The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-22 00:00:00

EDUCATIONAL PRIZE SCHILMIS.

The annual dietribution of prizes and certificates,
under the scheme of the Birmingham Educational Associa-
tion, took awe yesterday (Wednesday) morning in the
Town-ball, in the presence of children from various whoa'
in the borough, to the number of about 1,600. The president
of the association, Lord Calthorpe, occupied the chair; sad
amongst the gentlemen present were the Rms. W. Cockle,
F. Morse, G. reign, P. Reynolds. Parke, and C. %Main;
Dr. Fleming, W. L. Sargent, B. Mr. 1. D. Goodman,
Mr. 1. S. Wright, Mr. W. R. Lloyd, Mr. J. P. Hoppe, Mr.
W. Hill, end Mr. J. T. Bums.
Lord CALTIIORPI, before proceeding to distribute the
prima, expressed his satiagotkin with the mode by
the immolation during the past year. He ho
would cautious until the children connected withP=
schools of the town were candidates fer the rime rand
bche sesociation. His lordship urged that, while
ring the yob the benefit of a mend education,
should used against unfittlag them for the mites
Mumble and model stations of life. Oars homiest result of
the goolety's vireilons g that children now remained
larger at sthool then formwaerly. This was a peat advisee.,
kr the main difficulty had always seism hen the early age
at which parents were induced to withdraw their children
from school in order to obtain some little benefit from their
labour. The report for the pant year showed that there is •
growing appreciation of the value of the prize whims. The
number of candidates had increased from 120 in 1867, and
302 in 1868, to 622 in 1869. This year no less than 186
prima slid 104 certificate had been awarded. Sixteen
spacial prime had 'leo been awarded, and twenty ghls ob-
tained money prizes for proficiency in needlework. The
sohoolotedeas took • deeper interest in preparing for the exa-
mination, and the parents more highl appreciated the WA g-
enre of the scheme at the present training sad future peorpeota
of their children. Of the 622 candidates entered for examina-
tion fifty two were from the Church of the Saviour, being
the largest number from any one school. The number of
candidates from St. Georges ma forty-one, end from St.
Murk's forty. Out of twenty-four_ candidates from the
workhouse school fourteen obtained prizes—a fact very
creditable to the Rev. C. Britten, oomidering the limited
period which this ohm of children remain at school.
Lord Calthorpe having distributed the gazes and certifi-
cates, and the Hon. Me.. Cromwell the special money prima
to girls for needlework,
The Rev. S. ?dozes proposed • vote of thanks to Lord
Calthorps for his kindness in presiding, and distributing for
the third ar the prime to the suceeestal candidates. In
doing so, be sad the object of the association wee to improve
the schools. Hs believed that the school.; would be all the
better for being thoroughly looked into sad examined, and
that • competitive examinatioa of this kind would COIF
duos to the interest. of both the masters and managing
of schools, sad of the children. Their opmatioes so
ear hod been eminently sumeasful. Not merely bed
the number of candidates largely itionesed, but
they bed the satisfaction of knowing that • coned-
&Table number of children had been kept at Whoa who
would otherwise have left. He (Mr. Mores) meld my, from
his own personal knowledge of the examinations, that they
had Improved etch year sines the commencement, and be
thought It a great thing that so many young children—yore
of them only seven years of age—could be found who could
pee creditably through an examination on paper. He
thought they had also excited considerable Interest amongst
the conductors of schools, and given proof that them were
not one or two only, but a great many very capital schools fa
Birmingham. What they chiefly wanted In the shape of aid
was that the inhabitants of this town and particularly the
manufacturers and employers of labour, should stimulate the
line of education by giving the best places in their establish-
ment. to those boys who had distinguished themmime by
their proficiency in the extuninatlana connected with that
assoclation.

W. L. &ROAN; BK. (chairmen of the sisociatlon com-
mittee), seconded the merlution of thanks, which was carried
by
His Lordship having briefly remanded, the proceeding,
terminated by the Ibsen of the National Anthem.

The Dublin Evening Post expresses libel freely
relative to the appointment of Mr. P. M'lleboa se lecke
counsel. to the Woods and Foresee and other offices. It
says :—" The system termed .Irish independent opposition'
has reached its fitting consammation In the appoint-
ment of Mr. P. ll•Mahon, M.P. for the county of
Wexford, to the office of 'junior counsel to the
Woods and Forests end other offices.' This feat
has been officially announced; and it is cu ions—very
curious, indeed—that all notice of it has been avoided
by our costerepormies—those who are stout Independents'
as well as those who are not. Mr. M'llahon who has re-
preempted the county of Wexford in two or three: parliaments.
11 started origiwilly as champion of Independent opposition.'
The liberal gentry of the county were cast aside to maks
way for him; and at the last election the former faithful
liberal representative, Mr. Hatchell, was defeated, through
ea unacknowleged alliance between Mr. M' Mahon, the In-
dependent,' and Yr. George, the tory solicitor-general."

The ancient vicarage -of St. John', Leeds, hag
become vacua by the death of the Rev. P. T. Cookson.
which took place on Tuesday. hl r. Cookson has bald the
care foe halt • century. The living, which is voted In
hasten, and la poorly becoming more valuable, is woe*
at present about 7001. per annum.

