The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-11 00:00:00

EDUCATION OF

This committee, appointed on the motion of Sir
Stafford Nortbcote, to inquire how the education of desti-
tute and neglected children may be efficiently and economi.
telly assisted by any public funds, met yesterday for the
flaut time. Sir S. Northeote presided. The other members
pewit were—Mr. Adderley, Mr. Black, Mr. H. A. Brum,
Mr. Chive, Mr. Banbury, Sir Baldwin Leighton, Mr. Liddell,
Mr. Lows, Mr. Massey, &r. Nue, Mr. Ker Seymer, Sir J.
Graham, the Manor Doe, and Sir J. Pakington.
Mr. Lochs, the baserary secretary to the Ragged School
Union, was the first whams:unlined. He said—The society
wee formed is 1844 for the encouragement and support of
lagged schools for the destitute poor of London. We have
sever established say school without previously ascertsia-
Witt a necessity existed for it. We began with 16
We have sow 176. We began with 2,000
scholars. We have now in the day schools 17,230 ;in the
evening schools 9,840 ; in the Sunday schools 25,260 ;
making a total of 52,000 children. As many are in the
habit of attending all the schools, the number may be
divided by two, giving '4OOO as the actual
neralber in attendance. The schools are intended
for the children of costermongers, pieseders, rag-dealers,
laboarees, knackers and cat's-meat men, and other persons
who are unable to educate their children or neglect to do so.
Many of the children would not be admitted into the day
schools as account of their want of cleanliness. We have
had ao complains of these schools draining the day schools.
Man of the children ear sent to the schools by the city
mi sod district visitors. There are 3,780 children
in the industrial schools. It is not the general character of
ragged schools that food should be given, but it is given
occasionally. Two or three of the refuges receive some
aseistenee from' the government, but none of the regular
ZWelschool' receive say such assistance, nor have they
d for it, thinking it better to be without government
headstone. Many of the children are in rage, but we
cover theta with a garment which eionesiihi the nos.
By Mr. Adderley—The voluntary support of ranged
school. is toe of the essential element, of their success. It
is a missionary movement more than a secular one, and our
object is to give the children moral and religious training,
and to pass them as quickly as possible into the national
schools. Supposing the ragged schools to be aided by the
government and to became a normal part of the national
schools, the tendency would be to assimilate the two classes
of schools. _ . _

By Mr. Pease—The number of paid teachers in the day
schools is 400. The number of voluntary teachers is 2,971.
I am not aware that corporal punishment is resorted to in
any of the schools.
)3y Mr. Cave—When a new school en required in any die.
trict, that district Us:petted to coutribute • certain pro-
portion of the expense, and • grant is made in sal.
By Mr. Black-1 think it would be • great advantage if
we could introduce trades into the schools, and enable the
children to obtain their living by industry, and 1 believe
that object could be carried out without government assist-
&ace. We teach reading, writing, arithmetic, geography,
hi story, lea, which is generally sufficient for them when
they become working men.
By Mr. Reabury-1 believe the rugged schools have in-
troduced • large amount of practical good, by diminishing
crime, and improving the dwellings in various neighbour-
hoods, and that they have not injured the day shoo!. in
any way. The schools are generally speaking free from
debt. There are 59 whose liabilities amount to about 2,0001.
The subscriptions towards the union amount to between
5.0001. and 6,000/., and the schools themselves collect about
30,0001. The salaries of the day teachers vary from 001. to
701. or 801. per annum. They do a great deal more work
than they are paid for.
By Mr. Lowe—When our union commenced we estimated
the number of neglected children in the metropolis at up-
wards of 100,000—that is, in the area out of which we have
taken 26,000. The number of destitute children is not so
large now se ft wiui at that time. I know caws iu which
the improvement of the childien has bad a salutary effect
on their paresis. The condition, imposed by the Privy
Council on national schools, and any conditions which
would interfere with our free action, would he injurious to
rardschools.
Sir S. Northoote—l have visited the ragged schools in
Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, Fslitiburgh, Glasgow, Aber.
deen, and ie:veml other places. There is • ragged school
union in Liverpool. Some of the district schools desire to
be connected with our union, but no plan has yet bees
adopted.
By Mr. Adderley—The masters of the schools are exa-
mined by the local committees, and overlooked by the
agent of the union, and if they do not conduct the schools
properly we withdraw the grant.
By Mr. Liddell—We find • general disposition on the part
of these children to yield to kindness and persuasion. We
sometimes find a difficulty in raisieg funds, and if it had not
been for a large leg.icy left a few years ago we should have
been iu a strait ; but, on appealing to the Christian public,
our mutts are generally supplied.
Mr. J. Gent, secretary to the Ragged School Union.
put in a resolution of the committee, stating " that in the
opinion of this committee it is not expedient, under any
circumetances, to accept • government pent for non-in-
dustrial ragged schools." The reason why the committee
passed that resolution was that they considered such aid
would make secular education the chief and primary object
of the ragged schools, whereas their chief object is the im-
parting of motel and religions instruction. My opinion is
against receiving any grant for industrial wheels The in-
formation which I supplied to the Royal Commie:done." re-
lated to the ragged schools in the metropolis, and not to
the provinces. [The witness then put in some statieties,
showing the number of ragged schools in Liverpool and
Manchester, and the average attendance at those schools)
We find • difficulty in establishing ragged schools in some
districts, especially those in which the Roman catholic po-
pulation predominates.
By Sr J. Graham—The number of reformatories and in.
&atrial schools connected with the Ragged School Union in
London receiving government aid is 19 or 20,and the number
of inmate' about SOO. 1 should prefer seeing the ragged
schools keep their present level, wh.hout a government
grant, to their being raised by such a grant to a higher level
As a general result, the influence of the children in ragged
wheels is beneficial on their parents.
The committee then ad journal

COURT or EXCHIPOIL.—The Court of Exche-
quer will sit in London and Middlesex after Trinity Term on
the following days: In Middlesex—Thursd Aloe 13;
Friday, 14 ; Saturday, 15 ; Monday, 17 ; Tuesdey, 18 ; Wed-
nesday. 19 ; Thursday, 20 ; Friday, 21 ; and Saturday, 22,
for special and common juries ; and, in London, on Monday,
Jane 24 ; Tuesday, 26 ; Wednesday, 26 ; Thursday, 27 ;
Friday, 23; Saturday, 29; Monday, July 1 •, Tuesday, 2;
Wednesday, 3 ; Thursday, 4 ; Friday, 5 ; Saturday 6 ; Mon-
day, 8; Tuesday, 9 ; and, Wednesday, 10, for special and
common juries. A second court will sit for the trial of
causes wbw nece.ou
Aumtusios or n crrous.—The Master of tbo
Rolls has appointed to-morrow, June 12, at the Rolls
Oourt, (Chancery-lane, at four o'clock in the afternoon, for
swearing solicitees.
METROPOLITAN IiHE HOSPITAL, DEMO/OEMS-
IMAM Cln.—The aggregate number of patients relieved
during the week ending June 8 was : Medical, 1.306 ;
surgical, 512—total, 1,817, of which 602 were new cases.