The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-06 00:00:00

OPENING OF TILE LAMBETH RAGGED

SCIIOOI.S.

MUNIFICENT GIFT BY MR. BEAT:FOY.
Yesterday having been appointed for the opening
public meeting at the newly-erected Lambeth ragged
schools, large crowds of persons, of both sexes and of all
ranks, assembled at and immediately opposite the building,
between the hours of one and two o'clock. The occasion
was certainly one of no ordinary occurrence, seeing that
Ouse schools, the largest of the kind in the metropolis, and
by far the most spacious and elegant in construction, have
been built at the sole expense of Henry Benjamin Banbury
Beaufoy, E.q., of Caron-place, South Lambeth, at the mu-
nificent cost 0f10,0001., in addition to which the benevolent
donor has invested the sum of 4,000/. in the fund., the in-
terest derivable from which in to be appropriated to the
keeping of the building in permanent repair. Such an in-
stance of princely bounty and practical sympathy for the
poor—one so wholly unexampled in the history of ragged
schools—naturally caused the meeting of yesterday—or
rather, we should say, the meeting., for two had to be held
simultaneously, the one in the boys' school, and the other
in the girls', in order to satisfy and accommodate the hun•
dreds who attended—to be an occasion of hcartlidt gratitude
towards the respected gentleman we have just named. The
building he has thus presented in perpetuity to the must
wretched and hitherto almost nnearedlor of his fellow-
beings may be truly maid to he a striking ornam,nt to the
neighbourhood in which it stands. It is situated in an ob-1
score street called Doughty stmt, Lambeth-walk, and will
altogether accommodate nearly 1,000 children ; and it is in-
tended that the schools shall be open the whole of the
week, and also on Sundays for religious worship and in-
struction. The entire suite of rooms was yesterday thrown open
fur public inspection at twelve o'clock, and their remarkable
neatness and adaptation to the purpose. tOr which they are
intended, elicited expressions of the warmest approval and
delight. We may add that the rear of the building, in
which there are yards and washing-rooms for the pupils, is
bounded by the archesof the South-Western Railway.
One of the meetings yesterday was held in the girls' school
mom, and was presided over by W. Williams, Esg.,
for Lambeth. It was crowded.

The ineetiug, of which we present the annexed report,
was held in the boys school-room and was presided over by
the Right Hun. Lord Ashley, M.P.; and on thy platform
were several clergymen and miuirters of the district, and
other gentlemen. The room was densely filled, chiefly by
the middle and upper elasser, among whom were several
very fashionably-dressed ladies.
The Rev. Mr. WIX having opened the proceedings with
pnKr'noble CHAIRMAN said they wore assembled there
that day to celebrate the opening of un institution that was
consecrated to the training of the children of that district
in the faith and fear of Almighty God. They were there,
he hoped, also to express their unfeigned thanks to Al.
mighty God that he had put it into the heart of the pious
and munificent donor of that building to erect such an
edifice fur the great and sacred purpose for which it was
designed. (" Hear," and cheers.) It would be clear to
them that another person, on such an occasion, ought to
have occupied the chair. The chair should have been 1.1-
pied by the individual whose munificent act they
were met to acknowledge—(hear, hear)—but his mo-
desty forbade that; he war unwilling to appear amongst
them to receive the congratulations and thanks of the pub-
lie' and therefore it became his (Lord Ashley's) duty to act
as his coadjutor on this deeply interesting occasion. (Hear.)
Now, he rejoiced exceedingly to see the increasing care that
was being taken of that wild and hitherto neglected class—
ragged children. (Cheers.) He rejoiced to see that sym-
pathies were now put forth for that wild and vagrant class,
who time many years hot been trampled upon, and trampled
upon because, as he believed, they were unknown. (Hear.)
He rejoiced in the growing sympathy, in the increasing
exertions on their behalf. He rejoiced, from the highest
motives, that on many thousands were to be brought now
within the sound of the gasped; but he rejoiced also,
on other grounds; for, whilst communicating to this
vast tribe, who committed half the crime now
prevalent in the land, the saving truths of the
gospel, they would place them at the same thne in
sphere where thy might fulfil all the duties and
taquirements of social life. (Hear, hear.) Now let
him direct their attention to that system which
had been found in so many party of England a
great nutlet and benefit to the community—he meant, a
careful and well selected system of emigration. They had
seen and heard of the beneficial effects of such a system.
As an instance he might mention that the Messrs. lhowton
had sent out many from their schools, who had profited by
it, fire they were now in the colonies of Australia in a fair
way to become honourable and useful members of society.
(Hear.) The public might depend upon it that, in the
heavy pressure on the market of labuur in these days, it was
very desirable that they should abridze the number of can-
didates, and render that number as limited as
possible. By so doing they benefited those who
remained and those who went out ; and if they
would only look at the !amyl, a the Rigged School

