The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-12 00:00:00

The Earl of Derby on Middle-class Education

On Sato calf iy the Lecture-hall of the Collegiate Institution,
Liverpool, WE crowded, even to inconvenience, by a most
brilliant asset ablag e of ladies and gentlemue, the attraction
being the appoarre nee of the Earl of Derby, who had con-
sented to broak ti trough a long-established rule and to pre-
side on the f ouni ter's anniversary, and deliver prizes to some
of the pupils cot inected with the institution, viz., The Mas-
ters' Universi t 7,, Exhibition ; the prizes given by his lord-
ship, and obt a'nied by pupils of these schools, this year and
last Y at ' the Oxford local examinations ; the other prizes
ear
and the cer' nificates obtained this year at the two University
Local Ent mainations ; and some of the prizes gained by
pupils of ,he institution in the Liverpool School of Art.
Those invited to be present were stationed in the body of
the hall and first gallery, and the boys, whose noisy and
jovial. demonstrations at intervals proved them to be in ad-
z:nil-table health and spirits, occupied the galleries.
About 50 of the collegiate cadets, in unform, were very
attentive in showing visitors to their seats, and making
themselves otherwise useful.
The Earl of Derby (who was received on entering with a
hearty bu rat of cheering) was surrounded on the platform by
some of t'ae oldest and most influential friends of the institu-
tion, inoluding the Rev. Dr. Howson (principal) and other
masters, the Mayor, Mr. C. Turner, M.P., the Rev. Rec-
tor Carapbell, Rev. Cannon M'Neile, Mr. J. A. Tobin, Mr.
J.. K, Rounthwaite, Mr. N. Waterhouse, Mr. Alderman
Ileneeett, Mr. J. A. Tinne, Mr. C. Parker, Mr. Alderman
Mover, Mr. Alderman S. Home, Mr. C. Bushell, and other
well known clergymen and gentlemen.
The proceedings commenced at noon with the singing of
"King Alfred's Hymn," after which
The Rev. PRINCIPAL, in alluding to the presenceo of the
Earl of Derby, stated that it was in the same
years ago that his lordship laid the foundation-stone of
23
of this
institution, and since he had accepted the office of patron
to the institution no one could possibly have as great a
right to preside at its meetings.
Dr, HowSON then gave the list of prizemen, and for-
Wally introdteced his Lordship
receivedto
owith prolonged and
heart"- cheering' lie
"'le
the assembly.
The Earl of DERBY 7cia. yf
5
r.
Principal, ladies and gen-
tlemen, and boys of thC Collegiate Institution. The Prin-
cipal has told you very
truly that it now is within a few
days of 2?, years
since I had the honour of laying the first
stone of thisineporiant and magnificent building in which
we ary
assembled. It wants but little more than three
months,
2i years since the time when this building
of being
fir at opened for the purposes of education, and when its
g was inaugurated by an able and eloquent address
cfrPom. the right hon. gentleman now the Chancellor of the
mcii.equee, (Loud applause.) Twenty-three and 21 years!
A short period as compared with that which he hopes will be
the life of this young institution, but a period occupying no
inconsiderable space in the life of each individual man—a
permed during which many of those who took an interest
in t he earlier proceedings and attended the first establish-
int .nt of this institution have passed away from these scenes
ar ad have ceased from their earthly labours ; a period
('curing which a whole generation in this busy bustling
re:intro of commercial activity has grown up from infancy
to manhood, from boyhood to matures age ; and it may
not be irrelevant or important that, when this college is
entering upon its majority, we should take the opportunity
of casting a retrospective glance upon the circumstances
which have led to its establishment, and upon the progress
which it has made hitherto; and that I should also say a
few words upon its present position, and what we hope for
its
future prospects. I need not say to those who know
the historrof education in this country that 50 years ago
--I speak of a time when I myself was a boy at Eton—
the education of this country was upon a deplorably low
standard; that the amount afforded of public education
for any class of society was exceedingly scanty in amount,
and exceedingly deficient in character. It is true, indeed,
that to a certain portion of the higher, or at all events the
wealthier classes the public schools afforded a certain degree
of instruction and of education; but at the same time, with-
out wishing in the least degree to disparage thoseclassical
at tidies which at that time formed the almost entire and
('inclusive subject of instruction at Eton—those studies from
which I hope that I have myself derived some advantage,
and which I am sure have procured for me great enjoyment
—I say without in the slightest degree disparaging studies
which I hope will always be consilered as an essential por-
Lion of a liberal education in this country, I am bound to
say that at the time of which I speak—things have much
improved since—whatever benefit a boy derived from his
instruction at Eton was derived much more from the effect
produced upon his character by the social influence of that
little miniature world of which be was a citizen than by
aely cultivation of his intellect or expansion of his mental
powers which he could derive from the ordinary business of
the school. I believe that Eton was a tolerable representa-
tive at that time of the state of the public schools gene-
rally, and such as that education was it is quite evident that
with some few exceptions, the education which it did afford
were only available to the wealthier classes, and to persons,
at all events, in easy circumstances of life. With reg erd to
the other classes, education was infinitely more deficient still.
