The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-27 00:00:00

aitb (istrict eivs,

ANNUAL MEETING AT THE SCHOOL OF

ART.

The annual meeting of the subscribers and friends.
was he'd at the School of Art, on Tueslay evening
last. There were present Revd. D. Maginnis in
the chair, Mr. H. Billingham, Rev. L. B. Penley,
Mr. C. Webb, Mr. J. S. Williams, Mr. A. Freer,
Rev. 11. Sherrard, Mr. Worthington, Rev. W.
Wallace, Mr. Perry, Mr. F. Evers, and Mr. 11. W.
Smith.

Re-rolved that the warmest thanks of this meet-
ing be given to Mr. F. Evers, for his exertions in
procuring the discharge of the mortgage debt, and
to him and the other donors for. their liberal con-
tributions to the funds.

Resolved that the Earl of Dudley be elected
president; and Lord Lyttelton, Mr. Foley, Mr
Foster, and Mr. C. E. Swindell, vice presidents for
the ensuing year.
Resolved that tin Rev. D. Maginniq, Mr. T. D.
Thomas, Mr. J. B. Shepherd, Mr. R. B*oomhall,
the Rev. L B. Penlay, 11,,v, J. S. 80l lero, Mr.
Gainsb-rough Harward, Mr. H. Billingham, Mr. A.
Fre2r, Mr. C. Evers, Mr. G. Perry, Mr. Henry
Watson Smith, Mr. A. W. Worthington, R?v. H.
Sherrard, Rev. W. Wallace, Mr. C. Webb, Mr. J.
S. Williams, J. H. Walker, Dr. H. Walker,
Mr. T. Bishop, Mr. W. Waldron, and Mr. J.
Addison, be elected the committee for the
ensuing year.

Resolved that the best thanks of the meeting be
given to Mr. Magi:mis (chairman of the committe,),
and Mr. Thomas, treasurer, for their services
during the last year awl that they be requested
to co Itinue in their respective officas.
Mr. Perry anniunced his inability to act a 3 hon
sec.

Resolved that the best thanks of the meeting be
given to Mr. Perry, for his services as hon. sec.
Resolved that Mr. Worthington be requested to
act as hon. see, for the ensuing year.
Th following is the report of t::e comaiittee for
the year ending 31st July last :
During the year the number of pupils who Lave
attended ths school is, at the night class 98
including boys from Oldswinforcl Hospital, and 31
at meirning class, altogether a decrease of 3 from the
number attending during the previous year.
Besides these, about 100 pupils of St. James, Wol-
laston, and the Wollaston Road Schools have re-
ceived instruction from the masters. In May last
(12 pupils attended the examination, and sent in 90
papers in second grade drawing namely: 27 in
model, 54 in freehand, sin ge.emetrical, and 4 in
perspective,which had been adjudicated upon by the
Science and Art Department. Of these works in
the results 4 were marked as "excellent." and ob-
tained second grade prizes, 19 as "pa,sied," and 67
as li:ving "failed to pass." Three pupii.s have
gained five third grade prizes, and 1,019 works of
105 students have been sent to the Science and Art
Department.
Last year the committee in their report lamented
the de:Tease in the number of pupils who attended
the examination, and the large percentage if
failures ; this year, while they repeat the hope they
then expres-ed that masters and pupils alike would
spare no pains to secure a larger attendance, and
m re sati4actory results in future, they have the
satisfaction of reporting that, as compared with
last year, the number of those who attended
increased from 46 to 62, and the failures d, creased
from 92 to 74 per cent. They trust that next year
they will have the satisfaction of reporting a still
greater improvetneut. The prizes to the successful
students of the previous year were distributed at a
meeting held on the Bth of January last, at which
Sir R. Kttlo presided, and delivered a most useful
and interesting address on the subject of art edu-
cation and the application of its requirements to
this neighbourhood, it having been recently sug-
gested that in the interests of operatives at
Brierley Hill, Wordsley, and the neighbourhood,
art classes should be establi-hed at Biierley Hill,
and the Brierley Hill School Board having kindly
granted the use of their Bent Street School for the
purpose, on very liberal terms, the committee had
determined to try the experiment.
_ .

