The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-21 00:00:00

MIDDLE•CLd33 EL UCATION IN STAFFORD.
SHIRK.

STIFFORD, SATURDAY.
A large and influential meeting was held in the
shire haw, to-day, under the presidency of the Right Hon. the
Earl of Shrewabury and Talbot, to consider the proposals
which have been put forward for erecting a public board-
ing school for the commercial and agricultural classes of
the midland counties at Denstone near Rocester Junction,
in connexion with the St. Nicolas College, Lancing,
Sussex. Negotiations for a site have been under conside-
ration for some time, but the difficulty which existed has
been removed by the munificent otter of Sir T. Percival
Heywood, Bart., who has not only granted a site, but
given a donation of 1,5001. The college of St. Nicolas has
subscribed 2,50 W., and it is proposed to build at once •
college for 400 boys, similar in its system and arrange-
ment to St. John's College, Huretpierpoint, and like it to
be under the lianagement of St. Nicola.' College, with the
Bishop of Lichfield as visitor. Amongst the gentlemen
present who have taken a prominent part in the scheme
were the bishop of the diocese, she Bishop of Illinois, the
Bishop of Lsbuan, Mr. Beresford Hope, M.P., Sir E. M.
Buller, 2.1. P., Mr. J. Hardy, M.P., the Yen. Archdeacon
Moore, Sir T. P. Heywood, Capt. Johnson, the Rev. Sir L.
T. Starner, the Rev. Dr. Lowe, the Rev. H. Meyuell, do.
Some little excitement was caused by the publication of
placards and handbills heeded " No Popery," and warning
the public against giving the least countenance to the
scheme of the Rev. Mr. Woodard, which was designated
as part of the great Jesuit plot for un-protestantiAm
the eountry. Every true protestant was therefore invited
to attend the meeting, and to signify his intense disap-
probation of this Jesuitry and poppeery in disguise in the
church of England. The pmoee,lioga, however, passed
off without any particular demonstration.
A gentleman in the body of the meeting inquired
whether Dr. Lowe approved of confession—whether he
encouraged it in the school.

Dr. LOWS—If I unclentant rightly, the question put is
this, "Do you encourage confession Ido not. (Cheers.)
The Bishop of humus then addressed the meeting,
pointing out the advantages of a religious over a secular
education.

The Bishop of Lfestrter.n observed that the feeling
manifested in some parts of ithe meeting when the subject
of confession was mentioned made it necessary for him
to say • few words. He wished this subject to be
thoroughly understood. If the confession which was
allowed occasionally at the college in Sussex approached to
what was called auricular confession—that was to say, the
confession of the church of Home—that would at once, in
his mind, be • fatal objection to his having anything to do
with it. (Hear, hear.) The church of Rome required
confession. The present meeting had been called for the
purpose of supporting a church of England institution.
The church of England did not require confession.
(Cheers.) The church of England, he should say, did not
encourage confession; but the church of England, under
certain circumstances' permitted it. He wished to
be thoroughly understood. He was speaking to
members of the church of England who were so-
quinted with her formularies. The church of
England said that when persons were preparing
to go to the Holy Communion, if they could not
satisfy their own minds after anxious self-examination
and prayer, let them go to one of her appointed minis-
ters and open their minds to him. This was only under
the circumstances of preparation for the Holy Communion.
This was just what was done at lancing, and what he sup-
polled was intended to be done at I)enetone. Under any
particular circumstances when that relief was wanted the
church of England supplied it. It was only in preparation
for the Holy Communion. There would be nothing done
but what the church of England sanctioned in her formu-
laries, and it seemed to him that theycould hardly do less.
When Dr. Lowe was asked, " Do you encourage confes-
sion?" he gave a distinct answer like an honest man, and
said, " No." (Hear, hear.) They could not refuse to
admit to confession under specul circumstances, but
they did not allow it except with the
permission of parents. He did not pee wsrycia!
thoughtful, intelligent, religious-minded lad of 16,
17, or 18, should not have that comfort if he really
wanted it, which the church of England—whether
rightly or wrongly, for that au not the question—bad
provided for her members. He wished it to be distinctly
understood that there need be no alarm about auricular
confession. There was no such thing in the present case,
and nothing would be done but that which the Church of
England permitted. (Cheers.)
The Bishop of LABCAN next addressed the meeting,
expatiating on the advantages of • religious education,and
urging every one present to seize the opportunity now
afforded of carrying out in an efficient manner an institu-
tion so well deserving of public support. (Cheers.)
Sir T. PERCIVAL HEY Miol/1) observed that having seen the
manner in which the institution was conducted in Sussex,
he felt bound to endeavour to extend the scheme to that
part of the country with which he was now immediately
connected. He was happy to say he had been joined by
many gentlemen in whom he had the most entire confi-
dence, who were firmly resolved to carry the scheme into
effect. (Cheers.) The subscription list showed • con-
siderable amount of strength, and he believed that the
education given in the temporary school et Shoreham for
the small sum of 14 guineas per annum was equal to that
given in any other school in the country. He commended
the work to the careful consideration of all present, and
every confidence might be placed in its promoters, who
would not stir a single step without the approbation of
their bishop. (Cheers.)
On the motion of Mr. J. HARDT, M.P., seconded by Mr.
A. A. FLINT, a vote of thanks was given to the noble chair-
man, and the proceedings terminated.

