The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-12 00:00:00

R EPOlll`.

It is now about fifteen years since ragged schools were
first attempted in the metropolis. In the course of that
time a gradual, but progressively great change, has taken
place in the public mind and feelings, as regards the
social condition of our poorer brethren. Schemes for
bettering that condition, which were looked upon by many
of the wise and great, even, in some instances, by the
benevolent, as altogether visionary, have been quietly
worked on by the persevering few, till the fact not only
of their desirability, bnt of their practicability, has been
established. Well directed efforts proved to be really
successful as to the end proposed, are sure to be acknow-
ledged in the long run. "In all labour there is profit.''
It may be said that ragged schools occupy almost, if not
quite, the most prominent, and it might be added, the
most promising position, among modern plans.of useful-
ness. The improvement of the adult population (though
we have no -right to say it is hopeless) is surrounded by
many difficulties and discouraeements. The reformation
of the young after they have become criminal, though both
hopeful and desirable, cannot for a moment be compared
to the higher aim of arresting and saving those on whom
the taint of a gaol never yet has fallen—who are simply
destitute and ignorant. It would have been utterly in
vain for private benevolence to have waited on till it
could do some great thing, or till government had taken
the initiative in some comprehensive scheme for rescuing
the rising generation from ignorance and vice, but now
that voluntary efforts have really broken the ground,
and shown what can be done, government has
come forward most liberally to supply additional
means for the extension of the good work.
In laying before the public this their eighth annual report
the Committee of the Liverpool Industrial Ragged Schools
have much pleasure in acknowledging the very great
assistance now granted by government towards the main-
tenance of such schools, and the encouragement thereby
held out for the enlargement and extension of private
efforts. The Committee of Council on Education, by
their minute of 2nd June, 1856, offer their aid to Indus-
trial Ragged Schools in the following manner and extent :
—l. To pay half the rent of the schoolhouse. 2. To pay
one-third of the annual cost of tools and of raw materials
for labour. 3. To make grants toward the cost of books,
maps, and apparatus, upon the same terms as to other
schools. 4. To grant half of the salary agreed to be paid
by the managers to every; master and to every assistant
master, in the following ratio, viz., to any number of
inmates not exceeding 25. one master; between: 25 and 50,
one master and one assistant ; an additional assistant to
be allowed to every 25 additional inmates above 50; and
an additional master (instead of an assistant) for the first
25 inmates after every 100—these allowances giving one
master and three assistants as the ordinary staff for every
hundred inmates. Every master, if untrained, must be
upwards of twenty-6,a years old, and every assistant
upwards of eighteen years old ; industrial instructors
may be counted as assistants. 5. To grant as capitation
upon every child (according to the number in aver-
age attendance during the year preceding the annual
inspection) the sum of 50s per annum, provided that
su .h child be fed at the school. With such
ample encouragement, the. Committee feel that
they ought not to be satisfied with present results; their
aim should be to render the schools more extensive, and,
if possible, more efficient; the Government support is
given, not to retard, but to stimulate increased effort'.
Though at the risk of repeating what has often been said
before, the committee cannot refrain from reminding their
subscribers and friends that they may do much for the
furtherance of this good work beyond the mere giving
of, money. Individual interest in the cause of neglected
children can alone cope with the evil, while there is no
magisterial power to compel their attendance at school.
Let any one who sees a poor neglected child going about
in his own neighbourhood—a child who is literally making
up a precarious living, and on the very verge of becoming
criminal—let every one try to rescue at least one such child
by directing or sending him to these schools, where he will
be both fed and taught—such painstaking efforts, if
adopted by the many, would soon produce a perceptible
effect. The usual tabular statements, together with the
treasurer's account, will be found below; they show both
the working and the prospects of the school. It will he
seen, and it is certainly a cause for great thankfuluess that,
- for the first time since the schools were opened, the bal-
ance is on the right side. Besides the Government grant,
two handsome legacies have been received, for which the
committee think it right to record their acknowledge-
ments in this report—one from the executors of the late
Miss Twentyman, the other horn the executors of the
late James Moon, Esq. The results of the industrial
department continue 'to be very satisfactory; the nett
earnings of the children amount to £137 19s 10d; this is,
of course, independent of the large quantity of needlework
done in the girls' school, which is not paid for, being for
their own use and that of the boys. The committee de-
sire to express their continued satisfaction with the
labours of Mr. and Mrs. Orris, Mrs. I‘l4Minn, and their
assistants. The committee beg to offer their acknow-
ledgments to the various benefactors to the school,
particularly to T. 8.. Horsfall, Esq., M.P., for the
children's Christmas dinner; to the committee of St.
Anne's Dispensary, for medicine supplied to the sick
children; and to the following friends, who have kindly
permitted donation boxes to be placed in their shops and
offices, viz.:—Mr, Fisk, confectioner, Castle street ;
Horsfall, confectioner, Church street ; Mr. Manger,
coach builder, Richmond row ; Mr. M'Bryde, • tallow
chandler, Richmond row; Mr. Harrison, grocer, Fox
street ; Mr.. Horrocks, baker, London road ; Mr. Cooper,
tobacconist, Byrom street ; Messrs. Thomas Milner and
Son, Phcenix Works, Satithdown lane; and Mr. Makin,
14, Elliot street. Boys. Girls.
Number en the roll, Dee. 31st, 1855 .. ,
" admitted in 1856

Total .