Union' any they would be rejoiced to see how m hundred,
had been transplanted from a state of the utmost filth and
misery to a state of honour, comfort, and independence.
(" Hear," and cheers.) He hoped they would be very careful
and pay great attention to this matter in their training of
the children of Lambeth, for he was convinced that a vast
deal concerning their temporal and moral welfare depended
on an early inculcation upon them of habits of thrift and
ecowimy. He was induced to bay this, because the result
of his observations was—that even with regard to the most
ragged and destitute children, if they were carefully to hus-
band their resource., the public would really be surprised at
the amount of money that each ragged child accumulated in
the twelve months. After cautioning the conductors
against making the schools the means of parade and display
and annual exhibitions, his lordship stated that he
had no objection to any amount of secular know-
ledge being imparted that might be of cow to the pupils
in utter life, but the great basis of all their teaching must
be true, sound, evangelical protestantisin. (Loud cheers.)
The pupils must have put before them the saving of the
great Chillingworth—" the Bible, and the Bible alone, is
the religion of protestant.." (Renewed rehears.) Let the
conductors stand upon that great truth, let them build no
edifice upon the sands, but let them lay it upon that im-
moveable rock, and they might depend upon it that the
school would never fail. They would then reap such a bar.
vest as no one of them in his most eanguiuc moments had
ever contemplated; and though they might not succeed in
raising the temporal condition of those committed to their
care, they would have given to each and every one of them
"that peace of God which passeth all understanding." The
chairman resumed his seat amid loud and continued cheers.
The Rev. Mr. CHRISTMAS, minister of Vcrulam
Episcopal Chapel, moved the first resolution, which re-
corded the grateful sense of the meeting of the munificence
of Mr. Beaufoy in erecting such substantial and com-
modious schools, and providing for their permanent up-
holding, and prayed that his life might long be spacial to
witness the goad results of hie noble deed. He observed
that Mr. Beaufoy had set the metropolis a noble
example, and that the marble tablet over the door-
way recorded a deed of unmingled good. Ile had
been lately informed that in the vast empire of China there
were only a few of the most degraded classes itt the seaport
towns who were unable to read. Ile contended that what
had lama done in heathen China could be done in Christian
England. (Hear, hear.) Ile had last summer visited the
Island of Majorca, and there he found that there were
scarcely any beggars or criminals; a circumstance which he
attributed very much to the fact that the inhabitants had
good air and good food.
The Rev. Dr. MORTIMER, in seconding the resolution,
said it was now seven years since Mr. Beaufoy be-
came a large benefactor to that noble institution
over which he (Dr. Mortimer) had the honour to
preside—the City of London School. To that school,
a school formed for the middle classes, the sons of
tradesmen and shopkeepers, Mr. Beaufoy had given, in-
cluding the University of Cambridge and other bequests, a
sum nearly amounting to 10,0001. (Cheers.) This showed
that that gentleman had the welfare of all classes at heart,
and that while now he began at the bottom, he had not
colt:looked those who were in the position above them.
(Hear.) Very shortly after the death of his wife, he (Dr.
I%lortimer) called on him. His first words were, "I am
glad that you ere come, because I want to consult you
about raising a monument to my wife. I have been
thinking that a statue or an ornamental window world
be a waste of money, and that the establishment of
a school in Lambeth, to be called " Mrs. Beaufoy's School,"
would be a far better monument than any other.
The Rev. J. B. BROWN, Independent minister, moved
the second resolution, which pledged the meeting to use
every exertion to provide liberally fur the educational pur-
poses of the institution.
The Rev. Mr. ALDIS seconded the resolution,
The Rev. Mr. SOULE proposed the third resolution,
which expressed thankfulness to God fur the blessings
which had been conferred by ragged schools on the poor
and neglected youth of the metropolis.
The Rev. Mr. HILL seconded this resolution.
The Rev. Mr. HALL, Wesleyan minister, supported it.
Mr. Deputy HALE then moved a vote of thanks to Lord
Ashley for his kindness in presiding, and for his noble ef-
forts in behalf of ragged schools throughout the country.
JOSHUA FIELD, Esq., seconded the motion, which
was carried by acclamation.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said that if he had not come
there to testify hie gratitude to Mr. livaufoy, he
should have been deserving of the deepest condern. ,
•
~ nation. Ile believed that half the crime which
devastated the metropolis might be prevented by the religious
and moral culture of the young. lie was convinced that
penny theatres were a source of vast mischief, and that the
lawless and miserable• generally tried their hands first at
I theft, in order to obtain the means of visiting these dens.
(Hear.)
The interesting proceedings terminated with the singing
tainlnedthaet teeaveniwingthuabtre
of the doxology.
tne6lAw braggagluildarg.ehildren were enter-