The enterprising Scotch firm of Todd and Barns
have rude arrangements for distributing among the poor of
Dublin 3,000 bags of ooal of 1 cert, each, at the rate of 200
bags pea day, such distribution to be without religious dime
thactico, upon the recommendation of the protestant and
Roman catholic clergy of the city.

The TIMIS of recorded the deaths of
eight elderly people, whose ages were respectively 8(4 85,84,
80, 75, 86.85, sad 76, giving the high average of 81i years
for each life. his of the deemed were gentlemen, the two
old ladies having attained the respective ages of 86 and 83.
One of the octogenarituia was a dignitary of the church.

The Mayor of Biarritz hu been charged by the
Empress to deliver a splendid emerald brooch, set with
pearls, to Madlle. Idouseempea daughter of the deputy-
mayor, who presented a bouquet to her Majesty on her
antral sasses at Biarritz. Thu Emperor has also slat
I,ooofr. to the mayor for dietributiou among the poor.

A letter from Rome e•ye :—" The French army
presents at this moment • noble spectacle. Tottohed by the
:gamy which exists there, it has resolved on materially
aiding the poor of the Eternal City. Each officer
gives five francs • month for the needy, and hi
every kitchen each fifth ration is set apart for the
same purpose. The general-in-obief bee chosen on thle
point to corpses ell his army, and, without having pre-
vkiusiy consulted his government, he has had pointed ant to
him by the presidents of the fourteen pariehes of Rome the
principal poor of their districts who are too retiring to sok for
help; he has had • list of them made, and distributes to
them every day meat, soup, and two pounds of bread
each. Those are acts of generosity moat honourable to the
nation."

To-morrow night a " grand Christmas ball and
supper" see to be given on a eplendidscale,st the St. Jamie.
Hall. Mr. Donald will have the management of the
which will comprise several feature. appropriate to r=
mss, inoludiog a boar's head, • baron of beef, and " sewn)
monster Christmas puddings."
THE BALLOT GIEL's FALL.—And u for Min
Muntanville, who had eisctly the mos sal—well, who had
a scholarship of exactly the NM', value—viz, about 604
yearly—she kept ea elegant little cottage in the Result's.
park, a brougham wi'h • hone all over brass harness, and •
groom with a predigioue gold lace hatband, who was treated
with frightful contumely at the neighbouring oab.stand
an aunt or a mother, I don't brow which (I hope it wan
only an aunt), always comfortably dressed, and who looked
after Mootanvilie; end she herself had breorlets, brooches.
and velvet pelisses of the vary richest description. But
then Mies blontanville wee s good economist. 111 r was
never known to help a poor fri.nd in Manses, or gym •
fainting brother end sister a cruet or • ghee of wine. She
allowed 103. • week to her father, whore name wee Baskin-
son, said to be clerk to a chapel in Paddington; bat she
would never me him—no, not when he wee in hosOtal,,
where he was so ill; end though she certainly lent MIN
Wilder 131., she had Wilder arrested upon bur pronnewmg
note for 241, and sold up every stick of Wilder's furniture.
so that the whole academy cried Aherne! Wall, eh statism
occurred to Miss Montenville, for which those may be eery
who choose. On the evening of the 26th of December.
eighteen hundred and entowbunt, when the conductors of
the ecedinny ware giving their grand annual Christ mu Pant
—I should .ay examinatiou of the Academy pupils betas
their numerous, frienda—Montanville, who happened to be
present, not in her brougham this time, but in an serial
chariot of splendour drawn by dove.. fell off a rainbow, sad
through the roof of the Revolving Shrine of the A.msran.
thlne Queen, thereby very nearly damaging Bellenden, who
was occopyiug the shrine, attired in a light-blue spangled
drew, waving a wand, and uttering some idiotic wives oom-
pored for her by the Professor of Literature attached to the
academy. As for Montane/Ile, let her go shrieking down that
trap-door, break her leg, he taken home and never more be ella
rawer of ours. She never oonidepe.k. Her voice was as bursa
as a 61111.0illlilL Can that immense stout old bodeeper as
the theatre, who limps up to ladles on the first tier.
and offers that horrible footstool, which everybody stumbles
over, and makes a clumsy curtsey, and looks so knowing sad
hard, se if she recognised an acquaintance in the splendid
lady who enters the box—con that old female be the one
hellbent Emily Meartanville? I am told there are no lady
beekeepers, In the English theatre.. This I submit, is a proof
of my consummate are and mafiosi,' medium from aperient
curiosity the individual personages from whom thechersetere
of the present atm, are takes. Moareardle Is not a box-
keeper. She may, under another name, keep a trinket.shop
in the Burlington Arcade, foe what you know but thu
secret no torture shall induce me to divulge. Life has he
rises and its downhill., end you have had your., you bobbling
old creature. Mosteavilte indeed !Oo thy ways He •
shilling for thaw (Thank you, sir.) Take away that err
founded Crowfoot, mid never let us me the mae!—
CereAs'll Jlego:ist.