The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-12-03 00:00:00

OUR PUBLIC MEN.

Tile elltNcELLnit ne Tilt EICIIISVOCR VPON
Mll/111.E•CLAss UNIVEItsITT ESAMINATIoNs. 011
Wellll4loly a public inectinx was held in Willis's
I: omit, King-Ate-et, Nt„ J,lllleS'e, (Or the pre. ligation of
the certificate of Asoiciate in Arts to suds aleph:eta as
pls.,' the local VlOl JJJ ill ati -n for the year Ida, heal he
the l'eivi rsity of I taint. The Bight lloti.W. E. Glaii.
st. am. 'l. I'. . who °collided the chair, said the 111:0141Un
W'liell hail hrutight them together was oily of very great
impariance, and minaiderahle interest attisched lost nu
&omelet of tic changes in the education sit the middle-
-01.14AC,, breught about by umiesurea which until lately,
had iiever been dreamt of. There waa. lie thous:ills Do
snore remarkable nor more betielirial sign of the 'Hies
than was afforded by these measures, mid by the
increased efforts mule by the country for the pro tiou
of education, mid rut thiwe kindly aymesithiea wlikh
insite all clioses of the c 'ty. illear, hear.) It
alionld he recollected that tiny new present the repre-
aentatives of the need important independent schoula in
the kingdom, acting together for one object on is motive
power &ravel Mon theme great and ancient centres of
learning—the old universities of the country. (Cheers.)
It had been the clentarteriatic of the history of ediacetion.
soul cositiently so of education in this country, that it
had mit been merely a means of individual mental
culture, lint also • powerful bonil of union &mous all
claases. Tire founders of our universities, our colleges,
and our gramener schools all alike hail to deal, not with
nairow and select ciao, a., but wills tine winch, mass of
the people, no far as they were capable 01 penfiting by
their benefactions, and in times when greater obstruc-
t: exiated in the way of education then was now the
case, through the means of these fotuidati 111 l a and the
ample neiterials placed in their bands, the subetratuns
of society was, so to speak, dragged from its
place, ant and fitted for the highest public, social and
Chrsation duties. (Clicera.) Au jesuitism portion of
the general improecinent of mankiud had, in former
theses eapecially, been brought about through the 11101100
of these estaislishments for education, yet it had 100
liamened us the counsel of events that the great and
I venerable uuivereities of the country, althouseis they
did elude in the way of eiluoition—perliapic absolutely
, more than they had done for many generatious
—yet, teking into account the vaunt increase uf imputa-
tion and of public energy, they did relatively rem, and
they were coining to he, in an increasing degree, the
possession of a doss rather than of the whole nation.
(Hear, hear.) But those who are acquainted with the
spirit which prevailed withia those ancient seats of
learning, knew that they retained within them, even
at this advanced period of their existence, all the
energies of youth—(cheeN)—and the distinguished
persena who designed the scheme of the middle-clam
examinations were confident of two things First of all
that, in the universities, there existed both the power
and the will to eflect a great extension of the benefits
of education ; and in the community at large, that clue
coneected with the maseageinent of school-teacher..
Waite, and pupils, there existed a disposition to avail
thenthelves of the facilities in that direction, which it
was in the power of the universities to offer. (Hear,
hear.) There might have been those who ascribed such
sanguine expectations to an over sanguine tempera-
ment ; but if there lia.l been any such, the amount of
the results which the system hail that clay attained was
aulficicest to dissipate their delusions. They might
fairly say that, up to the present nimueut, coesidering
the limited time it had been in existence, Blind attained
every success its friends could Imps or desire. (Hoar,
hear.) It was not a plan that depended for its Inneellll
111,011 some favourable impression of the moment. It
was not • plan that aimed at producing popular effects.
(Hear, hear.) Anil he might say that no !thrum of
ealucatioie—no instalment of education—so auxiliary
syettan. could be worthy of the approval of wise seen if it
Iran popular effect fur its object. (Cheers) The culti-
vation of the human intellect, the developmeut of the
attributes of the mind, the formation of habits of cha-
teeter, and the imparting of useful knowledge, were all
mattera far too serious to be dealt with under the in-
fluence of such motives as actuate men who look to a
iinenentary popular effect. The labour of the teacher
was silent—it was pietient—it was often obscure ; it was
necessarily arduous, and, for the moat part, irksome ;
ati4 his reward was to be sought in his own conscience,
its a stern sense of duty, and in the gratitude and at-
tacisment of those under his charge; and he would
impress upon leia youug friends that each and allot them
hail in his sod their power to confer upou their teachers
a reward highly valuable iii their eyes, but it depended
upon the character with which they went forth into the
world to dixelairge the duties of life. It was not for
popular but fur solid results that the !systole of local
examinations had been dimigned and put into action.
Of the oolidity of the results they could not speak at
present.lfor the full proof otit could only be found in the
care of their future if.., to whistle they might well look
tore-aril fur effects greater than any which had been yet
attained ; bet. 110 far as the evidence before them went,
they bad, he comadered, the most satisfactory proof of
the ample success of this scheme for the academia edu-
cation of maimcademic penitents. Ile would seedy, in
confirmation of what he stated, ask them to look to the
number of candidates who were this year approved of
by the temente-re appointed by the University of
Oxford. No fewer than I,IW youths pawed that grave,
if uut formidable, ordeal. (Hear, hear.) That, indeed,
as the annual production of sai young is system—and it
should be recollected that it referred telly to the Oxford
exa 11l ill atious—was a very large nuenbet, especially as
Oxford it-elf did not each year mem more than 400
threugh the schools. (Hear, hear.) Of course they
could nut compare that preliminary examination with
the grave and serious examination for the univermity
degrees. It was, however, no small matter, when
there was so small an annual accession to the higher
education of the country, that in an experience so short
