The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-22 00:00:00

SAITBDAY, CrIOBER 22, 1870.

adopted as a rule, but only in exceptional cases, when
they have mostly failed in consequence of the supineness
• cinced by the ratepayers generally. If the ratepayers
are satisfied with things as they are, it follows as a mat-
r of course they will remain so. but let them only bestir
Clemselves and skew what is required to be done, and I
venture to say their wishes will be geartily responded to
Itc the Commissioners, and, as far as practicable with a
d de regard to the whole of the interests they represent,
will be carried out. But, should it prove otherwise, the
remedy is to send the right men to the Board at future
elections.
Your correspondent, "Net," has dealt so summarily
with those who have complained of a nuisance in Lower
High-street, that I think it is unnecessary to refer to the
-abject further than to say, that although I am constantly
in the immediate neighbourhood where it is said to exist
I have experienced no ill effects from it whatever, and I
flatter myself I am possessed of as sensitive elfactcry
orgafis as anyone accustomed to the smell of three or
four courses to diuner.

With respect to the of gas to the town, touched
upon by your correspondents, "Old Inhabitant " and
" Amiens," it is very desirable that it should be obtained
at a cheaper rate than that now charged, and seeing that
the Commissiners have the power either to erect new
works, or to purchase at a valuation those belonging to
the Gas Company, there appears to be no reason why we
should not have gas at as low a price as other towns are
being supplied at. Surely we have among our Commis-
sioners men as capable of managing gas works economi-
cally, so as to enable them to supply gas cheaply, on
those of Walsall, or any other town; and there is Vs
dofibt it would be to the interest of the ratepayers if it
devolved upon the Commissioners to supply gas to the
town, as besides the advantages arising therefrom, it
would put an end to all agitation on the question of price
for the future. I apprehend there would be little MM.
cults in arranging with the present Gas Company for the
purchase of their works and plant. At all events, be-
fore the question of new works is couaidered, I think, in
all fairness, an attempt should be made on the part of the
Commissioners to treat for the existing works; one
works being quite sufficient for the supply of Stourbridge;
and it would be well for the good of all parties to avoid,
if pos-Üble, the frequent collisions to which conflicting
intereAs are liable. It remains with the gas consumern
therefore, whether we shall have cheaper gas or continue
through all time to pay the high price now charged
Now a few words with regard to the rai:way accommo-
dation, also allude I to in your previous issue. It ap-
pears from your report of the Commissioners meeting
last month, that some observations were made by a
Commissioner to the effect that it was desirable to ask
the Great Western Railway Company—now that they are
erecting a new station on the site of the old one—to fill
op the vailey leading to the station, and cut oft the hill
at the top of Church.street. Doubtlesa this would im-
prove the approach to the station, that is, it would make
it easier for the traffic, but I cannot see how it would
increase it, as stated by • correspondent in your contem-
porary. tie Adrertucr, signing himself " Switch," as
ti.ere is nothing to prevent any amount of traffic from
passing along the present road, the traffic upon which is
likely rather to decrease, in consequence of it being the
intention of the Railway Company to have their goods'
station at the bottom of the town. I rather hold to the
opinion that the outlay now being incurred in the erec-
tion of the new station—which I understand will be
£B,ooo—and the outlay which would be incurred is im-
proving the approach to it, would be more wisely spent
in the making of the line, which the Railway Company
are under an obligation to bring to the town, and which
they will be compelled to make notwithstanding the pro•
plietic croaking. of those who make it their business to
throw cold water upon everything that does not contri-
bute to their individual benefit, instead of potting their
shoulders to the wheel of public progress, and helping it
round.
I fear I have already trespassed too much upon your
space. and must, therefore, for the present, subscribe
myself

Your obedient servant.
FORWARD.
Stenrbridge, October 20,1870.

A SCHOOL BOARD FOR S FOURBRIDGE.
7'u the Editor of the "Ohserrer."

SlR,—That weighty objections may be urged and sus-
tained against various provisions of the Pahlie Elemen-
tary Education Act of last Session I not only do not
deny, but at a fitting time am prepared to maintain.
think, however, it will be generally admitted even by
those who are least satstied with it, that that measure
affords greatly-increased facilities for
.bringing the bles-
sings of education within the reach of every child in the
Kingdom ; and that, such being the case, it is the bona.
den duty of all friends of education to do their best to
render the measure as widely and beneficially operative
as possible. t noting to future legislation to correct its
defects.
How may the Act be applied with greatest adraalage
to Stourbridge ?
There is, I humbly submit. but one answer to this
question, viz , by the formation of a School Board that
shall wisely exercise the powers the Act confers. Whether
the Education Department shall consider the existing
school buildings in this town adequate for the accommo-
dation of the school-going population cannot vet be
known, the statistics upon which the Department shall
base its decision being now only in course of collection.
But even if the Department should decide that the
school-room accommodation is in excess of the require-
ments of the population, I hold that nevertheless a
School Board is an absolute necessity in order to reach
effectively the class of children that most urgently need
education.