On the 25th ei September last, a public meeting
under the presidency of H 0. Firmstone Esq.,
was held to inaugurate the classes, which your
committee hope will be found to increase the ability
of the school, by bringing art education more
directly to bear on the glass and other manufac-
tures of the neighbourhood. The commit tee have
to acknowledge the great assistance they received
in the formation of these cla se from the exertions
of Mr. J. S. Williams. As to the finances of the
school, the committee have no longer to appeal
to the funds to relieve it of the burden of the
mortgage, thanks to the active exertions of Mr.
F. Evers in collecting sub:criptions for the purpose,
and to the li'Vral response with which those
exertions were met a sufficient addition was made
to the Sinking Fund to enable the committee to
discharge tthe debt The committee of the Worces-
ter Exhibition in dividing their surplus funds,
allotted the sum of £135 to the school, towards the
expenses of the repair i and better adaption of the
school buildings, provided the mortgaga debt was
paid off, and the rest of such expenses were raised
either by local substr:ptions or government grant.
The con.mittee are not sanguine as to obtaining
any government grant for the purpose, and propose
to enter into further communication with the
exhibition committee as to the terms on which
their giant can be made.

THE C HARGE AGAINST A STOITRB RI ()GE
ON MASTER.
. On Tuesday, at Birkenhead Quarter Sessions,
before Clement Higgins,Esq.. recorder, Bet-Kim-11in
Wood, master ironmister Stourbridge, sui rendered
to recognisances on a charge that he did unlawfully
pledge ,everal tons of ( hannel iron within four
month' of hi bankruptcy. At the tri ,1 before tho
stipendi ,ry magistrate, it was shown that Wood
had pledged the goods to pay thi wages of hil men
and did pay the wages and other items with the
money. The Grand Jury tl,rew out the bill on Mon-
day. On appearing in court on Tucsi:ay with Mr.
Moore, his solicitor, the Recorder, addressing Wood,
said: Mr. Wood, I am very glad to tell you that
the Grand Jury have thrown out the bill against
you. I entirely agree with them, because I think
there was not even the slightest grounds for suspicion
against you from the first—(applause in court.)

EN rERTAINMENT.—An entertainment was given
on Monday evening lEvt, in the Primitive
Methodist School Room, Beauty Bank, in aid of the
organ fund. There was a small attendance,
chair was taken by Mr. G. Gould.—We are sorry
to say the singing and playing did not sound so
well as it should have done owing to the smallness
of the room. The singing of Mrs. Moyle was well
received. The readings and recitations of Mr. E.
Weaver and Mr. A. Brooks caused roars of laughter
and were well rendered. The singing of Miss Noke
was very nice and she was well received. The
duett by Miss A. Perks and Mr. L. Jordan was very
well gone through. The following is the pro•
gramme :—Pianoforto solo,"The Musical Box,"
Mr. A. Jordan; Song, "She sang among the
Flowers," Mr. G. Heathcock ; Recitation, Mr. A.
. Brook; Song, Miss Noke; Reading, Mr. E. Weaver ;
Song, "The Blue Alsatian Mountains," Mr. J.
Trussell ; Flute solo, "Blue Bells of Scotland,"
Mr. F. Jordan; Song, "No Sir," Mrs, Moyle, for
which she received an encore; Pianoforte solo,
"Liquid Gem," Mr. J. Perks; Song, Miss Noke;
Song, ".'omebody whispered so sweetly," Mr. E.
Heathcock ; Pianoforte Solo, Miss L. Baker; Sono.",
Mrs. Moyle; Recitation, "The Village Shop," Mr.
A. Brooks for which he received an encore and gave
"The Doctor's Fright,"; and a duett "Oh no, it's
nothing of the sort," Messrs. L. and A. Jordan.
At the conclusion of the progranimo Mr. Baker
moved a vote of thanks to the ladies who had taken
part in the entertainment and it was seconded by Mr.
,ould. Mr. Jordan moved a vote of Voanks to Mr.
Moyle for the use of the piano, which was e:conded
by Mr. Weaver. A vote of thanks to Mr. Gould
for taking the chair was then moved, to which he
suitably responded.
ALIIAMB A THEATRE.—ThiS week, as it is correctly
describ,d, the powerful, realistic, and emotional
drama, the "Golden Calf," by G. H. Coveney, has
been produced at this th atre
to thoroughly appre-
ciative audiences. The drama is full of thrilling
in, crest and ke,ps the mini fully o, cupied. There
ate some exceedingly touching scenes and f:om
beginning to end it is a play such Ps is seldom
witnessed here or elsewhere. It is not often we
get so good a company in this town as the present
one, and we sincerely trust that to-night (Sa ur-
day), their efforts wi'l be reward.:l by the succe
they so well deserve. Mr. Coveticy, as the pro-
fessor, plays with m LAM fading b., ti: in the proLgue
and the drama, and his sci:ing show a can fal
study of a part that requires skilful act ng. Mr.
' Horace Alicia can safely flatter himself on being a
capital scoundrel in the character of "Elliot
Craven." Mr. James Bradley, as Captain
Patrick O'Shaughnessy, is extremely guol and
creates roars of laughter by his peculiar speeches.
Mr. La Shirley plays Li perfection and his singing
was ranch admir9d. Mr. Fred Lomax proved him-
self. a thoroughly finished actor in the two charac-
te-s, "Mr. Brougham" and the mirth provoking
Irish servant, Dennis O'Rafferty. Mr. J. Patterson is
exceedingly "Smart" as a clerk. Miss Beatrix
Phipps as "Mts. Goldneart" and "Mrs. Grey"
played the parts alotted to her in a manner that
gained her unbounded applause and she drew tears
from the audience by her grand acting as the re-
pentant mother. The characters of the professor's
daughters were pourtrayed by Misses Kate O'Brien
and Ashley with good effect, and Miss H. Covisey
ai "Marigold Mar was really irrt p s 1,10, and she

