The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-22 00:00:00

Socal anb gistritt ptin.

STOURBRIDGE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

On Thursday morning last tbe annual distri-
bution of prizes took place at the Grammar
School. The Rev. J. S. Boldero, one of the
Governors of the school, presided, and there
was a large attendance of the friends and par-
ents of the boys.
The Chairman, after some remarks addressed
to the boys, said that at the present time there
seemed to be a crusade against the established
order of things in schools, and they all professed
to know better than their fathers or their grand-
fathers in this respect. It might be taken how-
ever that the founders of schools like that knew
something about education, and desired to make
it conduce to disciplining the mind and bringing
out its powers. He believed there was nothing
like the old classics for doing this, and he did
not care whether a boy remembered them or read
them in after life ; but the mere study of them
required an amount of discipline and persever-
ance which could not but be useful to those who
went through it. He was sorry to hear that the
Endowed Schools Commissioners wanted to du
away with the study of Greek in these schools,
and he hoped the parents and scholars would
unite and bring what influence they could to
bear to prevent this being carried out
The Rev. W. J. J. Welch, the Head-Master,
read the following report, for the year ending
Midsummer :

HEAD-MASTER'S REPORT MIDSUMMER 1872).
To the Governors of King Edward's Grammar School,
Stourbridge.

Gentlemen,—l have the pleasure to lay before you my
report of the general condition of this school, and of the
results of the recent examination held here. It is a
source of great satisfaction to me that I am able to speak
on. both these points to favorable terms.

We have, of course, had the usual averages of breaches
of school discipline, the usual amount of idleness with
which to contend ; but over and abr,ve all this, I think I
can conscientiously say that this lialf.year has bees
marked by a higher moral tone amongst the boys, and
that the great majority have made most satisfactory pro.
greys.
In some instances this progress has been marked and
rapid, and has afforded the highest gratification to the
masters of the school.
. _ . .

—For some weeks of the half.year we were working under
great difficulties, inasmuch as about 30 boys were absent
through either sufferiog from sickness themselves, or
having it, in a contagious form, at their homes. .

This broke up sonic of our classes, anil uecessarily in-
terfered with the progress of the boys who were absent.
But making a due allowance for these hindrances to our
work, the result, as a whole, may be pronounced highly
satisfactory.
Although I have, in these remarks, chiefly adverted to
the progress of the boys in their studies, it most not be
supposed that I am not equally anxious that a high order
of discipline should be maintained here, and that a
healthy moral tone should be diffused amongst our boys.
These are objects which I desire to see ever made promi•
neat here. For lam enrol those who think that the
culture of the mind and of the heart should by no mewls
be separated. And though we shall ever do our best to
ensure the mental progress of the boys placed under our
charge, I trust we shall be equslly assiduous in striving to
make them truthful, honourable, and moral—in a word,
form their characters, as far as we can, in the moulds of
the geutleman and of the true Christian.

Our duties are indeed of a truly onerous character,
and I thick I am but re echoing tfin sentiments enter-
tinned by many of my brethren of the scholastic profes-
siva, when I say that education never had greater diffi-
culties or responsibilities attached to it than it has note.
The institution of Government competitive examina-
tions, the appointment of preliminary examinations in
the medical and legal pi ofessions, the establialiment of
the Oxford and Cambridge Middle Clitas Examinations,
and the proilpect of Government inspection of all endowed
Grammar Schools, has all tended td raise school with to
its highest tension, and to render the question of menial
calibre and attainment one of paramount importance to
every ho;.
In this age of examinations the sluggard must be left
behind. In this great intellectual race the idle boy will
be thrust on one side by his more earnest and persever-
ing class-fellow.
. . . • .

'School life now can be no longer a period of inglorious
ease. It mu,t be cbaraeteriaed by progress and earneet-
ne,a.

Hence arise the schoolmasters difficulties and respon•
sibilities.

his difficulties lie in the fact that the spirit of the age
is adverse to the observance of high-class discipline, and
that the restless and ever-changing character of every-
thing around has not failed to influence the school bey,
and render him less able to fix his attention in prolonged
study, and less able to endure sustained mental effort.
The result is that in but too many instances, superfi-
cial and surface knowledge is supplanting that deeper
and more thorough acquaintance with subjects of learn-
ing which is alone entitlid to be called finished and per-
fected education.

Nor are our responsibilities, under these circumstances,
of
~any ordinary character.

TM.; schoolmaster must be equal to his position. The
greater the difficulties with which he hoe to contend, the
more marked must be the force of character displayed by
him, the more sustained must be his efforts to overcome
them.

I trust these qualities and this disposition will ever be
prominent here.
. . .

Meantime, I cannot refrain from expressing an earnest
hope that the pareuts of the boys at this school will co•
operate heartily with us in the important charge com-
mitted to our mire ; feeling assured, as, on reflection, I
am sure they will be, that they will thus be best promot-
ing the present welfare and future prospects of their
Sons.

The Chairman then distributed the prizes to
the successful boys. The following is a list :
Classics :-Ist class, Maginnis, D. C. N. ; 2nd,
Trotter, G.; 3rd, Terry, Frank; 4th, Heckford,
C. R.; sth, Bloomer, H. W.; 6th Chetoe,
Edward.—Greek Teshinient :—Maginnis, D. C.
N.— Holy Script lire .—U.S., Cartwright, Z.;
M.S., Hammond, G.; L.S., Bloomer, H. W.—
English :--U.S., Cartwright, Z.; M.S., Heck.
ford, C. R. ; L.S., Pardoe, Chas.—Marks.—
U.S., Cartwright, Z.; M.S., Hammond, 0.;
L.S., Bloomer, H. W.—Mathematics :-Ist Div.,
Thomas T. D.; 2nd, Shiner, G. A.; 3rd,
Bloomer, H. W.—Book-keeping :—Penn, C.—
French : —lst class, Trotter, G. ; 2nd, Cartwright,
Z.—Drawing :—Simms, 0. F.—Chemistry—Ms.
ginnis, D. C. N.—Natural Philosophy :—Mat..
hews, P.—Animal Physiology :—Simms, G. F.
—Drill and Sword Exercise Maginnis, D.
' C. N.; 2nd, Matthews, G. F.
The boys that have taken prizes before are
disqualified from receiving them a second time,
consequently, Paul Matthews, 'Captain of the
School," and T. D. Thomas, were debarred from
receiving several prizes which otherwise they
would be entitled to.

The chairman proposed a vote of thanks to the
head master and assistant masters, which was
seconded by the Rev. D. Maginnis, who, refer-
ring to the teaching of Greek, said although one
of the most influential memorials which had ever
emanated from Stourbridge had been sent up to
the Endowed Schools Commissioners, asking
them to retain it in the new scheme, it seemed
probable that it 'would not be allowed to be
taught by any future head master, but only by
a visiting master. He hoped parents would join
in endeavouring to secure its retention in the
school.
The Chairman heartily coincided with Mr.
Magian* and earneetly entreated the parents to

join in endeavouring to secure the retention of
Greek in the school.

A vote of thanks to Chairman closed the pro.
ceedings, the boys, headed by their Captain,
giving three cheers for the holidays.