The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-02-07 00:00:00

the fifth, Mr. Kaines, not being willing to stand,
hie place wail filled by Mr. Swatridge.
The CHAIRMAN informed the meeting that that
was the whole of the business.

Mr. SWATAIDOIS said there was an opinion gone
abroad that boys were not taught book-keeping. He
wished to know if such was the case. A rumour had
alio gone abroad that at Mr. Woodcock's school
this was not done, and on somo persons inquiring
they wore told it was not taught.
The Rev. IL G. WATSON, the schoolmaster,
stated that the boys had began to learn book-keep-
ing this half, and explained that he could not teach
them before.

The CHAIRMAN said book-keeping WU one of the
thing] to be taught in the school, and Mr. Watson
held himself responsible for it being done,
The Rev. C. W. BINGHAM observed that he
begged to propose a-vote of thanks to their excellent
schoolmaster. (Applause.) The success which bad
rested on his labours since he had taken the care of
this school had been very great. Whether the
Council had made many mistakes or not he was not
prepared to say, but he could say that they made
no mistake when they elected Mr. Watson; and
perhaps one of the best evidences of his being the
" right man in the right place" was the fact that the
school had grown into a sel (-supporting school, although
it had only been established so short a time. To
his mind it was an amount of success which was
petfectly Marvellous, and in his most sanguine
momenta he did not elpect that at the term of their
second annual meeting the Council would
be able to say that they had 55 boys in
the school. (Applause.) But it was not only
a fact that they had these, but they had an external
evidence of Mr. Watson's labours, which they and
the public of Dorset ought to regard with the
greatest satisfaction. In the examination in con.
nection with the University of Cambridge there
were three or four boys from this school who stood
high on the class list. There was one boy who was
not altogether unknown to one of the shareholders
present, Master J. B. Lock, who had attained a very
high place in the first class at this examination.
Opposite his name he saw three letters in italics
which represented proficiency, beside a good know.
ledge of the general subjects of the examination.
These three letters,L.M.O.,represented distinguished '
proficiency in Latin, in Mathematics, in Mechanics or
applied Mechanics. lie found two boys in the
second class, Greenwood amid another Lock, against
the latter of whom was a D, signifying proficiency
in drawing, besides other subjects, and they
ought to thank Mr. Stevens for the care he
mast have bestowed upon this boy. Then there
was another boy in the third class, another Green-
wood, and the success of these boys give external
testimony of the value of Mr. Watson's labours.
(Applause.) He was sure the shareholders would
sword him a vote of thanks for the great success and
for his dilligent labours in this establishment, and
wish that he might long have health and strength
vouchsafed him so as to be able to continue those
labours and confer that distinction upon the school
which it had attained during the short period it had
been in existence. (Applause.)
The Rev. W. P. WARD seconded the vote of
thanks, and in doing so said he was anxious to keep
before the public mind, who took an interest in the
school, that they were a school in the country; that
it might not be supposed to be a school in the town
of Dorchester, but that it was their wish and
desire to move it into an open country spot.
That WU their object at the beginning, and
Mr. Watson and himself were of the same opinion
that the school could not be considered in a satis-
factory condition until that was the case. He took
this opportunity, not for the sake of giving informa-
tion to those present, but, seeing representatives of
the press present, to let the public know that that
was the object the Council had in view; and with
the present flourishing position of the school, for
which they owed so much to the head master, that
object would soon be attained.
The Rev. J. FISHER said be should like to express
the great pleasure, as clergyman of the parish, he felt
in being present, and at finding the County School
in the condition in which it now stood. It was a
matter of great congratulation to this town and to
the county generally, although Mr. Ward had ex. ,
pressed a wish to hurry the sch 00l away. He(Mr. Fisher)
wished to bear testimony to the order and conduct
of the boys, and especially in the House of God.
(Applause.) Every Sunday they were immediately
under his eye. He did not say this by way of idle
compliment, for it had been a matter of observation
that the conduct of the boys had been most
exemplary. He was sorry they were so uncomfort-
ably located in church, as they had to sit in aisles
where they were not under their master's eye.
(App'eruie.)
The Rev. R. G. WATsorr thanked the meeting
for their kindness, and said it was a great pleasure
to him that his services were an aceeptable. It was
a gfeat pleasure to find that the boys had got on so
well, and although it could not be expected that
some would make as much progress as others, he
hoped they would do as well as conld be expected.
The receipts daring the last half year, including
school payments from 44 boys,amon nted tot 760 Os. Sd.,
,1 whilst the expenditure hail been £775 7a 50.
With the =Me average aniount of expanse for
each boy, and with • school of (50 the number at
the present time), there would be a balance in hand
at the end of the next half, even allowing 711 per
cent, for the deterioration in the value of furniture.
(Applause.)
Mr. ANDREWS proposed, and Mr. Swatitrone
seconded the thanks of the meeting to the Rev. V. D.
Vyvyan for the trimmer in which he had conducted
the business of the company.
The Rev. V. D. VYVYAN said he was much obliged
I for the kind, he might say, flattering wayin which his
bumble services had been spoken of. It had Oen
him great satisfaction that his services had been
appreciated, humble though they were; and be
would do his best to further the interests of the
school on all occasiorin _ . . .

Mr. SKINNER proposed a vote of thanks to the
chairman, He remarked that it would be almost
superfluous to say that this school owed it, existence
solely to his energy and ountinual moving about.
Without bim it would have been itapossible to
have originated it. Whatever gratitude the county
owed for the establishment of this school wag due
to the Archdeacon. (Applause.) They all knew
he had been never absent at a meeting of the
Council, and was always as punctual as a paid
clink, and they must all feel obliged to him for
his tbirdmitting attention.
The Rev. C. W. RINI:II:IA M seconded the proposition.
The CHA.IRMAN, in the Course of responding, said
wito regard to the success of the school being due
to him, he must say that he had sornething to
do with organising it, and his heart had been de-
voted to it as an object for which he bad the best
hopes and promises. It had been the conviction of
his mind for some time past, and he thought it was
the conviction of the people throughout the country,
that the great thing to be undertaken was to help
those Who were able to help themselves, and he
was glad to saji. they had come to the con-
clusion to acoept things at the hands of other people.
He alluded to the difficulties *lzioh were formerly
experienced in meddling with the education of
the middle classes, on account of jealousy, bat t mid
he believed that day had gone by. Alluding to
the oonsolidation of the school, he said it thoroughly
represented the middle classes, and said if that
object had not been attained, he should have been
doubtful of the success of the schooL After some
further remarks, he mild with regard to the great
people of the county, the Council were told they
could not go on without them. That was an opinion
he had never held. If they were sound in their
principles, and behataid fairly with their neighbours,
they would go on well, and those persons who had
joined them, had never regretted doing so, and
others when applied to would do the same. (Ap-
plause.) Alluding to carrying the school into
the country he said that had not been lost
sight of. They were very happy where there were,
but they would rather get a. short distance from
the town ; within easy reaa ot'Dorohester, for
Dorchester must be the *entre, and when they had
about 100 boys they must see what oculd be done.