The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-10-17 00:00:00

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 80Y8' GENERAL

SCHOOL.

In the history of education in Bridport never wee
a more succes,ful or profitable evening spent than
that of Friday evening, chin the annual meeting of
the Boys (General) School was held. It ham long been
known that no such parchmen's, and no such annual
passe. se tho.e in the peaession of Mr. John Heard
during 28 yeses of ardumpi.ob,ol life, can be exhibit.'
by any marit-r of a similar school in the county of
l)orser, and it is a cu. stion whether they can be
equalle I in the West of England.
The 33rd annual meetimr wag again one of marked
1111COVI14. The immense sch, olroom had been gaily
decorated by the teachers and senior scholars, and
their efforts were much admired by all who crowded
th schoolroom on Friday night. Ponderous feetoons
of greenery bong from the couples, and at each end
depended a floral crown, composed wholly of choice
dahlias, with oentres of pampas grass. The school
appliances on the wall, were set off with sprigs of
greenery, and an epergne of flowers graced the chair-
man's table.
The president was the Mayor (Charles Edmunds,
RA.), who was supp vted by Mr. C. Wilson (hon.
see.), Mr. J. T. Stephens (Deputy-Mayor), Ray. It,
L. Carpenter, M.A., !i.e. E. Franck liar. A. New-
ton, Ley. W. J. Itain R.v. John Robberd,, 11. A.,
of Cheltenham, Captain Martin, Mr. T. Rails, Mr.
A. Reynold., Mr. H. Howell, and Mr. T. Edmunds.
The li-ye preaersted for exarninatiou were arranged
In the central desk., and the man Cr in which the
following progranime Wa, perfor tied gave evi lenoe.4
the elfl .ie cy ,4 the sliolars, and the c.rreful training
of t h m .ter and teachers :

