The Express.
London, England, 1864-06-18 00:00:00

1, JUNE 18, 1814.

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ENDOWED SCHOOL!! AND MIDDLE CLASS
HDMArrom;
DEPUTATION TO V140017111T PALMERSTON.
RIM DAY.)
at noon, a numerous deputation, includ-
ing EarTFOrtescue, Lord Lytteltoo, the Bishop of London,
Rev. P. D. Maurice, Kr. Mills, M.P. ; Mr. Lateen, M.P.;
Mr. Grapes, M.P. ; Mr. J. Heywood, the Bev. Prebendary
Burgess, the Archdeacon of Coventry, the Bev. David Mel-
ville, Mr. E. Chadwick, Kr. T. H. Bastard, Mr. Hastings,
dm., waited upon the Premier at Cambridge Houle and pre-
sented to his lordship the following memorial from the
counall of the National Amociation for the promotion of
social &ewe :
" The Council of the National Ana:attics for the Promo-
tion of Social Science desire to represent to your lordship the
expediency of issuing a royal commission to inquire into the
grammar schools in the kingdom and other endowed schools
not yet reported on, and generally into the condition of the
education of the middle classes. The association has from
year to year collected • large amount of evidence bearing
upon the condition of middle-class education, and there
has been a general concurrence of opinion that
it is at present in a most unsatisfactory state.
Several of the eminent men who have at our annual meet-
ings filled the oßoe of president of the Department of Edu-
cation, have expressed themselves strongly to this effect.
Sir Job. Psldngton in his address, in 1857, remarked that
it was great error to suppose that the only educetional diffi-
culties were those relating to the working classes.
know,' he said, that the middle classes god themselves in
• position of great difficulty on this subject. It is the re-
spectable tradesman, the small farmer, the clerk, and men
of that descriptien who know not where to get
education for their children, and who, practically
speaking, pay very dearly for • bad article. The
Right Hon. William Cowper, in 1858, said, The
education given in the middle-class and commercial schools
is, generally speaking, se faulty, in comparison with all
other education, as it is bad in itself. It has great proton..
.ion and show without substance or solidity. There is no
tenet icteodence whatever. There is no test of the capacity
of the master, and no test of the success of his teaching. The
parents are left to judge, after their own uninstructed no-
tions, of the excellence of the school, and generally pay most
enmities' to what is really of the learn importance?
In 1859 the Right lion. C. B. Adderley pointed out that
the middle-clam have mama to be dissatisfied with their
present means of edncation tho private commercial and
endowed grammar schools Of the country ; and Sir John
Shaw Lefevre, in 1861, speaking of the civil service exami-
nations for appointments, which are filled up from the
middle classes, as • practical test of the education they re-
ceive, said, ' I may mention the incredible (aileron in ortho-
graphy, the miserable writing, the ignorance both of the
else:enter, theory and practice of arithmetic. It is com-
paratively rare to find • candidate who can add correctly a
moderately long column of figures, and many do not under-
stead commie notation so to write down is figures a num-
ber described in weeds. When the examination extends to
English composition, or history, the performances
of some of the candidates are poor beyond be.
lief, and we are under the necessity of keeping
the standard very low, in order to prevent the public iocon-
veairmos which would arise from an indiscriminate rejec-
tion.' Mr. Nassau &Moe, quoting, in his address to the
association,last autumn, at E 'inhere', the above passage
from his redeormot's observations, and enforcing it by
his own opinion, proceeded to make the following sugges-
tion :—' The first step towards a remedy for this lamentable
state of things, is to know aecurately the amount, and the
causes of the evil. And for this purpose, I van.
tare to propose that this association petition the
crown to issue a commission to inquire into the
present stele of the education of the middle classes
in the British islands, and to eoosider, and report, what
111•411111€4, if any, are required for the extension of sound
education to these dame. This recommeadation of their
president was duly considered by our department of educa-
tion, and • resolution was unanimously passed request-
isg the council to use their endeavours for the
issue of such • commission as was proposed by Mr. Senior.
In the performance of the duty thus cast on them, the
council approach your lordship today, and they may be
permitted to say that the recent loss incurred by the also.
elation in the death of Mr. Senior makes them the more
solicitous that his advice, given on the lest oc-
melon of his performance of any public duty, should
not be disregarded. The council would further
observe that full and searching inquiry has recently
been made into the state of education among two consider-
able classes of society ; the one by the commission to in-
quire into the revenues and management of certain colleges
and schools, and the studies pursued and the instruction
given therein the other by the commission 'to inquire
into the state of popular education in England that
much valuable information was obtained in each case, and
that considerable improvements by legislation and otherwise
have already resulted, or may be expected to result in the
education of the children et the rich, end of these of the
class who live by manual labour. These facts seem to con-
stitute a claim fcr some inquiry on behalf of that large por-
tion of her Majesty's subjects who cannot look for the edu-
cation of their children either to the great public reboots on
I the one band, or the national schools oo the other.
Earl Fertescum in a work just published, has
pointed out the Jejune, of leaving this class
in their present educational position, and has shown than an
authoritative inquiry may be conducted on their behalf
without involving any more interference with private
instruction than has been the case with the commission
already issued. This appears from the fact there are in
this country some hundreds of grammar schools and other
sodowed schools, which have never yet formed the
subject of adequate inquiry, and which might probably
be made available for supplying in • great degree the
want of efficient education for the middle classes. It is true
that these foundations were inquired into by the charity
commissioners, but the investigations of that body were
mainly directed to the amount and use of the endowments,
and cot to the edecation imparted in the schools. The
council would strongly urge on your lordship the noose-
city for inquiry into the whole • condition and
management of these institutions ; and while sot prepared to
recommend say interference with private schools, they
suggest that the investigation of • COMMYSiON if properly
cooducted, would probably lead to the communicstion of
voluntary information, which would throw much valuable
light oe the condition of middle-class educatioe, and the
best means of improvise the same. For them reasons the
council venture to urge an your lordship the favourable
coalcieratioo of their request that • royal commission be
issued forthwith for the purposes they have above in.
dicated."

