The Express.
London, England, 1850-06-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 6, 1850.

THE ASSOCIATIONS OF WORKING MEN.

NO. It.

-- ---
With the view of arriving at a jest estimate of the
advantages offered to working mete by the Leaden
klecileinee Institute, I have visited attain of the
workmen who are, or have been, connected with it.
I was first directed to the abode of a working shoe-
' maker livings in a bye street in the vicinity of Golden-
square. Whoa I entered the workshop to which I
had bees divested, I found there a iniddlenged man,
dressed in hie working costume, pursuing hie art, and
taming aaide at intervals to direct two young boys
who were practising the violin at his side. My ap-
pearance dissipated this curium picture at once, for
the youths quickly disappeared, and left me alone
with their father. When I mentioned the object of
my visit, his eye brightened, and he began in a rapid
and cheerful voice to trace the history of his con-
nexion with the Landes Moshanied Institute. lie
first referred me to hie Mimeo printed by Mr.
Frederick Mil in his work ea miltinal education,
which ran thus:

MY nom Ywo oflaleg the Landau Mesismise Inetimtioa
was a desire to MUM Wirmiffie ed ffiemeiry howled's, and
to meet with wadi me were is pealwalleff the objects. I
hem always bees • member of Om inetltale bream Its founde-
d's, sad wee regent at the preffineineffp meetings at the
Crown mid Amebae. I had ogled Ibe elestreetioa of ley
Owl Mpg% ins assied ell* and partially
undeleteed the assume goimaPay Ong Tin
time I haw devoted to Me leedhite le sere than is
usually mimpeut by the meEaaie in indeleese sad peep,
or la haecommy sleep ; sad esto the =psalm it is mareely
61. per wash, for which I ham bads intreinesd to • ••••i-
-&table esqualetance with natured add experlatettal4lll
Kerby, ethicse pettiest ortosesy, metaphysics, sad the
I sad Latin laapiages, eta. Them I harepsrsseckwithdulN
gird to prattleel utility, bohemia" that ad syseematial hews
ledge is either directly or Mihaly availing is
the punaits of astive Ills. I ham always adopted tt as •
principle of the fleet importesee ewer to mar tatelkietual
penults to Werra . with essolar Meth My hualsem,
which in its exonerates is of the highest respemehility, was
obtained purely Armagh my Mai • member of the Louden,
Mt clanks' Institute ; and as I was a preset meager In
Leedom, and was eutirely destitute of capital, I esa embesive
dem other way in whist. I could ham acqshed suck • bee-
sees. As my habits were always of • metal description, I
eaanot my how it would have beta with me la the respects
named is this gaieties bed I age he emesimial with intel-
lectual sea. However, It Is Mahal) the direst tandeney of
'mechanics' lainimatiens to peewee seed med. In society ;
for surely the mu who is ardeatly pluming knowledge wiU
hate neither time sere disposition for extravagant* and is-
tampeream. Moreover, knowledge always imparts a
feeling of reepectability, which naturally produces that
care and eeesasay which aze so meential to the
prosperity and happiness of the working mu.
Could I, indeed, reduce the p:easore my exonextes
with the isatisitiou km :afforded me to linear ur superficial
admeasurement, I might, perhaps, find for it some solution ;
but even then it would present • task of scassiderahl• labour
—so meat, so reed, so pun sad perpetual has been the plea-
sure I have derived from my consextem with this Loudon
Methane' Inatitutien. I ceaseienflously believe I have
been far happier la mantel= witn the institution than I
should have been apart from it ; sad it would be 'meowing),
easy to show that such as have taken an interest in me, sea
have been sonneetel with me, have largely shared that
happiness. Oat of the multitude of mesons that may be
assigned for so mita, withholdier from Joining mechanics'
institutes, 1 shall take the liberty of noticing the following,
which I am enabled to do from my personal acquaintance
with many individuals of the several chases hereafter aimed.
1. In consequence of such institationa not being suffi-
ciently advertised, there are many who an entirely unac-
quainted with the fact of their existence ; and many others,
who, though they have some knowledge of such establish-
monta, have yet no adequate conception of their nature and
utility_.
2 There are other to whom the nature and advantages of
mechanics' institutes time limn explained, who, notwilli-
etudes* are of opinion that the subjects there to be learned
are of no use in practical life, and are therefore anwority
of their attention ; which is an error (outdid, I comeeive,
on the false notion that theoretical knowledge is not sar
viceable to the operative inectiesic.
3. There is in this country as immense number of opera-
tives that may be deemed somewhat intellectual, who are
actuated by as opinion of the comparative merits of the pro-
em:lnge of mechanics' institutions, which in my view is
most seriously se roneoms. The clam I allude to ass poli-
ticians. They conceive all their duadvan.ages and griev-
ances to result from politio.l causes, and refer whatever they
c insider wrens to the misgovernment of the country ; end
they accordingly think that I °Weal knowledge and political
exertions are of the greatest possible importance, while
science and literature are comparatively trifling and worth-
less.