tog, Oak Tree ;" r • Wing an I examination in (in.
(replay. by T. Trace's: freitithlO, I on the Itala."
.a,K. Eo a "I. apand ;'• dialogue, The Trot," B.
crefe. W. Siahop, F. Bred. W. meth V. Hallett. A.
twalblan. 8 Hawk tn. an E. C Mins hi tory exarnin-
etioe. be Mr. A. Rey.old•; enc. ''Excel.l ;" recitat'on,
" K.ng Bruce and he tipi ler." A. Lament ; a•ithtmtie
examination, " by F. Mutt .m and T. E Wields :
dia'rews. Ituseety I. the beat Pali .y." F. Bunt, J.
Barnes. K Cities, A Ward. F. Hallett, A. Falwell, W.
Powell, J. Bailey. R Strangway„ mad W, /tar ; aone.
oly Btral ;" duo:'.., The K Croft, W.
Po *ell, A Dinient, A. LOckyer. and R. *1 lit.; lesson on
air, by Mr. Rawl ; dosloeu. "The 1) mtist,"•
I. Barnes, R. Whittle, and A. Diment ; eons. "Come
Away."
Toe MATO/ then rated be was plowed to see such •
g salty numircr present, and he was especially thankful
that Mr. Board was spare.i for so many years to carry
on Gra giol work of its s tach• 01. With° it further
remark he would call on Me. C. WlllOO for the report.
33-.1 annual report sot .d the verdict of ths 'ulnae tor
thi• year t a be :-" It is on rim Algot @about The average
atten leaps for 1h81.2 was 212.1, for all of eluni the grant
for geography and grammar we. receive! ; Waive more
than fat yeast !WM.* wi.niaorsl, all of ehous snored in
reading mad writing. and all but one In arithmetic. There
were fewer passes than in he previous year in up-cilia
nil Jews, vit, six In literature, and three in physical
evoliresehr. Of the Pond teachers F. Whettans and F.
Fusty p seed well. and T. Tweet., fairly. A. last year
Dine sch rlea. bans bad their whool fees repaid by the de.
partinew. Tb• (gust claimable this yes:. six. £2lO, an.
clud.ng for pupil teaehere papaw. wee £2 Waco than
lest year. but from this £1210.. has ber'n lint to the scbool
trough deficiency of from other some From
the .t •tiati7. of the arhool it appeor. that Mr. Beard con-
tinued to give Instruct OD in Collatelllie With t. mienos
sal art departpeit ; the draeine lesions are in school
hours-those io gooney and autcult we ar. extra el .106.
Tilers ••• • eell•Werabill iwpa.prowellS in the ttionnienti
.4 the scholars% the nitrulatr OD the three lowest atten-
dants horn. fallen fauna 211 in ISIYJ. to NI in IhBl.
and 185 in PSG; while in tic hiiher atualards it has
Gap from LH an 1820, ti lii in PM, and in 18%2 ; the
attendance it more regular, an 1 to. daily swerags hie now
reached 260-toe buthest number since 1871, though the
Donau on this rem& er ha, fallen titan: the last four
peer. to 1.82, of whom 78 are hal-timers. Tait makes an
average att. ndance of al 74 while tr. •t for England I.
nty 71.11 in Burl siebools. and 70 19 in voluntary
acts sole; II doductin be male for ha f.titners tie gs
, will b a raised to W-• rate oh cb couiparatavely few
soh ante have attained. Thus io now the satisfactory sum
of £lO 18'. 5.1 In hand, and the committee couseiuenily
frill lauded in making a grant of £lO to heir .xcellent
m en; hut a. school appliance, are req.aireal, ill, wished
that the sobecription list would make up to,, grant to tow
'sinter, and by Pt weeely payments by ttose po.epes
who can afford it The annual cast of such *choler this
• has b.,. about 31., or 1:14 par week. There is
improvement in the acts I.i'.' payments, but tars incr...
I. chiefly in the Gore:animal grant. The averse. attend.
nap in 18'0 was., perhaps, the highest reached-KO A
very great deetns might eil•O been expected from the
opeuing of new schools, and the serious duress, in the
population; beat on the contrary, since 1273 th. number
has been ri.ing, and the result isciii• fly owing to the high
reputation of Chi...rhos), and the master, who has Don.
ducted it for 8y..:.. It is during this period that Mr.
Beard has tea a his valuablo controwdon to the higher
education of the town by science e suss Toe discipline
and moral educattpoof the school is of great Import ann.
but the committee cannot forget that Ills effort. of the
Is chess • • thwarted by other influence. Education of
children is carried on in homes. in oh pe, and in rarest!,,
and thou who enter a schoolroom have dutaes .4
their own to fulfil, if the children of Bridport are to be
trained in the ways of Wei •in and of virtue."
The balance sheet from April 1.1. 1881. to 31st March,
111112, woo a. follow :-Reteistr: to balance brought for-
we'd, CIO ea Id.; to grant from Committee of Council of
E location, £3.17 17s. 61. ; pupil teacher.' page e, £7:
school fees n tomtit DS 11. 61. : allowance by whalers
for pencil-, books. te , £lB 11. 6d.; weekly payment by
scholars, £1411.. 31.; .uteeriptions to 31st March, 1882,
£2l; Trutene of Bridoort Charities..C4 5.91. ; secretary
..f girls' and infant.' schools for pr ta rtion of water-rate,
£2; bank inter,-at, 15i. 61.; total, £441 12. 91. Expendi-
ture: ty stipend and ma•ter and teachers, .C 312 lls. Ill.'
book., apparatus and stationery, £4B 34. 11d.; fuel and
Witt. £1 3.. lii.; furniture, repairs, and cleaning.
£220.. 3d.; rates and taxes. .ClO 12.. lid.; handseled&
master and pupil teachrrs' for passer. .C 7 school fees
returned to scholar, holding hobo sr rertaficatse,
Ca 12. 21 • boluce carried forward, Ai 18e. si; total,
£441 12 . 9.1.
The R tv. R. L Ceargirren, in seconding the sdot non,
was pleased to now an increaling balance in favour.
During some years they had • large balance in hand, but
there were man/ thing, required In • school such a. this.
Now, they once bad two memb.n of Parliament who
gave £5 such. (Applause.) Tome would be a improve.
moist in Ma finance, if th, parents c mid give more for the
nine tion of their chilainn. It Wei ti. school 84. per
week for each wh01e..., and as it was • thorough good
school they wool I be glad La get 4d. payment& The school
we, WOI thy of all supp wt. The sum of C 920 was returned
from the Govern/min *axes for the schools of Bridport,and
this school had got £5013-the lion's share. Although these
wheel ware the pride of the town, they bad here no
echool for the middle classes:but still. Guam who attended
Cease schools might go on educating themselves.
Prassiousty there were night *cowls. but the Government
wouldn't now allow day tutors to teach at night. (Hear,
hear.) Speaking of the w arks of Carlyle and Chamber&
he did n. 4 know who hal done more for e lac stion than
the latter. B tartan three and four millions a year woo
graved for education, and th• Government most willingly
t of it (Applause.) He concluded by sarnutly exhort-
ing the boys to avail thenssolvos of their present whales**,
and to help each other in their labours.
Toe Rey. A. Nurron, mewls& anal oburved that the
, whole of its population of Bridport would look at the pro-
glob of these general !schools. This waeoneoftb,bappieat
I report. for many year& and the prospects for the future
I were bright, lie had noticed d wing the examination that
I the boys were sharp and intelligent-e.weially in mental
ant ametie Ile hop-d they would bate to rejoice over
the rootalty 'ml Br( !port from this untitutiou, which he
u•tert would go on prosperous and prospering, and that
Mr. Beard wo alit I- tag be spared to carry an the work.
Mr. J. T. &runtime. said be supported the adoption, but
would like to ask one que.tion. It had brew elated the ,
members of Puna:moot had previously contributed each
.C 5 Pa the school-he would like to ask what th• present
member gavot (Much laughter.) The hon. sec. replied
that the school was quite independent of mach saber-34P.
tiou-(applaos.)- and that the loss sustained through the
nitro's! of Mr. Rath had been made up by subscriptions,
so that the school had not suffered. (Beer. hear
The Bev. W. J. BAIN also suppoeted the resolution. He
held that dot reboot was an illustration of the present
day in England. Tails WWI When education commenced
at the top of the piramid, by educating the higher clam..
only, but now t he education of the lower claues-as it wee
termed-was taken in hand, and little can be now dons
without this basis of tat II genes-the homes and position
of the people were benefitiad by the educational the land.
Ifilucatoon had made amazing strides, and the boys of this
school should know how the education of year• ago went
forward. They had now new elements, and *donation
was broadening itself day by del. Ths boys should thank
God they were natives of, and educated in, Christian Eng.
land. In other countries education went forward far
differently. In Francs the hoes wars educated like
poldiars; Italy like priests: and in Prussia the duties of
school children were an arduous that It was • wonder how
they Lore it. From what be had Mall that night be WY
is oivinc-d that Mr. Beard lived in the hearts of the boys
I-(cheer, from the scholars)-and he congratulated the
town on baring such • Wan who we. like a shepherd to
the young under his cars. (Hear, hear.) They should
remember t'w wondrous facilities they had for catnip(
knowledge contrasted with thine of lo ago. but they
now rei la Ma boa al ask who Wit