MR. GLADSTONE AND THE FRANClTlRE.—Yesterday
• deputatioa, consisting of Mr. J. P. Brown Westhead,
M.P.. and Mr. Alderman Leeman, had an interview with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at his town residence, in
Colton House-terrace, sod presented to him au address,
which was elaborately illuminated, and bound in • thin
volume. The address had been voted at a public ?ileitis( of
the usesfranobised dames, held at York, and was signed by
Mr. Ovules Ernest, the chairman of the meeting. Mr.
Gladstone gave the following reply : "My dear
Sirs,—l have to acknowledge, with dooms grati-
tude, the receipt of the address from the working
men of the city of York, which you have been so good as
to place in my hands. The terms and spirit of that ad.
dress supply me with a fresh proof of • truth which has
long been impressed upon my mind—namely, that in this
country, while the errors and shortcomings of a public man
are regarded with indulgeoos, him welLintended efforts
to reeder service to the state will fad to receive an
appreciation which in some instances, like that now before
me, goes far beyond his deserts. I hope that the thanks
I now cordially return to those whom you represent will
be takes as 'Addressed to all who have expressed, or who
might be inclined to express, particularly with respect to
the 'shied of the franchise, sentiments oonsepoodiog with
theirs."

Tag DE•TH or CAPTAIN HAY.—The naval
service will regret to bear that their staunch friend in the
Housed Coranione, Sir Jobs Hay, has met with a domestic
afflicting which has caused him both grief sod disappoint.
moot. Sir Joho'e brother, • very promising young man
of twenty:six, has succumbed to the effects of the deadly
Africeg climate, but this was not known until the arrival at
Liverpool of the last packet from the West Gaut. Sir
John lied other members of his family were on the spot,
anxiously looking for the approach of the steamer. but she
brought to them, sot their relative, but the inteUigeoco of
hie premature demise at Sierra Lame, which poet he bad
reached from Caps Comet Castle, not havi•g the power to
proceed further on his homeward voyage.—,Army and
Nary Gazette.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOE THE
ENSUING WO= Monday : Asiatic. at 3. Tuesday:
Horticultural. at 3. "Cowifers," Mr. Murray ; Statistical.
at 8, " Statistic@ of Aberdare." Colossi Sykes; „Crime is
Runk," Mr. Michell ; Ethnologic:J. , A. "Prehistoric
Cave wailers of Southern France. Mr. Christy; "Sop
posed lofecanditv of Human Hybrids or Crosses," Mr.
Crawford. Wedassday : Society of Literature, at 41 ;
Geological, at it, " Forth/mons Rocks. Forfarshire." Mr.
Powrie ; " Reptiliferous Rocks and Footporint.bouiag
Strata, N.E. Scotland." Professor Harkness; . 800. sad
Cave Dspoulta of Ra Frames," ndom Period. South of F'," Mr.
Evans • "Silurian Rocks and Granite of the Donsta,"
Professor Heirtorms " HuMmond Deposit of Boulder Clay,
North Devon," Mr. Maw ; " Former Fainter's. of Glaciers
is South of Seosiaad," Er. Young ; Formation sad
Preservation of Lakes hy forectioe," Mr. Balt ; " Gaither
of Hobart. Tanzania," Mr. Winkle.
WATZILLOO DAY.—This being the annive
day of the battled Wararlos after a lapse of 49 yaarri,ll4
gallant ofsonrs ahoy. the rank of lieutosast survive. Ths
rank of this@ *Ham may be aucernarisal as fellows t
Oscars* 21; lisatossat.gonarals„ 19; major-generals, 281
edeeeb,
418; liriateeast-aelonsia, 95; majors, 1b; sad
captalus.
Wisnitamsas.—The weather in the lake district
is all that tau be desired ; genial *bowers are inakbig the
mope
orshosgood.si awe* and plea/ors seekers Sr. bat peeriag is —l►rat
.