4. There is another clue of society who withhold from
end object to mechanics' institutions on the ground of, what
appears to me to b., religious prejudice. They alege that they
are erablishments detrimental to the prosperity tit religion ;
tnat their tendency is to puff up with pride of human know-
ledge, to lead the soul from Ood, and often to involve the
mind in the whirlpool of infidelity.
6. Teem is a great number of individuals whom poverty
prevents from participating in the benefits of mechanics'

institutions ; some win would :gladly do so, bat cannot sure
even the sixpence per week; and any others whn might,
gerbille, afford that small sum, but are still hindered by
mete r harriers than this,--such se their destitution of clothes
wherein to appear decent led respectable, and their want of
liberty from their employment.
6. There is another very largo class of society whine int-
estine ia life pr. elude the possibility of their joining such
intitutes ; aa stsopoien, bakers, brewers, &c.
7. o.hers there are whose taste lens them to isstitutioas
of a more exciting and amusing character, such as the thr.
etre the free-and.easy, the hell-mak and the eoecert ; a
teen which, in my °plaint, completely iocapecitwes them
fur the quiet and sober siudire that ought to be pursued in r
msechasice institution. All these classes I have contemplated
as morally At to be members of institutions of the n a in
question ; but there are ;Alien, in vast numbers, whose im-
morality may be justly considered as the reason why they
are not found seeking useful knowledge. lam not aware
that anthing could be done in regard to the general cha-
racter lithe institution to which I belong that would render
it more attractive. Its internal siperatiom could be made
more efficient by an accession of room for the accommoda•
tion of a larger camber et clams.

I enquired whether he bad anything to add to the
evidence given to Mr. Hill; and whether be bad any
reasons for not attending of late a society to which he
owed so mull. I also begged to be put in possu
'ion of his opinion as regards the general utility of
Mechanics' Institutes to working men, and the cause
of their decline in popularity. In reply he gave me
the following narrative of his late experience :
" I did nut leave off attending the London Me-
chanics' Institute from any cause prejudicial to the
institute, but because I had determined to employ all
my leisure hours in giving two of my children sound
musical instruction. I think that these institutes, as
they are carried on, are more adapted to the conve-
nience of tradesmen than to that of working men. I
have been a member of the institute from its founda-
tion, and was present at the preliminary meetings at
the Crown and Anchor. At that time, Lord
Brougham, the Doke of Sussex, and other noblemen,
took active interest in mechanics' institutes. Sir
Francis Burdett subscribed a thousand guineas
to the London Mechanics'. About fourteen years
ago the subscription was raised from 245. to 261.; and
I should think this rise had the effect of excluding
many mechanics. I won a prise of ten guinea', which
WSJ presented to me by the Duke of Sussex, for a
Prise Essay on " The Lever." I had made ooesider-
able advance in algebra and geometry before joining
the institute; but I owe a great deal to it. I learnt
French there under M. Merlet, who is now a professor
at University College. Ido not find that mechanics
generally pursue a steady coarse of instruction in
mechanics' institutes; the fact is, after • long day's
work, they want amusement. But I think these in-
stitutes are beneficial, bee wee they imprees a man with
• muse of the value of learning; and if they do not do
himallthegood which it is possible to derive from them,
at iont they determine him to give his children a better
sissatton than he himself has bad. I subscribed to
the London Mechanics' for the space of eighteen
years : I am now an honorary member. I have
given warns of instruction to the members at vari-
ous times, in grammar, geometrical drawing, and
perspective. Six months gratuitous service uan in-
structor entitles a member to honorary membership.
I conceive that the modelling class is the meet useful
to working men ; it is always well attended. Some
time ago I proposed to deliver a course of lectures on
education in music to the members; but the committee
rejected my proposal because I did not offer to include
a concert in illustration of my views. Our experi-
ence has always tended to prove the necessity of
having purelj amusing lecture. It would not be
possible to supply any refreshment to the members in
the present premises of the London Institute: every
nook and corner is occupied."
My next informant is a working optician, living in
Pentonville. His statement is intelligent and inte-
resting: it ran thus:—
" All the facts which 1 shall give you shall be such
facts that I def 7 contradiction. I have been ow:
netted with the institute close upon twenty years, if
not quite twenty. I am, most certainly, a working
man. Twelve hours a day, ever since I was fourteen
years old—those have been the hours, clear of meal-
time : from six to eight will give two hours for meals.
My trade is that of an optician—that is, making
lenses for telescopes. I conceive that I have bens-
ti by my connexion with the institute. In
the first place, it has been the menu

