The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-04 00:00:00

StAIRBRIDOE CaNTAE, SEMOON IS7-3.

During the Session 1872-3, which commenced in
September last and closed in May, there were six
Classes in operation, an follows :--
Class for Latin, conducted by the Rev. H. Sherrard.
„ French, • , Mons. de Vit.
„ English Literature „ Mr. J. B. Shepherd.
„ Mathematics, „ Mr. J. Anderson.
„ Political Economy „ Rev. D. Maginuis.
„ Chemistry, ,' Mr. T. F. Bland.
The number of students that, during the whole and
part of session, attended each of these classes respec-
tively, was as follows :
Latin 11, French 11, Mathematics 4, English Eitera•
lure 25, Political Eeonomy 2, and Chemistry 5.
At the close of the session in May an examination
took place. The examination was conducted by the
South Staffordshire Associations Examiner, the Rev.
H. Williams, of the Wolverhampton Grammar School,
by written papers, which were distinguished by symbols
only, the names of the writers being withheld till after
the Examiner's award was made.
The Examination was not for competition, but was for
the purpose of classification. The papers, however, that
gained the highest marks were indicated as a guide to
the local Executive Committee in awarding prizes.
The Central Committee require 25 attendances at
class as a preliminary qualification for beneficial classi-
fication; and unfortunately two of our students failed
in this respect—have made only 23 atteodsnces each.
In Latin 9 went in for examination, and of these .1
were successful and 2 failed from not having made the
requisite number of attendances.
In French 6 were examined and 5 were successful.
In Mathematics 2 examined and both were successful
In Political Economy both students went in and both
were succemsfnl. . .

In Chemistry one was examined.
There was no examination of the English Literature
Class, chiefly because of some misapprehension on the
part of the Students.
Chemistry is not one of the subjects for which the
Association makes grants; and though the student who
was examined in that subject was reported by the
examiner as having " acquitted himself Cory creditably"
he is not beneficially classified. The local committee,
however, considering the importance of chemistry to
this district, have awarded him a prize.
This student (Mr. Richard Paddon) went into the
examination in Chemistry of the Science Department,
and the committee are glad to report that he obtained a
second class certificate.
Three members of the Mathematical class went in to
the Society of Arta examination
.in Arithmetic, and two
of them obtained certificates—Mr. Arthur Malpaaa a 2nd
class certificate. and Mr. James Hinds a 3rd class certi•
ficate.

---•
The following is i eopy of the Rev. Henry Williams's
report to the committee of the South Staffordshire
Association :
- - - - •

" The papers which I received from Stourbridge
Institute were nearly all very satisfactory. There was
a vely great improvement in Latin compared with last
year's work. The pupils appeared well grounded. The
translations were good mud the parsing generally ac-
curate. There was a little stillness in the beat trend.
tome which will doubtless disappear with practice.
" The questions on Political Economy were well
answered. .

" The papers in Arithmetic were very fair average
Ones. . . . . .

The pupil who was examined in Chemistry acquitted
himself very creditably.
Latin (Virgil and Horace.)

Classed lit, Iliss Magiunis ; 2nd, failed through
attendances 1; Mr. J. W. Woodward, 2.

(Prine;pia Lat. and Caesar.)

Classed Ist, Mr. Chas. H. Scott; 2ud, Win. Pritchsrd
1 ; Failed through atteudances 2,
French.

Classed ht, Mr. Corvesor 1 ; Miss Blake 2 ; 2nd, Mr
Heckford 1 ; Mr. Scott 2 ; bliss M. H. Blake 3.
Politic M Economy.

Classed Ist, Mr. I). C. N. Magiuuis 1; Arthur Malpass

Classed Ist, Mr. Arthut Mal pass ; 2nd, James Hinds.
Chemistry.

Mr. Richard Paddon."

The Rev. H. Sherrnrd than addressed those
present, and explained the manner in which the
classes were carried out, lie said they were com-
posed of students from all the institutes of the
town, The Lye, and Wordsley. This had been
done in the first instance, because they thought
no good would accrue from having several an-
tagonistic classes. By this means, too,they were
able to secure better teachers, and it was more
advantageous to have one good class, with an
efficient teacher, than a variety of indifferent
classes. Seeing that persons of different creeds
had so little common ground to meet upon it was
very desirable to give sonic of them an opportu-
nity to meet together in a night class, as it helped
to rub off any little sharp-cornered prejudices or
little asperities which isolation frequently fostered
in persons belonging to different religious sects.
He only wished that such opportunities of meeting
together on a larger scale were much more fre-
quent—(hear, hear). For these reasons he hoped
those classes would be maintained and that the
various associations would, as far as possible,
adhere to the present system. With regard to
adult education generally, it was to be hoped that
in a short time to come a still greater stimulus
would be given to it than was given by the pre-
sent terms offered by the South Staffordshire As-
sociation. He had just been reading a report of a
meeting held in one of our large towns the object
of which was to ascertain if our two great univer-
sities of Oxford and Cambridge could not take up
this matter of classes. If this could be really
brought about, there could be no question but
that it would give a vast impetus to the adult
'education of the artisan class. With regard tc
the education of females, who were also taught in
these classes, they would see that a lady had re-
ceived the first prize in Latin, and another the
second in French; and he saw that a young lady
of 17 had won one of the first prizes a few days ago
at the Civil Service examination, in London. This
showed that female education was looking up, and
the young men would have te look to it, or they
would find themselves beaten by the ladies. He
was sorry to see that two of his pupils were dis-
qualified from receiving prizes through not having
attended the proper number of times, and he
hoped that it would be a warning to thew to
attend better in the future. He hoped that young
men would be stimulate,' and encouraged to give
more attention to education by these classes. One
of the most useful things taught were mathematics;
but lie was afraid that young men of the present
day haul, most of them, a greater prediliction for
smoking than for mathematics; and believed in
ex flints dele biter'', which being the Latin pro-
fessor he might be allowed to translate. It meant
getting light out of smoke. Ile would recommend
them to take matheuuttics and not a pipe. He
was sorry to see BO many young boys going about
taking up the pipe. He was quite sure it would
be better for every young man and boy to give up
the practice of smoking, until they grew older, as
it could be productive of no good.
Prizes were distributed to the following success-
ful students : Miss Maginnis, Messrs. J.
W. Woodward, C. H. Scott, W. Pritchard, French
Mr. Corvesor, Miss Blake, Messrs. Heckford and
C. H. Scott, and Miss M. H. Blake. Political
Economy :Messrs. D. N. Maginnis and A. Malpass.
Mathematics Messrs. A. Malpass and James
Hinds.... Chemistry : Mr. It. Pauldon.
. .

Mr. Maginuis then entered the names of several
students for the ensuing session, he having pre-
viously stated that he hoped those who had joined
would go in for the final examinations; and a
hearty vote of thanks having been accorded to
the chairman the meeting was bsought to a close.