up those advantosse for Posterity. Education plac-d in
th.ir hands the tools with which to carve out their
future life, but thay should remember that there was
something morn which constituted men and woman
moral character. They should liven from Mahone'',
1 profligacy die. and If they did that, (lot would .peed
lii their great work. Arnold, tt • groat writer,
_said .1
few men wars fit for ichoolm••teos, but ha. (Mr. 11
believe' God'. spirit W 45 upoo Kr. Heard, Ir.. what he
had seen of him. He wilhad him power sad etr,oeti in
his labours, sad the school every prAparity. (Appian'..)
Tim Rev. E. FAL:acts moved to* re Attention of the C on-
mitt.. of Management. la • few w'll•choyou words Kr.
Francis recommended ths committee as deserving no a,
and wished • continued course of profitable modulates to
the school
It was seconded by Mr. EDIIII/IDr5, and supported
by the Ray. J. ROllllll/1111. of Cheltenham, who said from
what be had grim...and that evenme the sch-ol main.
tained • high character. The 'ducal i on, would, he trusted
be mad. us. of by the boys, and the hoosons learned in this
school would fit them for the pasition of honorable and
wise cilia ins. hu•bands. and fathers. Ha .soured them of
his great sympathy and bona, for the prosperity of all.
Howiu. moved, and Mr. ItIITNOLDS a-c ondvd, the
re•alectioo of U. W. Whettuan al trea•nror, and Mr.
U Wilson as honorarr secretary, which was coined.
Oath. Motion of lLptain Alarm, seconded by Kr. T.
Root's, • Vole to, thanks to the Mayor for presiding was
carried by acclamation.
Mr. Fergrilites said as thit would be the hat lims
lc ',pond. 'could preside there that year as Mayor, be
would call for three hearty cheers.

These Isere hesrtl.y fovea, as were otbers for Mrs.
IC 'moods and fsotily.
The Nstt mat Anthem oohcludad ths proosselLoP•