tTi ;

of introdasins roe into that society of men
I amid not hays joked bet for sash an
invaluable inedtution se this is, some of whom are
my &Meerut Mends and well-wishers —mr willing
to give is. their advice and assistance, whatever may
be the eirenastasses of theme—in some came a few
orders. I know working men who attribute their
worldly semis to their connexion with the institute.
One young maa, who was only teceiving from six-
tees to eighteen shillings per week, by persevering in
We study of architectural drawing, obtained a mites-
tins, within a tow yesze, of 1001. per annum. Ano-
ther young Rao, who worked as a carpenter at the
bench, by the same coarse of study, lett the beach and
took to the desk as a draughtsman.
"Another instance. A young man, a tailor, studied
in the same Wass, became a draughtsman, and a few
weeks back I had the satisfaction of seeing his name
amongst a list of others with the title in the parish-book
of ' gentlemen,' candidates for guardians of the poor.
" One more cue. Two persons, profiting by the in-
struction received in the chemistry class, have ob-
tained first-rate standing in their business.
" I could give several iutances of the benefit de-
rived from the study of the Preach language to per-
sons now settled @broad, and some at home. I do
not attribute the datum of members to the increase
of subscription. My opinion as to the cause of the
institution not prospering so well as it did is that it
arises from there being so many institutions, that the
novelty has ceased. Apia, the facility now offered
by the railways for short trips into the country ; and
last, not least, the cheap Moraines and immense num-
ber of plum of entertainment. Ido think that the
sale of cheap refreshmente would be a benefit both to
the institute and subscribers in general, personally
knowing some that have left from the want of such
a convenient*.

" I thinktie institute might be carried on with 800
subscriber., if it were not for the heavy mill stone
clogging our heels. The rent alone is 2291. a year ;
then consider rater, &c. I do not agree with you
that the existence of the heavy debt arises from a
false economy or bud management, for when our num-
ber was much higher we were compelled to have a
librarian as well as a secretary, those two officers re-
ceiving 1701. a year, while at the present time the
duties of both are performed by one at 901., thereby
saving 801. per annum.
"As to the lectures being sufficiently practical, I de
not think they are so, but it happens unfortunately
whenever the committee engage scientific or mecha-
nical lecturers they are the worst attended. As to
the working men having punned a steady course of
study in the institute, I can confidently say I know
many, both formerly and at the present time. I do
not see how the convenience of working men could be
more studied is the classes or the lectures, as neither
commence before eight to half-past eight in the even-
icg. The classes best attended are the arithmetic,
architectural, ornamental and drawing classes gene-
rally ; the French clue, elocutior, and music classes,
also the writing class. The most useful I consider
the architectural and ornamental, arithmetic, writing,
French, and practical geometry, all of which are well
and regularly attended. Many working men, to the
best of my belief, attend regularly."
1 have given the foregoing statement verbatim,
conceiving this course to be at once the faired and
moat satisfactory to the members of the institute to
which it refers, and the most convincing to the
general public. W. B. I.