The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-11 00:00:00

TFIL SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 11, 1864.

SHAKSPERE FOUNDATION SCHOOLS,

PUBLIC MEETINGS-THIS DAY.

A public meeting was held to-day at the Adelphi
Theatre in aid of establishing a school in connection
with the Royal Dramatic College, to be called the
Shakspere Foundation School.
At half-past one o'clock the ohair was taken by
CHARLES DICKENS, Esq.
Amongst those present on the stage were :
.T. B. Buckstone, Esq., Col. De Bathe, B. Webster,
Esq., E. Yates, Esq., Sterling Coyne, Esq., Rev. J.
Cdx, C. Gruneisen, Esq., W. Bennett, Esq., Ger.
Garwood, Esq., H. Compton, Esq., W. Webster,
Esq., G. B. Childs, Nelson Lce, El,, A. Mellon,
Esq., T. Williams, Efq., R, E. Phillips, Esq., D.
.Meadows, Esq., J. W. Anson, Esq., J. L. Toole,
Esq., R.Roxby, Esq., J. Robins, E 1., J. H. Hol-
lingshed, Esq., W. H. Maxwell, Esq., T. Smith,
Esq., Charles Kent, Esq., W. It. Crawford, Esq.,
Miss M. A. Braddon, Mrs. Childs, G. Bristow,
Esq., G. Vining, Esq., Tom Taylor, El., Samuel
Phelps, Esq., and Paul Bedford.
The CHAIRMAN said—Fortunately for the meeting
and fortunately for himself, it was not his business
to make a speech, as his duty, viz., was more like
that of Falstaff, to be the cause of speech in others,
and listen attentively to every gentleman who
might'address them. He believed it was the duty of
the chairman of a public meeting to give a plain and
concise outline of the objects for which they were
assembled, They were not mot that day to talk
over the Shakesperian Tercentenary Festival—
(laughter)—they were not assembled to commemo-
rate the birth of Shakspere, although they intended
in a short time, as humble worshippers, to take
his name, and he hoped it would not be in vain.
They were all aware that there was a very admir-
able institution in existence, viz,, the Royal Dra-
matic College, which was a harbour of rest and re-
pose to the veterans of the dramatic art—(hear,
hear)—and it was now proposed to carry out one
of the objects which was a portion of the original
idea, viz., the founding and endowing schools for
the education of the children of actors and actresses;
but in the project to be set afloat that day it was
not proposed to be at all exclusive ; on the con-
trary, the schools would be open to all who proposed
to select it as a place of education for their children.
The proposition, which, when it was spoken of, re-
ceived the high approval of the late lamented
Prince Consort, was to build a school in which forty
children of actors—twenty boys and t wenty:girls—
would be placed upon the foundation, but it was not
to ba limited to that alone. The schools would be
built upon the society's own land. It would, there.
fore, be free from debt in that particular, and this of
itself was an object of the highest importance. Ob-
jection had been made to receiving sons of actors for
education in some little snivelling private school—
(hear, hear, and laughter)—but in a public school
never. He, therefore, thought it wise that
they should propose to throw the schools open
to the public, for it would show that they were not
desirous of founding mere hole and corner establish-
ments. But Le would leave the matter in their
hands. He had merely dealt with the subject,
although a tempting one, as the owner
of an entailed estate, and he hoped he
had handed it down to the speakers that
were to follow him in an unencumbered condition.
He had pee haps cut a little timber, and had grubbed
up a little brushwood here and there, but that
was merely to clear the view of the gentleman
who would move the first resolution, whom he
hoped would thereby distinctly see his way. He
would therefore call upon his friend near him to
move the first resolution.

Mr
.R. BELL said he had great pleasure in
complying with the desire of the chairman, and he
therefore moved—
" That the Royal Dramatic College is now in a sufficiently
advanced state to render it desirable to proceed with the
foundation of the schools set forth in a charter of that in-
stitution as a part of its original design."
The actor had long desired to have a school like
that which it was now sought to establish, and he
felt certain the public would nobly second the efforts
of those who had done so much to elevate the tastes,
feelings, and desires of the public at large. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then called upon Samuel Phelps,
Esq., to second the resolution, and when that
gentleman rose to do so, he was received with the
loudest applause,

Mr. PHELPS, however, resumed his seat by simply
saying, " Mr. Chairman, I have great pleasure in
secocading the resolution."

The adoption of the resolution was then put to
the meeting, and carried unanimously.
Mr. A. TROLLOPS then moved the second reso-
lution, viz. :

" That the schools shall be called the Shakspere Founda-
tion Schools, and shall be devoted to the sound and liberal
education of pupils of both: sexes, not to be restricted to
any profession or class, and that there shall be a certain
number of foundation scholars, so many boys, and so many
girls, according to the endowment; and that these founda-
tion scholars, receiving their education gratuitously, shall
always be the children of actors, actresses, and dramatic
writers.

He said he, for one, had to complain of the chairman,
because in the remarks he had made to the meeting
he had not only cut his timber and grubbed up all
his brush wood, but his soil had been left entirely
destitute ; he had, in fact, so dealt with the matter
now before the meeting that little else was left for
those who followed him but to express their high
admiration of his transcendent talents. (Cheers.)
The resolution spoke plainly, and therefore be would
resume his seat by anticipating its unanimous adop-

Lion.

A GENTLEMAN in fate stalls, who stated that he
was a subscriber to the Dramatic College, suggested
that the word poor" should be inserted before
the concluf4ing words of the resolution— viz.,
actors and actresses, or dramatic writers.
He 'was not anxious that that particu-
lar word should be accepted, but he thought
it absolutely necessary that, in order to
avoid the course pursued in some other schools,
the scholars of such foundation should be the sons
or daughters of decayed or necessitous actors.
Another gentleman in the body of the theatre
said he would have great pleasure in seconding
sueh an amendment.
After a few remarks from the Chairman, who
said that as the selection of the foundation scholars
would always rest in the Council of the Royal
Dramatic College, he thought the amendment was
quite unnecessary.
The amendment having been withdrawn,
Mr, E. SOTUERN said he had great pleasure in
seconding the resolution. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then submitted the proposition
to the meeting, and declared it carried =mi.
mousl—
.f •
Tin. Tom TAYLOR moved the third resolution,
'rdhich was as follows
That a subscription be opened for the building of the
schools and the endowment of the foundation of scholar-
ship, and the public support be entreated in behalf of the
educational institution which addresses the whole com-
munity."
Reverting to the remark of the chairman, he said he
knew at least one gentleman whose son had
been refased admission to one of those
snivelling schools merely because his father was
an actor. The:foundation and:establishment of the
Shakspere School in connection with the Dramatic
College would entirely prevent the repetition of
such narrow and shallow minded actions; (Cheers.)
The resolution having been seconded, was pat to
tho meeting and carried unanimously.
The following resolution was also carried
66 That Mr. Webster be requested to act as treasurer, pro
tem., and that a committee of gentlemen be appointed (with
power to add to their number), to advance the above ob-
;eds.

A cordial vote of thanks was then proposedrto
the Chairman for his kind, able, and valuable as-
sistance, and also for the manner in which he had
presided over the meeting that day.
The resolution was carried amidst great enthu-
sirmu, and, after its acknowledgment by Mr.
Dickens, the meeting separated.

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