The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-01-10 00:00:00

SCEODL BOARD ELECTION.

The Education Department have at last issued a
precept for the e!ection of a new School Board for
Stourbt idue- The fir-t Board was elected on June
28, 1873, End there was a second election three
years later, but the majority of the members
resigned and then came a direct appointment by
the Department itself, without reference to the
reepayers. The latter have had unprecedently
high rates to pay, and there has been a consider-
able amount t,f dissatisfaction in the t.-,wn on the
subjrct, and as to the small results for the he ivy
outlay incurred. The old Board had dwindled
away to half what a orfginally was, at the time its
functions ceased the six members appointed by the
D_partment having 7c,e?n reduced to three. The
new Board, like the first and second elected by the
ratepayers, will consist of seven members; and Mr.
T. Wall, tl s clerk t ) the Union and returning officer,
hts fised the ilith January as Olio day for nomin-
ations, ad Tuesday the 27th as the day of electon.
Withdrawals of persons nominated must be made
by t}:e 20th. Addresses have already been issued
by the Rev. Dr. McCave, Mr. G. W. Prescott and
Mr. IL Newnatn•

SCHOOL oP ART.—The distribution of prizes at
the above szhool, tuok place on Thursday evening
ast in the presence of a large audience. The chair
was occupied by J. H. Chami,eilain, Esq., Vice
President of the Birmingham Royal Society of
Artists.— Ihe Chairman said Mr. Maginnis had
been kind to say that he was not a stranger among
them. He wished he could flatter himself that it
was altogether true. In taking the report which
had just been reud to them by Mr. Perry, he could
not say that on the whole, if he was a Stourbridge
man that, he should feel particularly encouraged by
it. No doubt it was a very good report and a
satisfactory one. Then looking at Stourbridge, it
is not such a satisfactory report as it should be.
It showed that the art was not appreciated by the
Stourbridge people as it ought to be. Their scholars
they knew were rather few. There were about 132
of them. Well, 132 when got together seem a
nice number, but if spread about over Stourbridge
what a few it would seem. They had fifty sub-
scribers which are lost in number. What the size

of the population was he did not know, but he
expected they could be reckoned like the armies of
David, by tens of thousands. They had a debt
wnich was a disgrace. The next time In . came
there he hoped the debt would be reduced, they
were to look upon that debt as being their own
fault. Be wanted them to learn art for art's sake,
He wanted them to learn drawing because it would
give them a new life. They had got a small school
and out of small schools the best results ought to
come. Some years ago it was thought a marvel-
ions thing that anyonc could write. They did not
think it very marvellous now to know that they could
read and write There were a great many of them
who really thought it /vas a very fine thing if they
could draw, it was a little sup riority. He would
let them know what writing really was. They
talked of it as being very serviceable and wonder-
ful. P was simply the art of seeing something
gradually, and then being able to take their fingers
where they wanted them to go. So now writing
was really drawing and there was no difference
between them, except in detail. He wanted to
show them that when hey had been writing
although their letters had been different, that they
h-ad been drawing without th..-ir knowing it.
There were two great distinctions in the art of
learning to draw. The first was to learn to draw
gradually. He had no doubt that their master's
interest was upon that. He would help him in
ha exertions, which was, he thought, the way of
making a perfect resemblance of what they
wanted to copy. Their work must not only be
accurate but loving. Thera were lot of splendid
drawings in the world that was not art at all be-
cause it was not loving. Take the enginet-r's draw-
ing, nobody cares to see it above once because it was
not loving drawing. Nobody could draw a thing
lovingly, if there was nothing in it loving. An-
atomy is a ugly drawiag and nobody could be loving
about it. It was not a work of art, it was a work
of knowledge. They could not at all draw and
mike it art in any way whatever, unless they really
cared for the huguage of art drawing. The first
duty of the m :store, especially of elementary
schcols, was to teach the pupils to perceive. Some
say that they can see enough. They see some-
thing, but there are some of those who see :nothing
that they ought to see. If they do not understand
they cannot see at all. They think they see the
the real thing but they do not, all that they see is
a reflection of it at the back of the eye. It was
the hi ain that informed them what the thing was
they were looking at. The reason that so much
work is as poor as it is simple, is because the great-
est portion of the students are doing work in which
they have no interest. There was a time when
art was perfectly known in England, when in fact
it was universal. In the year 1300 in England
there was not probably a single artisan who could
not form a nail without making it more or less of
art. He should very much like next year to lu k
back upon this year, and be able to say
about their work as being very far superior
to that of last year. The Chairman then
pro,..eeded to distribute the prizes.—The Rev.
D. Maginnis stated that he had received
during the last few months a donation of £5O from
Mr. Charles Swindell, of the Quarry, tow ,rds pay-
ing off the debt. Mr. Swindell had also stated th t
if Mr. Maninnis could get four others to subscribe
£lOO each he would further subscribe £lOO. He
(the spe.aker) hope.l teat challenge would. be ac-
cepted. He moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman
for the very good addres he had delivered. Re re-
marked that it was the first time Mr. Chamberlain
hid visi•ed the school and hoped it wolf(' not bete
last.—Mr. G. Perry seconded the pi °position.
VICTORIA HALL AND RINK.—The fLior at this
place of amusement is n,nv in beautiful condi-ion,
having be-n recently scoured ard votied, and large
numbers visit it nightly. New skates, wheels, and
other necessaries have been added to the skate room
aril the whole place is now replete with every ac-
commolation for vizi. ors.