was froquently applauded. Next week Mr. James
Taylor's 'Simon" company will perform here, and
from the well-known ability of this gentleman and
his company they ought to draw crowded houses.
CONCERT.—Mrs. H. T. Parker gave the first of a
series of grand evening concerts on Monday last in
the Corn Exchange. There was a large and
fashionable audience and the platform was taste-
fully decorated with flowers and ferns. The con-
cert was opened by Misses Bourne and Boulton,
and Messrs. Lander and H. Mobberly singing the
National Anthem.—The violin solos by Mr. F.
Ward were played in a brilliant and effective style
for which he was loudly applauded and encored.
Mr. Lander's songs were given in a masterly style,
the last being encored, in response to which he
gave The Village Blacksmith. Duett, Stars of the
Summer Night by Misses Boulton and Bourne was
sung with great taste and feeling and came in for a
good share of applause. Mr. H. Mobberly was in
very good voice and sang remarkably well, He re-
ceived tremendous applause and r,sponded to his
secsnd encore by singing Nly Queen.—Mrs. Parker
as usual,greatly pleased the audience with her sing-
ing, and especially was heard to advantage in La
Ser nata with violin obligato. Miss Boulton vve,
great satisfaction;.the possesses a good, clear, sc prano
voice, and was very loudly encored for her song,
Spinning, to which she responded. We cannot
give too much praise to Miss Bourne's singing, her
good contralto voice was heard to the greatest
advantage during the evening, particularly in the
song, Eastern Gate, which was beautifully ren-
dered and warmly applaued. The singing of a trio
Love, by Mrs. Parker, Miss Bourne, and Mr, H.
Mobberly brought a most successful concert to a
close —Mr. S. Simms, sear. was tile accompanist
in the absence of Mr. T. Rhodes, who was unable
to:attend through indisposition.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—Mr. Raybould presided
at the weekly meeting of this Board yesterla.y.—
Admitted 27, discharged 10, dead 1, remaining 549
against 493.—R lief, Kingswinford .210 7s 6d;
Stourbridge £3l 12s 2d; Halesowen £23 18s 91 ;
non-residents £1 4s 2d, total £97 2s 7cl against
..C97 18s Pargeter moved that the consent
of the Guardians be given to the Assessment Corn-
'place to engage professional valuer ta re-value all
rateable properties within the Union. Mr. Rhodes
seconded the motion. On a division 4 voted for it,
15 against it and 2 neutral.