the preoint ardent should have attained tothe high figure
of 1,100. But besides the examinations of the University
of Oxford, there was, it should be recollected, • similar
system instituted by the University of Cambridge, the
result of which, if less extensive, was not less satis-
factory. It was also within his own knowledge that in
Scotland measures were in contemplation for importing
into that country so excellent an example. (Hear, hear.)
But, pruceeding further, he wished them to consider
how these exa 11l ill Miens were passed. Out of every
three candidates who presented themselves during the
first year of the examinations only one Passed and two
were rejected; but now, after so short an experience as
Oral from Mid, that proportion was reversed, and two
out of every three mowed, and only one was rejected.
(Cheers.) But it might be minimised that this change
had been brought about by means which would deprive
Ibis examinations of part, if not all, their real value.
lie meant by lowering the standard of the educational
qualification for the ',teeing of them. There was, he
knew, a great tendency to do so, and it required great
moral courage, • strung seem of duty, sod considerable
authority, to be able to maintain unaltered • test of
young men's mental acquirement'. (Hear, hear.) Here
was one of the great advantages of the apace!. It was
not a system Is, be judged of merely upon ',blown mei its,
but as one proceeding from acatereiml bodies surrounded
by venerable traditious, and immeshing great authority
in regard to edueution. After MI the rejection of •
candidate was a tsak as ilioagreeable to the ex summer as
to him who suffered by the rejection, but still it would
be very unwise to consult their feelings by lowering the
otandard of examination to increase the number of them
who ;Mould receive certificates. It would in effect be
taking away from those well qualified the whole value
and benefit they were to derive from the examination.
It MBA not ter him to speak of the Oxford esstem as com-
pared with &euchre oystem just inatituted. but he would
e pare it with itself. As lie hail already Mated, the
greater portion of those candidates who first presented
theumelves were rejected by the examiners ; but now, the
total number reinaming the muse, a far larger portion
passed the males!. (Hear, hear.) Here arose the
queatian whetherur not they passed on easier terms. He
had tliesatisf union of stating that it was his own belief
the 'mimeo etion which had now to be passed
was not only one of the mine severity as before but of
increased severity. (Cheers.) If, then, they kept to
the same proportion, the three 0110 presented them-
selves for examination represented • much larger
amount of aucceesful tenclaiag than was at find the case,
and that WAS again increasel by the doubling of the
timelier who passed along with the greater elevation of
the examinational otandard. That woe a very satisfac-
tory state of things, upon which he could not help
, congratulating those who were interested ill the scheine
of such immense importance. There was not a single
function which man could be called on to sierforsn, with
respect to which it was not of the greatest importance
that the individual should be brought into connection
with a system of supervioian. Errpecinuily so was this 1
the case as regents the function of education. (Hear,
hear.) It was the most arduous duty a man could
undertake. If it degenerated into mere mechanism, it
might, like other mechanical arts, be performed
without the expenditure of any mental strength,
but a mechanical routine was the death of
Combing. (timers.) If teaching was to live it could
only thrive at the cost of a great and toilsome expendi-
tures of labeur, combined with much mental anxiety on
the part of the teacher. (I lear, hear.) After al:, lie
was bet a man, and men were net to the highest degree
willing sto do their duty. They felt how much need
th hey ad of some support from without. That assis-
ting force from without to assist the teachrrs of the
country lrnl been supplied in is remarkably degreo by
the spew.' of examinations which hint that day brought
thole together. It would show them what
the result of their teaching was able to achieve.
They need no longer pursue their wirk in
private, without notice. without encouragement,
and without the advantages such a meeting as
the present afforded them, where in proportion to his
success he obtained the sympathy, both of his pupils
and of their parents, and had the result of his labours
ascertained under the sanction of 0110 of the Universi-
ties. He was sure his young friends all felt this, and
their laudable and successful exertions gave proof that
they did en, not only in words but also in deeds, and
if there were those ;assent who had bees less succeasful,
he would say one word to them. Ile knew what it was
to fail in obeaining an object eagerly sought ler. He
recollected what it was to have so failed. It was a
moment of trial and a nomeent of depression, but he
would entreat them not to allow it to he • moment of
permanent discouragement. Thee should remember
this law : that all honest mud excellent exertion in the
path of duty, if undertaken in tire fear and love of God,
even if it seemed to fail—even though there %night not
be attending it one shadow of gratification—yet carried
with it, though unseen, its own reward. ((neves.)
He wished to press upon them the knowledge of this
fact : that the exertions which they made in acquiring
their knowledge, although they now appear to have
been in vain, would yet be of the greatest service to
thou in after-life, as they diaciplined the mind in
hcbite of application ; and those of them who had sitc-
om-ilea would, lie was sure, be gratified to find that
those wile lied run with them in the race would not be
losero, but sharers with themselves in that which was
the inewt raluable portion of the oystem—its reflex
effect on the habit and charanter of the mind. The
right hon gentleman concluded his speech by assuring
both teachers and pupils of Vie deep intermit which he
felt in their labours and exertions, •eit of the gratifica-
tion with which he contemplated the successful result
of the middle-class examination movetnenta. At the
close of his address, • moat enthusiastic vote of thanks
was acounled to the hon. gentleman.

Letters from Toulon states that • rumour was current
there that four ships of the line, Nararin, Fleurus,
Souserain, and Charlemagne, are to cease to be in (tour
. _

_
New dc.turbances are spoken of as having occurred in
the Lebanon.

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