PHILLIPS'S GARDENS RAGGED AND
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.

The annual meeting of the supporters of these
schools, which arc situated in Upper Tottenham-place,. wag
held at the Ilueic Hall, Store-street, yesterday eroung ;
Lord Astute in the chair.

The CIIAIIt3IAN said it had been his duty that duy to
take the chair at the opening of a splendid edifice devoted
to a ragged school, in a tniw.•rablo locality in Lambeth,
which had bccu erected by the munificence of a single in-
dividual, at a east of 10,0001., with 4,0001, more,
which had been set apart as a reserved fund for
repairs. It had been observed by some that it was
not wise to spend so much over a building
for each a purpose, and that the money night have bees

much more usefully applied. In answir to this, he had to
say that this was the gift of an individual, and the society
accepted it with gratitude, and looked upon this building as
denoting the condition to which they i.hould with the elans
fur whose benefit it was assigned should be raised. The
systent of ragged schools was spreading much in London,
and in Scotland he found it was spreading even more.
There was no reason why the industrious classes of this
metropolis should not be as well otf as the industrious
classes of any other metropolis in the world. Food was
cheap, anti in many cases high wages were given. And
they would be astonished if they knew how much was
gained in the course of a year by even one of these ragged
scholars, which, if applied rightly. would much Lett, r
the condition of these children. With regard to these
schools he was happy to say that they were greatly extending.
When he first undertook their advocacy there were only
five of them in existenee. There are now 100, at which
more than 20,000 children are taught. The bible was
placed in their hands and they were taught to read it, and
the upholders of the schools had this satisfaction, that their
etthrts were not only directed to elevating the social posi-
tion of the objects of their care, but were likewise promoting
their beat, their eternal interests. (Cheers.)
The SECRETARY then read the fourth annual report,

which stated that these schools are not intended to in-
terfere with any other schools existing in the neiol-
- The instruction was entirely gratuitous
and intended to secure to the children a scriptural educa-
tion. The means hitherto adopted had been—first, a day
school ; second, un evening school ; third, a ladies' working
Murth, an industrial class; and fifth, a provident
fund and library. In the day school there were 113 names
in the books, and the average attendance was 60. The even-
ing schools were held on Tuesday and Friday evenings and
the average attendance was 75. There WAS also a class for
elder lads on Wednesday evenings at which the attendance
was about 30, many of whom, and amongst them were
several convicted thieves, had lwen induced to become
regular attendants of places of worship. The ladies'
working class was carried on under the superintendence
of ladies on Wednewlay afternoon's and Saturthymorningss.
80 articles of clothing had been made at a reduction of two-
thirds of their cost when thought readv-made. The indus-
trial boys' school was carried on on Monday and Thursday
evening.. The committee hail engaged a tailor, not with
the view of making the boys tailors, but to induce habits of
industry. In the Provident Fund and Library Department
there had been received 121. th., and 21. 10s. had been paid
as bonuses. The library contained 120 volumes, which the
children were allowed to take home. There had been re-
ceived during the year, on account of the general fund,
1001. 14s. 5.1., and there was a balance due to the treasurer
of 71. 4s. 51d.
The lice. DAVID LAING then
.adshrssesl the meeting

