The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-04 00:00:00

2%' TIONAL SOCIETY

Yesterday. the annualmseting of the Subscribers of this Insti-
tution for the promotion of education tinder I)r. Bell's system, wi.s
held at the Gei.tral School, Bolds in'a Gardens. We noticed among
the Company, his Grace the Archbishop of t'anterbury, the Bishop
of London, the Archbishop of York. the Bishops of Exeter, Wor-
cester, Gloucester, ()Mord, Lord Caltliorpe, lord Bolton. Bean of
\Worcester, Rev. Dr. Inglis, Archdeacon Aldershaw, Rev. Dr.
Wordsworth, Rev. Dr. Ileresford, Lieutenant-General Thornton,
Joshua Watson, Esq. Rev. Dr. IValnisley, and several other per-
, sons of distinct jot,.

.....
Hi, time the Archbishop of Canurbury being called to the
Chair— . • • • •

1, WALMSLET, the Secretary, read the report, which stated
that the must important feature to which the General Com.
titter had to refer, was the special favour conferred on the
National Society by his Majesty's Government, in the grant
of a Royal better, addressed through the Archbishops of the
Provinces to the parochial clergy, directing them to ',remote
contributions throughout their parishes, In aid of the Society's
funds. In the last annual report they had occasion to advert
to the exhausted state of the funds, and pledged themselves to
consider the most effectual remedy of renewing them. In
par-
suance of this, on the24th of June last, they petitioned his Majesty
to grant a Royal better, for the elsivementemed purpoise, having
two objects in view by preferring this course; the one that under the
sanction of such high authority, the more ample renovation of their
leads might be effected ; and the other by exciting the attention
of the clergy to the blessings of education. His Majesty immedi.
ate!), granted the prayer of their petition. and already 27,311 W.
13s. Id. had been paid into the hands of the Treasurer; and the
coniiiiitt^e, through th . powerful inhlui !Ice. had in their possession
a fundalmost half as large as that whie!i has constituted their entire
expenditure from the first institution of the Society to the present
time; and they anticipated the happiest results to the great cause
of national education. The Central school, under the able super.
inteedence of the Roe. Dr. Johnson and Mr. Morgan, exhibits in
both departments the successful practice of the national system.
The number of children In the schools was 232 boys and 164 glebe.
They have been examined once every half year. The num-
ber of schools assisted in the last year by permanent masters
and mistresses, amounts to M. Mrs. Morgan, the present Mitres'
of the school, has expressed her desire to resign the situation, and
Mrs. Johnson has been induced to accept it. The number of
schools united to the National Society, during the last year, was
ilfs and the oral *Limn ot to 1,083. Upon a moderate adculition,
the whole number of children at present under instruction in this
kingdom noisome' to 297.000, independent of the number in
schools not limited, but following the plan of the nuciety, which
has generally been estimated at 50.000. It is the intention of the
Society to establish a school in the neighbourhood of Mary-ls-
bonne, to educate 498 boys and 209 girls, and a liberal subscrip-
tion is anticipated, for the annual support of the school ; and In
support of this laudable ohje;t the Committee have granted a
donation of 500/. (Siker donations have been voted of consider-
able magnitude by the Society-, and at Newcastle It is proposed to
establish a school for the education of two hundred and fifty boys, and
an equal number of Girls, at a cost of 1.4001. for the requisite
buildings, and the inhabitants provided 970/., and the Committee
had great satisfaction in adding from the funds a grant of 300/. At
Fiume, in somersetshire, where there is a population of 12,000
persons, • plan was formed for erecting spacious ruonis sufficient to
admit 3400 boys and 300 girls, the estimated cost being stated at
nearly 1,1001. of which about 53W. was raised by exertions amongst
the inhabitants, and a grant of 2501. by the Society. A grant of 2331.
had been made to Brighton, Whiteharen, Chorley in Limashire,&e.
Similar grants were made to promote the Soden 's plan of education,
and duringthelast year have varied from M. to 5001. according to the
exigency of each cue. The number of places assisted by grants
amounts to 67. The progress of the national system in foreign peed-
dencies is very extensive. The Committee have received highly
interesting reports from Bombay and New Brunswick. At the
former place several schools are established, under the liberal pa-
tronage of the highest authorities, and 1100 children, 100 of whom
are natives, are receiving instruction ; and the various schools
contain 3,400 children. '1 he Committee felt great satisfaction in
hearing that schools upon the National system were to be imme-
diately established, in connexion with the new churches, as there
was a great deficiency in point of church-roan. The Report con.
eluded by showing the considerable good done by the Society,
which, although highly gratifying, it would be too voluminous for
us to detail. It met with great approbation.
At the conclusion of the Report,
His (Dace the Archbishop of CANTERBURY rose to move that
the Report be printed and circulated, and, in an able speech, dwelt
Isgeo_the advantages of the Institution, which was calculated to
Weed considerable benefit to the poor, andi he urged a continuation
of its support.
The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
General THORNTQN here rose to make a motion, which he con-
ceived would tend to great advantage tos aids the children educated
by the Society. He could nut but concur with the Report in every
respect, especially that part which alluded to the Royal Letter ;
but he was of opinion, that if the Society could couple industry
with education, it would be most desirable ; and he regretted that
it had not ere this beim introduced into the Schools. One hundred
years ago, it appeased that reading, writing, and arithmetic were
es of education, by which individuals could get subsistence
but now they had be come so common, that it was necesrary thal
something else should be resorted to, to snake money, and by in.
traducing some mode of industry into the schools, the children en
leaving them mielot be enabled to work at trades, &c. to procure •
living, and would have the effect of preventing that juvenile depts.
sky which frequently. existed when the mind of youth was unease-
pied ; fur instance, 'af the boys and Oils were instructed to make
their own clothes, husbandry, and tilling, or other manual em-
ployments, it would have the effect of lessening the expendi-
ture of the Society, as' tradesmen who expected premiums from the
Society with apprentices, would be glad to take them with the
knowledge of their traOss. From his connexion with the army for
a number of years, he was aware that tailors and shoemakers re-
ceived considerable advantages, and at their leisure hours were fre-
quently employed. lie made several other observations, and moved
a resolution, that boys tend girls should be Instructed industry,
&c.
His GRACE Meted with the last speaker, that the plan of the
Society was at all calculated to give room for depravity. It had
proved to the contrary by the exemplary conduct of those individuals
who left the Schools, anti he considered that the proper place for
the motion would be after the usual business had been gone
through.
The Bishop of EXETER intimated, as a proof of the excellence
of the Society's mode of education, that not one of the scholars
educated under the system had been brought to justice. (Aimlause.)
The (IF:NERAL remarked that be merely noticed the thing as
an omission, which, if obviated, might prove useful to society.
Lord Cat.mion re addressed the meeting in • short speech.
J. Drisveor, Esq read the annual account of the Society, with
the expenditure; and various parts elicited the warmest ap-
plause.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, who returned thanks.
Thanks were also voted to Drs. Bell, Walmsley, and J. Watson,
Esq., and after a short discussion upon General Thornton's
motion, which was negatived, the meeting broke up.