The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-10-30 00:00:00

STALBRIDGE.

DITERISINED SUICIDiL —For some time past •
woman named Margaret Gale had been labouring
under the delusion that she would ultimately come
to want, ithoogh she certainly had no ground for
such a notion, because upon inquiry it was found
Viet she bad 130 in the bank, beside' • weekly
allowance. On Thursday week she purchased loz.
of vitriol, saying it was to clean • copper kettle. She
secreted it till Friday morning, when, not making
her appearance at the breakfast table, the landlady,
Mrs. Batten, proceeded upstairs in search of her.
Before she arrived at the deceeeed's room, she heard
the latter screaming, and upon opening the door the
unfortunate woman exclaimed, "I have done for
myself DOW." On examination it was found she bad
swallowed the contents of the vitriol bottle. Dr.
Long was immediately sent for, and though every-
thing wee done which medical skill cou:d suggest,
she expired on Saturday morning, about three
o'clock, in the most excruciating agony. An inquest
was held before Mr. W. H. It. Bennett, on the body
of the deceased, when the jury returned • verdict of
"Temporary insanity."

BRIDPORT.
BOYS' GENERAL SCHOOL

The annual meeting of this school took place on Thur.-
thy evening out at the School room, and was very fully
attended. the Mayor wail in the chair, and there were
al.o present Mr. J. I'. Stephen. (hon. secretary), Rev.
IJ. Steven., Mews. W. Colfox, J. Bartlett, H Howell,
I S. Stephen.. H. Edmond., Walter Stephen*, Alfred
Stephen., J. T. Stephens. S. Wbetham, Raysolds,
James Williams, Rev. R. L. Carpenter. Rev. R. Stevens,
several ladies. to. The room was decomated with
' wreaths of greenery and Bowers. A number of draw.
ings were exhibited, mune of which were remarkably
good, and ewer:l.lly two by G. Spear, one of the elder
Puna teachers, and three small ones of birds by E.
Jefforal. _ .

The proceedings were tideAy opened by the Mayor,
after which the examination commenced. After singing
" The Snow" • reading took pleas, and the boys sc.
quitted Remedyss with credit. After being questioned
on the subject of their reading, when they displayed
much Intelligence, the boys sang "Th. gaudy day is
dying. " A lesson on the "Properties of matter" fol-
lowed. Afterwards they were examined in English
history, especially with reference to the Laneaetrian and
Yorkist lines, by 0. Spear. and answered well. "The
War my" was sung prior to an examination in mental
and slate arithmetic, mensumt on and algebra. The
as ithmetioal questions were put by Mr. Reynolds, Mr.
Edmund., and Mr. T. Stephens. As • whole the
ri suit was very satisfactory, and a little boy named
Turner was particularly soocesseful ;still, 1171110 mistakes
were made. and a few of the problems were but slowly
answered, and then ins 'neatly, but, of our.,, if the
boy, were quite perfect they would not need schooling.
A song " clod IA epthtr Ude heettt7. dwelt the exami-
nation.

THI MATOR then rose and said that they bad now
had the examination which had exceedingly pleased and
gratified him, and he presumed they hid been the same.
He thought the answers to the questions in arithemitie
were very surprising, they were no good ; of course there
were some errors at which they could not wonder, Um
questions being difficult and being asked by gentlemen
37 whom the boys were not accustomed to be examined.
He had also been much pleased with the reacting lessons,
and the answers to the questions in history and the
properties of matter. He countered the boys had given
great ex7iression to the songs they had sung. and that
the singing was very superior to what they had heard in
past jean if be remembered right. He believed it wee
the first time the by. had been examined in algebra
(Mr. Beard said it was)and it had been very interesting.
Ur. J. P. STIPHIGIB, the Hon. Secretary, then read
the following report :—" In presenting the seventeenth
annual report of the Bridport Boys' General &boo!
your Committee have every reason to hope that it Is
most satisfactorily fulfilling the oijects for which it wad
established. They believe that they cannot furnish to
you better evidence aa to its present condition, our any
more calculated to justify the abiding confidence of its
friend., than is contained in the report of H. M.'s Inspec-
tor after his last annual examination. He mays—'l can
again record the highest opinion of this school for
thorough efficiency of discipline and unusual exesilleace
of instruction, the thoroughness and equal diffusion of
the latter are szemplified by the fact that out of 2n
scholars individually examined, not a single one failed
to 'iambi reading or writing, and there were but two
failures in arithmetic. The pupil teachers have again
passed a very creditable examination. Your Corn.
Mint* gladly acknowledge bow much they are indebted
for these highly gratifying results to the conscientious
and persevering labours of the master. The Lumber of
boys presented for exsmination, owing partly to • pre.
sailing sickness and partly to accidentil causes, was lam
by 27 than last year, and the Government Grant has
been consequently reduced in amount, but your Com-
agile* are happy to add that by reason of a modification
in the 1/1.0111114,Z5 of the New Code, the Committee of
C uncil on Sineation have made no deduction from the
grant of this year en account of what they are pleaied
to term "Endowment Funds." The usual Statistical
statement shows that the school daring tics past year
has been as fully attended as in the previous year. The
is
hawanaluhemtolbeen.beelrarpeedoirmed'amalbileiyilingtadtenan omydw,;:doce.nschooahtlndatnelh6frlgistaiaor:;lserye:fr4t7repanhiimeanEsybrritioe°l4;; are 131 and 139. bosh of which are somewhat in excess
orts
as
leaning and instrantlee niersigion to the pupils. It