THEATRE ItovAL.—Mr. Jennings, always a good
tat rer to the ptu lie, has tnisiweek provided for his
CAI lien e for the fist time in Stourbridge, the cele-
brated dram-t "Drink." The chief fe,tures of the
rice were the fine rendering of the eh irecte
61-rrai•e (Ms. Julia Jennings) and Coupe:in (Mr. H.
Simals). They wtre both fregthandy c.pyl.saet-o-dv-
To-night (satutaa4) is the last represen,ati.m of
"Drink", and we should strongly ad vis, those of' our
readers who have not seen it to take this, the last
opportunity, of witnesing the performance of so
good a company.
ROBBERY AT STOURBRIDGE.—At the Worcester
Sessions on Tues lay, Henry Litchfield (22), spade
tee maker, r luided guilty to three cliarges of sto
zl-
two pieces of iron, belonging to ilenry Mills, of
Stourbridge, in July last.; stealing two pigeons on
16. h October, belonAng to Thomas Evans, of Stour-
briAge, and stealing seven pigeons, on 16 h Octobe
belonging to Charles Whatson. 'rho prisoner also
pleaded guilty to previous convictions for fowl seal-
ing, and the Court sentenced him to five years' penal
servitude, to be followed by five year's police super-
vision.

STEALING GLASSES AT STOURBIUDGE.—Benjamin
Smith (on bail) was convicted on a charge of steal-
ing a quantity of glasses and turonierA, at Stour-
bridge, in the months of October and isTivernber, the
property of John Northwood, He was sentenced to
two months' Inrd labour. He had been previowly
convicted.—James Smith, brother of thA above-
tmed prisoner, who had pleaded guilty to the
Lion y, and who kid been previously convicted, was
sentenced to one month's hard labour.

4LLEIED THEFT AT STOURBRIRGE. George
Palmer (25), groom, was acquitted on a charge of
stealing two fowls, at Stourbridge, on the 14th De-
cember. Mr. Gresham Wells pro,ecuted
Baker, the prose,,utor, a chemist living in High
Street, miEs3d the fowls from his hencoop, a Id they
were nuod in the lodgings of the pro otter, who
said he I und them in the Hole-of-the-wall Passage
and that 1 e had ak n them there in order that
t ef might be giveu up to anyone who inquired
aCLer them.
CHARGE OF STEALING A CLOTH JACKET AT STOUR-
BRIDGE.—EIizabeth Y.a)l r, a mifidle-aged woman,
was indicted for stealing .t black cloth jEo .et, at
Stourbridge, nu the 21th Dacember, the pr p.:rty of
Lseph Edsv.ri Jon. Mr. Gresham Wells prose-
cuted, an i Mr. Godson appeared for the si fenee..—
A man named Wilcox stated he saw the prisJner
take the jacket from the shop window of the prose-
-o;itor and throw it in an entry bel-nging to the
shop. He s izt,d her, and the jack,t was found im
the entry.—A. girl nam d Darby saw the womin in
he neiAbon, hood of the .hop abow the time in
questi, but did tr)t see her take anything.— Wit-
nes,es were called for the defence, who gave the
prisoner a good chanteer.—The jury aequit• ed. the
prisoner—The prosecutor's costs were disa:lowecl in
consequence of his hanging the jacket outside the
door.

DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court, held yester-
day, before Col. Flstcber and Mr. R. L. Freer, Arthur
Fletch r was charged with beiag drunk on the night
of the 4th inst. Police-constable Webb proved the
case. Defendant did not appear -.nd he wa4 fined
2s 6d and costs; in default 7 days.
DRUNK AND DisoluDEßLy.—Joseph Parker. of
Cradley, was charged with be7ng drunk and dis-
orderly on The 3rd inst. Pleaded guilty. Po'ice-
constable Oakey proved the case. Fined 5s and
costs ; in default a distress to issue,— William
Walter Parker, was charged with being drunk and
disorderly on the 4th inr.t. Police-constable Jewson
proved the case. Pleaded guilty. Fined 5s and
costl; in default 14 days.
OBSCENE LANGUAGE —Thomas Little was charged
with using bad language in the public streets oa
the 20th ult. Police-constable Madeley proved the
case. Pleaded
_„omilty. Fined 2s 6d and costs.
DRUNK AND REFUSING TO QUlT.—FratleiS Moore
was charged with beL,g drunk and refu4ng to quit
the Fountain Inn, Clout, when requested on the
26th ult. James Phillips proved the case and said
Vie defendant made use of bad language. Fined is
and costs ; in default 7 days, Allowed 14 days to
pay.
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—EIizabeth Raby, of
the Lye, was charged with hing drunk and dis-
orderly on the 3rd inst. Police-sergeant Payne
proved the case Defendant was fined 5s and costs

