The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-11-13 00:00:00

OPENING OF NEW SCHOOLS AT THE

LYE.

On Monday last, the new schools in connection with
Mount Zion Chapel, Lye, were opened by Thomas Wood,
Eng., of Colley Gate. The building which is at the
back of the chapel. consists of a large school.room, an
infants' school-room, two class rooms, store rooms, Arc.,
was designed by Mr. Ingell, architect. of Birmingham,
and built by Mr. J. Bloomer, of Creaky. The schools
have been lmilt oat of a munificent gift of the late Mr.
George Wood, of the Lye, who woo a member of the
congregation, and left in his will £3.500, which sum was
to build the Reboots, minister's house, and repair the
chapel. Many of "or readers will remember that Mr
Wood died tin the 235 h of April. 1888. and was buried in
a vault in front of the chapel The minister's residence,
which stands on a bill about 150 yards from the dispel
is a substantial and well built house. The proceedings
comtneneed by singing the 83rd hymn. and prayer.
Mr. T. Wood (the chairman), on rising, sell he was
very much pleased to be among those present that even-
ing, to YXolairt wlmt they had lost fir. The building was
a beautiful and substantial pl ice. It was capable of
holding a great number of children It nfIR well known
that every child in the kingdom will have the opportunity
of learning reading. writing. and arithmetic, and hews.
sure titose who availed themselves of it would have cause
to rek.ice and be thankful. A great deal had he., done
fir them by loin who had bees removed from among
them to another world. After some other remarks, the
chairman eahe.l noon

The Rev. D. K. Shoebotham (of Birmingham), who
unit : Mr. Chairman. ladies. slid gentlemen. on this. the
tlrst meeting of patrons mei friends held in these schools.
proceedieg to 11118i110ss let us go hark to the reenl-
leetion of the memory of the lote Mr. George Wood.
whose monument is in front of the chapel. The late
o..etleman hos been for many years a diligent Sabbath
School teacher. and he could rot help thinking that it
must afford his brother (the chairman) a melancholy
p!easure to are hin wishes so admirably malt a out.
Having referred to the feeling which peompted Mr. Wood
to Trovide fo• the ereciion of these nets In. the speaker
preceded to 1. attire on the gene at subject of edueation,
which he divided into the followinl category of ques-
tions : Ist What in editcation ? 2.1. In what does the
necessity for it exist ? 3rd. What are the results rotpec•
td to accrue from it? 4th. On whom does the duty of
edneation devolve? He considered that the duty of edu-
cating the child rested on the parent. but that as they
neglected that in souse Cases. and in others were to poor
to undertake the resp msibility, they could not he .Ilowed
to remain in Ignorance, and the State Was justified in
stepping in. Secular education. however, would not
bring out all that was in man, or teaelt him all he should
know : moral and religious truths should ho inculented
NA well. With regard tn the diltquestion—On whom lists
the duty of education devolve? the speaker said he held
the old.fashioned belief that primarily the ditty of edu•
cation devote, di p n the parents, was not a function of
the Government He eonsidered that if Civil Govern.
merits were conducted righteously, wisely, and eeononai.
rally, every parent would posse's the means of educating
the r children; but Governmenta were not no conducted.
Many parents, moreover, arc poor, ignorant. intemperate
and vioious, and eared neither for the welfare of them.
selves, nor for the welfare of their children. Under
these eircumatances, it WWI necessary that there should
some special interference on the part of the Government.
There were at present two i•CIIPMPa before the country.
The one Was milled the Denominational, and it proposed
to eatend the present system ; and then her proposed to
have the aelmois supported by rates. and have them Us.
nom:meted with any of the religinim denominations of
the (Devilry. So far as he himself was concerned, be
did not feel diqoßed to sanction a tuitional system which
would neeessitate the giving up of public money to the
Roman Catholics of Ireland to teach the dogmas of
their religion. He hoped. however. that the best parts
of the svetem propounded bo the &location.' League
and the Educational Union. would be token, and such it
system produced as would obtain the support and coufi•
denim of the country.
The Chairman then declared the new schools open.
Mr. A. Wood moved a vote of thanks to the Rev. D.
Slioebotham, for kindly reading the papers to those
present.
This was seconded by the Rev. G. Lakeman (curate of
the Lye), who in the course of a few remarks adverted to
the extension of the Denominational system of educe.
lion; but said he could not agree with Mr. Shoebothatu
on the Secular system.
A vote of thanks to the chairman. proposed by the
Rev. M. Morgan and seconded by Mr. Billingham, closed
the proceedings.
There Was in tea meeting in the evening, after which
Mr. A. Wood and othergentlemen addressed the meeting
at some length on the subject of Mr. Shoebotham's
paper.