The Express.
London, England, 1862-02-06 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, 118. 6.

MAST of our readers wtll remember the name
of the St. Nicholas Middle-Clam Schools, of

which the Rev. Mr. Wooden! is the pro-
rooter, when we recall the meeting held at St.
James's-hall, presided over by Lord Brougham,
and addressed by Mr. Walter, M.P., and Mr. G.
A. Sala ; and a second meeting held at Oxford laid
November, at which the Right Hon. the Chancellor of
the Exchequer and the Lord Bishop of the diocese
were the chief speakers. It was on this latter oats-
'ion that Mr. Gladstone felt impelled to pro-
fess his conviction that all English school
education ought to be in the hands of
the derv. At that time many persona,
I heartily admiring the zeal and ability of Mr.
Woodard, hesitated to support his scheme, which
was powerfully recommended as one for opening
. .

to the middle classes the benefits of public schools,
because it was reported that the schools already con-
nected with his plans were pervaded by eccleeiasti.

cal influences commonly thought to be unfavour-
able to the formation of healthy and balanced
minds. At the Oxford meeting handbills
were circulated stating that in Mr. Woodard's
schools the boys were encouraged to indi-
vidual confession and fasting, and the
public were invited to inquire into the
character of the instruction and training, before
undertaking to adopt Mr. Woodard's more ex-
tensive scheme. The Bishop of Oxford un-
dertook to deal with these statements, and
did so in his most energetic manner. His
lordship, disdaining to deny them, held them and
their authors up to the scorn and contempt of the
audience, and the general impression left on his
bearers was, that the conductors of the schools were
calumniated and injured gentlemen. In the
three mouths which have since elapsed further
inquiry has been made, and a correspondence on
the subject between the Bishop of Rochester and
Dr. Jenne, the Vioe-Chancellor of the University,
_ _

has just been published at Oxford. By the letters
which we give below it will be seen that the
Bishop of Rochester, who took part in the meet-
ing at Oxford, now finds it necessary, after extsn-
sive inquiry, to withdraw from the support of Mr.
Woodard's institutions, and to express the strongest
distrust of the principles on which they are
administered. The Reverend the Vice-Chancellor '
also feels himself compelled to avow that he can no
longer regard the charges brought against the
schools as " mere myths," Ile they were
smarted to be at the meeting, and to
suspend at least his support of Mr. Woodard's
scheme. We need nut inquire here how much ec-
clesiastical party spirit has had to do with the ex-
posure now accomplished. The system of education
carried out under Mr. Woodard has its admirers, '
who in this land of liberty only exercise an English-
man's privilege when they commend it to public
support. But good faith requires that the pro-
motors of these schools should not conceal parts of
their system to which they individually attach im-
portant*, and to which, as they know, the public
would not be indifferent. From the very com-