188 .. 111

Born in Liverpool
" Ireland
" Other places

Total

Above 12 years of ago . .....
Under 12 years of ago

iota],

Average number on the rell throughout the
year
•••,{ • •

183 .. 111

91 54

Average daily attendance

80 48

Number on the roil, Dee. 31st, 1866
Removed durhe the year. , .

Total

188 .; 111

Children with both parents dead
" with mothers only alive • ... .. 75 .. 49
44 with fathers only alive
~ deserted by father
" with worthless parents
" with parents alive, but sick and
disabled
" fatherless, with drunken or worthless
mothers
" parents in prison
.... .. ~ 2 • 3
" sent by the parish authorities ...... 1..
``
stepmother only alive ......... . 1.. 2
" sent from the Police Court l7 .. -
it 1 . . 1
parents in Lunatic Asylum . •• • •

To tal .. . • . .

Average number who have slept in the house 10 51
The Treasurer, Mr. T. D, Anderson, read the financial

DAY.

statement, from which it appeared that the total amount
received during the year in subscriptions, donations,
work, tec.s.was £1,785 8s 10d, leaving a bilance in the
hands of the Treasurer, of £459 17s 8(1. Last year there
Was a balance due to the treasurer of £174 19s 10d.
The Chairman moved that the report and statement of
accounts bo adopted, and that the gentlemen whose
names were mentioned in the resolution be appointed,
the committee for the current year. He observed that it
was most gratifying the announcement of the liberal
support which the governinent had been pleased to grant
to the good work in which they were engaged. not
supersedine but aiding the voluntary efforts of indivi-
duale. He humbly conceived that the proper
duty of the government was not to supersede
or do away with the necessity of voluntary
benevolence, tut to act to the best of their ability. (Hear,
hear). The poor rate kvas not intended to supersede
private charity, but to take care of the absolutely
destitute. There was another part of the report to which
he should direct attention, namely, that part which
remarked that the subscribers an I friends of the schools
might do a great deal for the fottherance of the good
works beyond the mere giving of money. It was probable
that they would obtain a magisterial power to compel
the attendance of young children at schools, but until
that tonk place, everyone who Sane a poor child
going about his neighbourhood, living a precarious life,
and progressing to crime, might do a good work by trying
to rescue such a child, by sending him to schools such as
these, and by going to the houses of parent% and press.
ing them to do their duty towards their children, by
sending them to school: In conclusion, he ex,ressed
his belief that compelling vagrant children to go to school
and subjecting them to di,:cipline, would do more for
the prevention of crime And the economical protection
of the people than any other measure that could be
adopted- (Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. Heath seconded the motion, and observed
that he fully concurred in all that had fallen from the
chairman. par icularly in reference:to the liberal support
g:ven by government. Independently, however, of the
value of Unit support itself, they hailed it as a most
favourable and encouraging sign, because it signified that
not onlenthe government but the members of' the legisla-
ture generally were beginning now to understand, this
great question. They who had been engaged in ragged
schools sson found that they were very ignorant of the
means to carry out their wishes and intentions ; and it
was only now, after considerable experience, that they
had acquired the requisite !mewled:se. They had now
their debt paid off, and a little fund in hand, and thus
relieved from that responsibility, they would proceed
with their work- with fresh energy. (Hear, bear.)
They were net free from the danger of being
deceived in the class of pupils received at the schools,
but a glance at the tables would show that every care
and attention had been taken to guard against such
deception, It would be seen that the number of children
in the seheols with both parents dead were IS ; with the
mothers alive, 124: and with the fathers alive, 6,
When they remembered one particular form of vice in
the town and its results, the table would show them that
they had only received into the schools the most, helpless
of poor children. (Hear, hear.) The very large amount
of self support derived from.the labour of the children
in the schools was a subject of much congratulation.—
(Hear, hear) From the lab ear of the scholars, the
oldest of whom was only 13 or 14 years, £137 had- been
derived, and that was a net contribution after paying the
expenses of the material which was worked up. (Heir.)
The total expense of each child in the school, including
rent, provisions, education, &c, was £8- Os- 6(.1, and
deducting Li .is Gd for the labour of the child, the
expense of each child was only £6 19s per annum.
That was not quite so low as in Scotlandnbut in Scot-
land provisions were cheap, and the schools, for which
they had here to pay a rent, were all built oat of a
separate fund. (Hear, hear.)
The motion was unanimously adopted.
The Rev. Dr. Hume moved the second resolution,
which was to the effect, that while acknowledging the
encouragement of government, they hoped that the