•CMARGI OF UNLAWFUL WOUNDING. Aifred
' Gauden, a boy, residing at Oldswinford was charged
with unlawfully wouming Samuel Brettle (12), of
Oldswinford, by poking a red hot iron in his abdo-
men, on the Bth inst. Mr. Waldron appeared for
Gander). A certificate was produced showing that
the boy was unable to attend, and the case was
aljourned for a week.
: CHARGE OF PERMITTING DRUNICENNES4.--Ed ward
Bretton, landlord ox the Odd Fellows' Arms, was
7:1 charmed with permitting drunkenness in his house,
on the sth inst. Police-sergeant Payne said he was
; on service at the Lye static-i when a man came to
him to make a complaint of gambling at the defend
ant's house. Told him he was drunk, and advised
him to go home. The man went to the defendant's
house. He followed hhu sad SAW the man sitting

in the room, drunk. Police-constable Widdows
corroborated. The defence was that the man did
not get drunk in his house. He came in at 10
minutes to 7 o'clock and left at 10 minutes past 7,
and when he returned the man Morris was the worse
for beer. He called for ale but was refused. Fined
5s and costs.—Henry Morris was charged with being
on licensed premises drunk. Police-sergeant Payne
proved the case. Fined 2s 6d and costs; in default
7 days.
STE/a/NG CHEESE.—EIIen Beddoes, a married
woman, was charged with stealing 13oz of cheese
on the 6th inst., the property of Thomas Morris, of
Enville Street. Alfred Lswis said he was in the
house of prosecutor. He saw the prisoner pick up
a piece of cheese and put it into her pocket.
Shortly after she left the shop he told Mr. Morris
what he had seen. He followed her and brought
her back and charged her with stealing the cheese,
and she denied it. Thomas Morris said from in-
formation received he followed the prisoner and
brought her back, and charged her with having
something of his. She shod; her pocket and some
, small bits dropped from her pocket. He went to
where be stopped her, and found the cheese where
she stood, behind a soft water tub. Superintendent
Wheeler proved apprehending her. Mr. J. Allsop
1 and Mr. S. Field gave the prisoner a good character.
Two letters of character were also read. Colonel
Fletcher said the case was clearly proved, but in
consideration of her previous good character, and
the new Act of Parliament having come into
operation, they had p )wer to fine instead of sending
her to prison, and should fine her 5s and costs. The
money was paid.
&roils; THROWING. John L-vison (12), was
charged with assaulting James Tim ains on the 3rd
inst. From the evidence of ,3omplainaut it appePars
that as he was going on an errand defendant threw
a large stone at him which c %sight him on the heal,
inflicting a severe wound. Fined 5s and costs.
CsrasseE OF THEFT AGAINST AN APPRENTICE.—
Charles Price, an apprentice to William Jonadab
Turney, was charged with stealing on the 13th
December, a grounding knife and two handles, the
proterty cf his master. Mr Perry appeared to
prosecu'e and Mr. Waldron defended. John
Young, foreman to Mr. Turney, said in July last
he helped the defendant to two knives and two
handles to work. They were worth 3s 6d each.
Def, ndant left tte work in December and after he
had left witness missed the articles in question.
The knives were similar to those produced. Police-
sergeant Jones said he apprehended the prisoner
at Mr. Lane's work, South Hackney, London. He
charged him with stealing a quantity of artieles
the property of Ar. Turney, of Stourbridee. Soeie
tools were brought in presence of prisoner. Tnere
were three kmves, two handles and other articles.
Prisoner said that one knife and two handles be-
longed to Mr. Turney. An agreement was come to
between the two parties, that the damage should
be reduced to £2 10s. Defendant was ordered to
pay this amount and costs.
CHARGE OP STEALING POTATOES.—George Com-
mander, labourer, was charged with stealing a
quantity of petatoes on the 6th inst., the property
of Walter Wilks Webb. Police-constable Cart-
wright proved that he met the defendant with the
potatoes in two baskets. Defendant pleaded that
he had no work, and was quite destitute. He had
applied for relief at the Union, and had been re-
fused, and was in ill-health, and under the doctor.
superintendent Wheeler said he had enquired into
the case, and found the house quite destitute of food
and furniture. Under thee circumstsnces the
Bench bound the defendant over in £5, to appear
when called upon.
A WIFE BEATER.— Thomas Griffis, Church
Street, was charged with assaulting his wife, Eliza,
on the sth inst. Complainant, who had a shocking
black eye, asked for the ease to be withdrawn.
Ultimately the c .se was withdrawn, and defendant
bound over to keep the peace for six monas.
CHARGE OF DRUNEENNESS.—Titnothy Callagan
was charged wth being drunk in the street.
Police-constable Mad eley proved the case. Pleaded
gui,ty. Fined 5s and costs.