was the Telegraph Office of Canadian Pacific, and the site today houses equipment of AT&T Canada (an interesting cultural irony!). A general economic downturn led to the operational collapse of Whetham College in 1894.

Whetham did survive - but as a shell - with former participants maintaining its corporate status and records and passing them to the next generation, and some classes conducted in Spokane WA. Eventually the last of the families-related holder of records and office, Kate McQueen, passed both such to Dr Raymond Rodgers, in the belief and hope he would one day restore the college. Circumstances were such, however, that it was more feasible to establish New Summits University College (nearby in the Shelley Building on Pender Street) than to immediately revive Whetham. Later in the Eightees, however, Whetham was designated to conduct the Business English and "Doing Business in Canada" programs then serving primarily Chinese nationals, located on Beatty along with our BC Montessori Teachers College. [SFU later used the same "DBC" program name and concept when it opened Harbour Centre - just one of many Vancouver University pioneerings copied by BC public and other institutions].

Until 1989 the Whetham programs had the largest contingent of Chinese university graduates - most of them sponsored by Chinese public corporations and agencies - on any campus in North America. As reported by Vancouver Sun journalist Moira Farrow, however, the more than 200 students were designated as "refugees" by Ottawa after events in Tiananmen Square, Beijing - and were allowed to find employment or transfer to the various tax-funded public postsecondary programs in all subjects throughout Canada.

Like some other older BC corporate entitites, Whetham preceeds the companies and societies acts. The Whetham College Act authorizes the establishment of Whetham schools for "boys and young men", "girls and young women", and - age and gender open - "such other preparatory and technical schools as it may deem expedient." These past-century references to age and gender are now considered null and void by customary disuse.