1 do not delay to discuss abstract questions involved
in the powers coalerred on Boards by the Act Italie it
for granted that whether upon grenade of policy, or of
humanity, or of moral and religious obligation, all who
have thoughtfully considered the subject are pretty much
agreed that the neglected children that abound in the
lanes and courts of most of our populous towns, and
whom no educational agency, whether voluntary or legis-
lative, has yet been able to effectually reach, most, by
some means or other, and as speedily NI poesible, be
brought under the humanisiog and elevating influences
of
_a useful education.

I would not under estimate the valuable services dir.
ectly rendered by voluntary labourers in the cause of the
.1 education of the people of this country. Their efforts
have been most praiseworthy and useful. And I fully
appreciate the motive which prompted the Legislature
to empower Boards of Guardians to pay out of the rates
the school fees of children whose parents receive out.
door relief, sad Magistrates to send vagrant children to
Industrial Schools to be net only instructed, but boarded
also, at the cost of the ratepayer. But, practically, these
well-meant remedies have proved quite inadequate.
Boards of Guardians, from some cause or other, exercise
their special power to a very limited extent; and vagrant
children, as a rule, I believe, are not sent to an Indus-
trial School until they are first convicted of some other
offence against the laws; and the little street Arabs of
our towns seem rather to increase than diminish in num-
bers. What is required is to give every child in the
kingdom, and especially every child belonging to the
dangerous classes such an educacion as shall enable
it to become an intelligent and useful member of the
body politic. Now, for the first time in the history of
England. the Public Elementary Education Act makes
this possible. Every child in England, however poor or
unfortunate or degraded may be its parents, may, hence-
forth, receive a suitable and useful education, if only
every parish or borough will elect a School Board who
shall provide sufficient school-room accommodation, com-
pel the attendance at school of every child of school.
going age (except when satisfactory reasons are given for
absence), and raise funds to pay school fees of children
whose parents are too poor to do so.
Let Stourbridge, then, have its School Board—and, by
all means, a Board that shall make attendance at school
compulsory; a Board that shall be above suspicion of
sectarian, party, or class bias, and shall, without fear or
favour, exercise the powers committed to it by the Act
for the public good. I trust the ratepayers will do their
utmost to secure, without needless delay, such • School
Board for Stoarbridge.
There is another snbject, intimately related to the
Elementary Education Act, upon which, if I did not fear
that I am already trespassing upon your space. I should
offer some remarks. I refer to the Endowed Schools
Act (1869) sad its bearing upon our Grammar School in
particular. I cannot venture to do little more than din.
ect attention to that subject. Our Grammar School was,
perhaps, never before in such a satisfactory state as it is
at present. Of late years it has been wisely adopting it.
self to the educational requirements of the age. At the
same time the Endowed Schools Act renders it possible
to introduce further changes in its constitution and man.
agement that would tend to increase its usefulness and
populatity. Hitherto it. governing body has consisted
exclusively. I believe, of members of one church. In
future it need not be so. The Endowed Schools Act fur-
ther provides that the Commissioners empowered to carry
the Act iuto effect shall, as far as practicable, "extend
the benefits of endowments to girls,' a. well as boys.
The local endowed schools are, almost without exception
for the benefit of boyi only. This injustice may now be
remedied.

The Commissioners under the Act will, bye and bye,
probably in the course of a few months, propound their
"scheme for the government of our Grammar School
and other ende wed schools in the town and neighbour-
hood. It is clearly the duty of the inhabitants to be
prepared, when the time comes, to assist :the Commis-
sioners in rendering these institutions as useful as pos.
sible.
Apologising for the length of this letter,
I am, dec., cte,
ECONOMIST.
Stotirbridge, Oct. 20. 1870.

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Printed and Pin:ached by the Sole Proprietor, SIMEON
YIELD. at insOthc., 2, High-street, Stourbridge,
the County of Worceeter: to which place a2l bitten and
other cominorucetions omit be addressed.
Saturday, October 23, IWO.