in support of the first " sentiment," which, in the place of
a resolution, wa. submittal to the mtn ting, and which de-
clared that, " When the plainest facts have proved that in
London and other large towns swarm* of an outca-t popu-
lation arc evrrywhcre brooding at the bottom of our social
wale, is it not certain that our social sy-tem's fair outside
serves but to conceal a most deadly disease within."

The lion. A. K INNA I RD, in seconding, stattvl that the
statistics to which the noble chairman had ulludeml did not
refer to a London locality, but to one of our large provin-
cial town..

The Rev. R. BURGESS and the Rev. E. AURIOL
spoke to the next sentiment, that " nu nation can ever feel
secure, the dens of whose populous cities teem with a
neglected and godless race, for ever bent on mischief, and
watching for seasons of political confusion to issue forth in
myriads for violence and plunder, as instinctively as the
eagles are attracted by the carcase."

The 11,v. 11. RUOIIES and the Rev. E. GARBUTT,
dilated on the next " sentiment," which was to the effect
that the strongholds of sin and Satan are the courts and
alleys of our great towns and cities, and that the weapons
fur reducing them are not carnal but spiritual.
A vote of thanks was then given to the Chainuan, and the
meeting separated.

PREPARATIONS FOR TAKING 'flIE CENSUS.

The large preparations necessary for the census at
the end of this month are said to be rapidly approaching
their completion, as far as cone, ries the duties of the office
iu Craig's-court. The staff of the lt,etistrar-General has
nearly completed its large issue of the various forms neces-
sary for the use of the enumerators. These officers ummyit
to no less than 30,691. This number will he employed lie
England and Wake only; a very large number in addition
will lie required tier Ireland and Scotland. There have Ned
sent out from Craig's-court about 5,000,000 forms of the
Householders' Schedule, which arc to be distributed among
the occupiers of apartments as well as the householders
during the week preceding the day of taking the census.
The forms for Wales are in the language of the principality.
It is calculated that the papers sent out an Householders'
Schedules " weigh more than 31 tons. This is eicht-ire of
the hooks of instructions tie the enumerators, containing
the forme into which they will have to reduce the returns
they obtain, anti also the undertnentioned forms relating to
religion stud education, and which swell the total to about
50 tons.

For England For
and Wales. Scotland.
The forms for the Established Church 20,001 4,000
„ for the Dissenting bodies 20,000 10.000
„ for Day-sehool mums 70,000 10,000
for Sunday schools 50,000 7.000
„ fur Evening and Adult
schools
„ for 'Mechanics and Litenkry
Institutions 5,000 1,200

Returns are to be obtained from every description of
school in the country, from the endowed and proprietary
grammar schools, down to the humblest dame school. All
colleges wiU be treated on houses, and subject to the same
inquiries. While these investigations are going on owyerra
firma, the same inquiries wi:l In: made on board the vessels
in all the British ports, the object being simply that the
return shall include all her Majesty's subjects alike.
The ^ ship schedule " calls for the name of the master,
the names of the officers, seamen, apprentices, and boys.
and the names of the passengers and others on board, and
the same information that the landsmen must give as to
place of birth, age, and profession. The return will also
call for the names of her Majesty's subjects serving in
foreign vessels. The army and navy at home and abroad is
also to be included in the Census, and all the same particu-
lars are to be given by, them as by the civilians. While this
is going on in England, the same course will be pursued as
fur as is practicable in the colonies, where there will not be
the same facilities for obtaining information as at home.
The representatives of the Queen in all foreign countries
will have to take the Census of her Majesty's subjects on
the same day as in England, and for doing which every
facility will be afforded by the different countries in which
they sojourn.