The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-31 00:00:00

UNITED ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLMASTERS
OF GREAT BRITAIN.

The third. annual meeting of this association was held
at the house of the Society of Arts, Adam street, Adelphi,
London, on Monday. The chair was taken by Mr. W.
M‘Leod. The annual report of the acting committee
stated—The committee have to report that 18 members
have been added to the association since the last anni-
versary meeting. But they have to regret the decease of
two members, and the resignation of 12 others. The
total number of members is now 232. About one half
of the number are resident in London or its vicinity.
There are also three local associations in union with the
institution, namely, the London Elementary Teachers'
Association, Kent and Sussex Schoolmasters' and
Schoolmistresses' Association, and the Noith Bucking-
hamshire and West Bedfordshire Association of British
Teachers. The committee regret to state that the lectures
have not been so well attended as might have'
been expected. The manager of the St. Thomas
Charterhouse Schools, the Rev. William Rogers.
has placed at the committee's disposal, for the pur-
pose of a library, the large and convenient
room in which his upper school is held. The
committee regret to report that the proposal of Mr.
C. Baker, to pay off the old debt of the association by a
Combination of twelve or twenty of the members, did not
meet with success. The balance-sheet shows a deficit
of £2B 6s Bd. The outstanding subscriptions, if paid up
would be nearly sufficient to cover this amount. On the
motion of Mr. Aunum, seconded by Mr. Hind, the report
was unanimously adopted. Mr. T. Turner then moved
the following resolution :—" That the second rule be
rescinded, and the following rule be substituted in place
thereof :—" That all who are professionally engaged in
education shall be eligible to become members of this
association, but that the acting committee shall have
power to refuse any applicant whose conduct they may
deem to be inconsistent with the moral precepts of the
Bible—subject, however, to the approval of the members
generally at the next annual meeting.' " Mr•. Turner
contended that any limitation should be just, well-defined
and practicable. Such was not the case in the limitation
imposed by the second rule of the association. He ad-
vocated the admission of schoolmasters of all creeds, with- 1
out exception, and blushed to find the A ssoeiation doing so
litle amongst a profession numbering thousands and tens
of thousands of persons, and in his opinion the principal
reason for doing so little was the restrictions imposed
by the second rule. Mr. Bethell seconded the motion.
Mr. Daintree then moved, and Mr. Smurthwaite seconded
the following amendment:—" That the second rule do
stand as at present, namely, 'That the association
embrace all teachers (public and private) who acknowledge
the essential doctrines of Christianity, and hold the Bible
to be the rule of faith and practice, and the only sure
basis of true education'" Several gentlemen addressed
the meeting, some stating that they would not remain in
the association a single hour if the resolution was carried,
while those on the other side asserted that the
intention of the second 'resolution was opposed to the
spirit of the age in which they lived. Utimately, the
motion was rejected by a large majority. The meeting
then adjourned. Upon re-assembling shortly before seven
o'clock, the Rev. J. Booth, L.L.D., of the Society of Arts,
delivered an address upon the importance of education,
pointing out its vast benefits to all mankind. He urged
all to carry on the great work with energy,
perseverance, and self•reliance, and expressed his
approval of the new syitem of competitive
examination, which was of considerable advan•
tage, and by which the incompetency of persons
would be discovered, and prevented from undertaking
an important work which they were not capable of per-
forming. The state of education at the present time was
much improved from that which existed some years ago ;
and what it would be in times to come schoolmasters
bad no small influence in determining. A great trust was
reposed in them, and in carrying it out they ought to
bear in mind that the education of the boy was the
foundation upon which his future hopes were built. He
considered the government had done more in causing a
demand for education in opening up the civil service of
India, than if they had established fifty colleges with
600 professors in each. A vote of thanks having been
passed to Mr. Booth for his address, Mr. G. Kearley,
Secretary to the Voluntary School Association, delivered
a lecture on "The School, in its relation to after-life."