MR. F. C. WY AND THE UNIVERSITY BOAT
RACE.

Mr. Skey writes a second letter to the Times on
the subject of the University Boat-race. He is even more
assured, he says, than when he first wrote that the rowing
system of our universities is fraught with mischief to the
after-health of • proportion of those engaged in it, and
that when culminating in the grand race it is not very infre-
quently the cause of premature death. Boat rowing
may be said to be superior to almost any other
form of exercise. It is the pave at which the
university race is rowed to which be objects.
The constitutional character of the gentlemen who are
selected for the eight cannot be ascertained with any ap-
proach to certainty without frequent and careful scrutiny.
He is able to quote three cases precisely in point. In each
of these the examination by an eminent physician, prior
to training, failed to detect the presence of organic or other
disease ; yet serious and protracted album Wowed
in each case. A clergyman writing to him states
that of • crew that rowed victoriously in the year
tame was only after the lapse of ten years
one survivor. A well-known gentlemen of atatica
in society, himself a rower of Eton and Oxford,
referring to the eases of three young men, All distinguished
rowers, saya, " I advised them to abstain from rowing. Al!
three, in different degrees, have been injured by it, and for
two or thee years were in deteriorated health, clearly trace-
able to over exertion in rowing." A third letter' written
to Mr. hike, anonymously, mils atteatiun to the
case of the late Mr. Dowling, the editor of
Iktr. Life, who died suddenly on Thursday, the 10th,
having recently performed 11030 e extraordinary rowing
feat. " One of may own sons," adds Mr. Skey, " was a
creditable oarsman in his college at Oxford. He was mus-
cular, and to all outward appearance healthy.lint I observed
signs of an irregular and irritable heart, coupled with •
tendency to faint without obvious cause. By my advice
he desisted from rowing, and the symptoms vanished. The
caw of a younger son of mine, of lx years of ege, is not
irrelevant to the subject. He practbed on the trapeze,d In
Leotard, for some six or eight months, and executed certain
feats of strength and agility more or less frightful to wit-
ness. I observed him on one occasion, after a prolonged
exhibition of his prowess in the presence of several ladies,
to tint hie hand on his heart. He complained of being faint
and feeling tIL His pulse, usually moderate, was now
rapid. These attacks, notwithstanding a partial check put
on his exercises, became frequent, and he was compelled to
forego them entirely. The muscular development of this
youth is enormous. From these cases I leave your readers
to draw their own conclusions." Both the university race
and the Henley race Mr. Skey believes are pregnant with
mischief. He knows of no parallel or equivalent effort
of such duration in any other form of athletic sport in
this or any other country. "I maintain," he adds,
" my already expressed opinion of its occasional danger. It
appears to me that the respousibility lies with the
university authorities to prove that the great race is free
from the danger that I and others attach to it, and that
there is no reasonable ground for either its modification
or its discontinuance." . .

Mr. G. Morrison, as au old university oar, says it is
impossible to deny that some few men are injured by
rowing in a university eight, but they are the exceptions.
" I know personally all the Oxford men who have rowed
during the last 10 yeses, and many who bare rowed before
that, some as long as 20 years ago, and I believe that it
would be difficult to find a stronger or healthier set of
men." Even in a close losing race be never saw
men anything like exhausted or unfit to row again lifter
ten minutes rest. Nevertheless he does think that hosting
men, half practised and half trained, incur considerable
risk in rowing at all the regattas open to them. Even
with a well trained crew there is considerable risk, an in-
stance of which he gives ;—" An Oxford crew in which I
was rowing entered for the Grand Challenge at Henley.
The day of the race happened to he about the hottest day
of a very hot summer, and we had to start about 2 o'clock.
The thermometer was, I believe, @tending over SO deg. in
the shade ; what it was in the sun Ido not know. We were
beaten after a very close race, and at the and of it I never
saw men so completely exhausted as some of our crew
were. One of our opponents was so knocked up that he
had to be put to bed, and in rowing a race later in the
day he tainted and fell out of his boat. I believe that he
had a alight sunstroke. No doubt other rowing men yam
have NM so much of regattas will recollect similar maw"

If

~.