benevolent, exertions of individuals in aid of the Industrial
Raeged Schools would be increased twofold. (Hear,
hear.) He said that he had heard with extreme
gratification the proposition made by government
in reference to ragged schools, but he believed
it was only one step in the right direction.- It
was not all that was *anted, but it was a great part of
what was wanted ; and they found so many cases in the
world where men did not do the right thing, that they
were almost as gratified when they saw the right thing
done, as if it were some gratuitous and special act of
benevolence. He believed their Select Vestries and their
Boards of Guardians should aid the efforts of those who
were really doing their work in these schools. (Hear,
hear). It was extraordinary when they contemplated
human populations to find, in the language of the poet;
"In the lowest deep a lower deep." The poor contained
as many grades amongst themselves as the peerage
contained of grades within itself—(hear)---grades ranging
from the struggling poor, who found a difficulty in mak-
ing their receipts and expenditure meet, down to the
absolutely destitute, who roamed the streets like un.
claimed dogs, and in some respects to hungering we Ives.
It was one of the most serious considerations of the
community, how they could meet that moral evil. He
had added up the number of bOys and girls in the schools,
and he found they were about 100. One hundred out of
the teeming thousands like them in all Liverpool! It
was only " making darkness visible." (Hear, hear.)
He believed,' therefore, that there was not a single
thinking mars or 'woman in •the community, who
would for a moment slacken his or her efforts, be..
cause the government had promised the schools a
little aidn (Hear, hear.) He was very much struck
with the estimate Of Heath, that the cost of a' child
in the schools was only about £6 19s a year. Why; it
struck him that there were 500 or 1,000 benevolent indi-
viduals- of both sexes in the community, any one of
whom would say, n Well, I will cast off from my expenses
some little indulgence, and I will give £7 a year to these
schools, and I will-support a pupil there. (Hear, hear.)
He .thought it would be well to throw out such an idea
as that, and to take suhecriptions in that form, so that
-each subscriber might, have the opportunity of. rnore
identifying himself with the good done in the schools.
(Hear, hear.) In conclusion, Dr. Hume said that he
receivedfrom the various masters most excellent characters
of the children who left the schools, and that though they
were doing great good through the instlnution, yet that
they were hut " scratching surface," ,in proportion to
the amount of work of a like character to be done
throughout the town.
Mr. James Tyrcr seconded the molion, which was
unanimously adopted.
The chairman observed that he had urged the propriety
of contributing to these schools on the Liverpool select
vestry, but it was found chat they were prevented by the
technicalities of the law from giving them any pecuniary
assistance.
Mr. f. D. Anderson moved the next resolution, which
was to the effect that they rejoiced at the introduction of
Sir Stafford Northcote's bill into parliament f r the
batter care of disorderly, destitute, and vagrant
children. He congratulated the meeting on
the improved state of the finances of the
school, and observed that though he took an cctive
part in the reformatory rnoveaient in this town, yet lie
always felt it to be his first duty-to assist in the extension
of education. and in promotiug every preventive system
to crime. He did not agree, however, with those who
did not join the reformatory movement on the ground
that the preventive system was better than the curative
system. He believed that until the preventive system
was carried out to a much greater extent than at present,
or until the world became much better—in a word, until
the Millenium arrived—they would require reformatories,
(Hear, hear). He rejoiced that Sir Stafford Northcotes's
bill would enable them to reach the lowest class of the
population ; but in regard to the Liverpool
Industrial Ragged Schools at present, there was
one difficulty which he could not forbear men-
tioning. One of their difficulties arose from their
popularity. Their character stood so high, that the
committee had great demand for boys from different
tradesmen, and the consequence was, that many of the
boys were taken from the schools before they had been
sufficiently long under training. (Hear, hear )
The Rev. Mr. Moore seconded the resolution. He
observed that the principle of compulsory education
prevailed in Scotland, and that .the people did not
there find it to be any interference with the correc
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The motion was unanimously adopted.
On the motion of Mr. Hubback, seconded by Mr.
Jones, thanks were voted to the Chairman.
The meeting then separated.

THE REPRESENTATION OF LEEDS.--A rumour was set
set afloat last week, and caused coniidm able stir in certain
circles, that a vacancy was about to he created in the
representation of this borough by the resignation of Sir
Gcorg3 Goodman. There is not the slightest foundation
for the rumour. Of course the speculations founded upon
this fiction are equally baseless.-.-Leeds slercury,