The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-05-07 00:00:00

BRITISH SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

The annual meeting of the friends and supporters
of Hilt institution was held on Wednesday, May lit,
Th.ubildreu,to the number of 112, were moiled with
a nountiful supply of too and cake at the British
School-room, and afterwards the blends sat down to
the same refreshing beverage at the Corn•Excharige.
The pub!iii meeting commenced at half-past 6 o'clock,
onder the presidency of H. Tice, Esq., of Sopbly
Park; suppor ed by G. Wood, Esq., of Athel-
tunpton Hall; M. Devenish, Esq., the Rev. J. Fox;
Rev. W. Lewis, if Weymouth ; C. F. Vardy, Esq.,
..f the British and Foreign School Society, London;
and W. Vernon, Esq., Secretary of the school.
The CH•lkIl•N. In opening the proceedings, made
some excellent remarks on the progress of noation,
comparing the advantages of the present day with
those of twenty years v., when the British School
was find established. They had met to celebrate
olother anniversary of the school, and their atten-
trm would be first called to an examination of the
ii der children in the various branches of education

talioht.
"I be children were then examined on the following
subjects : _ _ .

-
Reading, Grammar, and History of the English
Language—by the Raster.
phy—Mr. Holmes.
4147sfraisli History—Ur. Win.
ficriptore—lfr. Vardy (Investor).
Spelling and Mental Arithmetic—Ur. Holmes.
Mr. Vanly questioned the children on the Ohl
owl New Testament Scriptures, and their ready
tuswers elicited general satisfaction, showing
that they had keen diligently instructed in the
• ruths and principle* of God's Holy Word. At the
close of ate examination, the Chairman expressed the
{mat satisfaction %Inch on hail espericskoiel, not only
by the reedy way in which the children replied to
lie questions put to them, hut also to the progress
*liich it was evident they had made daring the '.ear.
The proceedings were varied by some of the
11‘ler children giving recitations, and by the whole
Joining in singing sonic suitable pieces; and not
the least t leasing part was the presentation, in the
Ainie of the Onninittele, of • beautifully•bound
illustrated Bible to Master James Goldie, hearing
.he following inscription: —Presented to James
• ;oldie, by the Committee of the Dorchester British
ichool, as a Freud for good conduct Anil haring
okile satisfactory progress during the seven >ears
w iicn lie hiss been in the school. —Signed--W. W.
Suerren, Mailer; W. Vernon, Secretary."
fbe f illowiug report was then read by the
it, • titre :

.
'Th. Connsi i.er of the British School again have the
deasc,aol....sting their friends and supporters. sod of
congratulating them on the emcees attending their
operations, the prosperous condition of the school, and
the prospect, of future and much greater usefulness.
"Notwithstanding the very unfavourable swoon with
which Providence has been pleased to visit us, tending
in a great measure to affect the attendance, and in
Jther respects hinder and retard 'who'd operations, yet
the efficiency of the school has been maintained, and the
setwedanee --though lessened, has, on the whole, been
very good; the average attendance for the year being
100. _

"Your Committee have also the pleasure of stating,
that clueing the year, through the liberal.ty of our
esteemed treasurer, 51 Deveniali, Esq., the *hole debt
which has, on former occasions touch cramped our
efforts. and which had accumulated to the large eugu of
about £75, has been entirely liquidated ; and, depending
oil your continued kind assiatvo.e, the committee have
entered into an arrangement for the future to meet their
current expennes, thereby removing that which has
hitherto been a source of moult anxiety to them, and a
barrier to increased operations.
" We meet you, therefore, on this accession, inspired
with hope in the future. We feel we are engaged in a
good work, we ask your sympathy, your generous
support and your kind word; and, if spared to anot!ier
suigivereary, we here faith in yet greeter good being
gcromplialied. and an enlarged measure of mum
voncliaafed."—W. VEANON, Secretary.
G. WOOD, Eau in moving the adoption of the re-
port, congratulated the friends and supporters of the
school upon the present state of their finances, and
especially that the debt, which had acted as an
incubus upon their efforts, had through the liberality
of their luniptried supporter, Mr. Devenish, been
paid otr, au that fur the future they would he pre-
pared to meet all the Pecuniary expenses. He WU
very pleased to tied that progress had also been
made in the important work of education in con-
nection with this school.
_ _ _

The Rev. J. Fox seconded the adoption of the
report, congratulating the fnends that not only were
tbe children receiving an education fitting them fur
tbe various duties they would be called upon to
discharge in this life, but what was of supreme
importance, they wore being trained up in the
knowledge of that Word which was able to make
them wise unto salvation.
The Rev. W. Litwic mid it was with sincere
pleasure he was present on that interesting nomaion,
and especially was he delighted with the satisfactory
report they had just listened to. There was one
feature in the education imparted in the British
Schad which be considered as especially deserving
of notice, and that was, that not only were the
children taught the various branches of education,
but they were also trained to habits of thought and
1 reiection. This, in after life, was of the highest
value.

CF. Vardy, Esq. then addressed the meeting.
dwelling especially on the great evil of children
being taken aeay at to,. early an age from school,
which, he said was especially the case at the present
time. There were now so many different situations
which boys could fill—at the railways, telugraphic
companies offices, kc., that when a boy was quick
at learning, at the very time he was improving the
uiost, then be was called away to outer on the active •
l.u.iness of life, so that he missed for a present
pecuniary advantage, what he would otherwise
have obtained in future—a higher and hatter sittia-
. lion. He earnestly entreated those present who
• were parents, to give their children as good iii
education as they could, and not to take thew away
from school sooner than they could possibly help.
Specimens of writing and drawing were then
handed round, which were highly praised by the
company, and this interesting meeting was brought
In a close by the children singing the National
Anthem