The ancient grammar schools—excellent as they were in
their origival intention, and adapted to the time for which
they were founded—were insufficient to meet the require-
ment s of the present age, even if they had not in many cases,
from apathy, from neglect, from abuse, and from insufficient
endowment became wholly or partially insufficient. At the
time of which I speak—God be praised that a change has
taken place since—there were many excellent men who ap-
prehended serious danger from communicating instruction
and education to the lower classes of society, and thought it
was absolutely essential to the well-being of the country that
these classes, in order that they might not be dissatisfied
with their condition, should be kept in a state of profound
ignorance. lam speaking of opinions and feelings which
prevailed many years ago. A change, however,—a vast
change,--has come over the feelings of society upon these
subjects ; and I am not quite sure that we do not, with re-
gard to the lower class of society, run some risk of falling
into the opposite error, not of over. educating—for I think
it is imposssble to over-educate boys who are capable of re-
ceiving such an amount of instruction as may be given to
them during the short period to which their school attend-
ance is confined ; but I am afraid there is some risk with
regard to the lower classes that our education should be too
ambitious, and that in striving to crowd a vast amount of
instruction into the very limited space of time which alone
can be afforded, we run the risk of getting, not a sound
wholesome, elementary education, but a superficial smat-
tering of a great deal without a solid knowledge of that
which is most useful. (Applause.) The great improve-
ment, however, which took place in the education of the
lower-classes made still more apparent the lamentable
deficiency of any proper provision for those whom we call,
by a familiar and colloquial expression, the "middle-
classes" of society ; and it was to meet the want which was
then more and more felt, and felt more especially in the
great commercial towns of this country, that almost simul-
taneously were established, as I believe, the Collegiate In-
stitution of Liverpool, the school at Rossall, the Colleges of
Marlborough and Cheltenham, and, I believe, several esta-
blishments of a similar description. Now, I have used the
term middle classes, because it is one which has a certain
colloquial and well-understood significance, although it is
one which I believe it would be found exceedingly difficult
to. define. In point of fact—and it is one of the great hap-
messes of our social condition in this country—it is almost
impossible to draw a line of distinction between the various
classes
and the grades of classes into which, from highest to
the lowest, society is distributed. There is not in this coun-
try, as in many others, a broad, clear, and sharp line of dis-
tinction between different ranks and different conditions
which it is impossible to pass over from the one side or the
other, and which keeps up a permanent barrier between the
different classes of society. In this country there is no such
line. The distinction of rank and social position a
doubt, understood and respected ; but, on the one hand, no
descendant in the second generation of the highest peer in
the realm has no distinguishing mark to separate him from
at large. He is rather absorpboedsi,tilwfortiolrad
the community
say, in the general class of society, and his on
that time must be dependent, like the position of all others,
upon his own industry, his own talents, and his own abilities.
Applause.) On the other hand, we see daily the ranks of
(
the peerage and of the highest classes recruited from the
middle and lower class of the community, giving fresh life,
fresh blood,
and fresh energy to the ranks into which they
enter, and giving more encouragement and more stimulus
to those from which they proceed. (Cheers.) But sup-
posing we were to draw a line, which I think after all
would be a very inexact one, and suppose from the middle
class we were to exclude, as belonging to thehigheharcvleashseasd,
all those who from inherited fortune or position
the opportunity of obtaining. for themselves undthemd are
of giving to their children a liberal edu
independent of the necessities of applying to any p.rovision,
41,Ppose, on the other hand, we exclude as belongrepgetnodntehet
lowest class all those whose daily subsistence is t
upon their daily manual labour—l ask you to look what a
vast
aulonnt, what an immense social range, what infinite
gr'agr—adaati°tiollensare left between these two extremes, all of which
and ranks constitute that which we mean by the
middle-cianusr
easy to say of this society in this country. It would be very
classes, this one beir that person " ho belongs to the higher
class," but for one maga to the miedle, and that to the lower
curately define. tet Whose position you could distinctly, ac-
impossible to ReyokeZare hundreds of whom it would be
bably would not agreewiwilth regard to whom two people pro-
or higher-middle, to toe ',ether they belonged to the higher,
Such is the hat,py anion hwer-middle, or to the lower class.
abyzhich one rank and one grada-
tion melts into and is
harmonious chain by Which the by another, forming the
whole of society is bound
together in this happy country.
Lveeted cheers.) Now, it
is not without a purpose that I
entered upon what
easy appear to be somewhat irrelevant—
sion of what may be intended and m namei:;'thaedaitsdilsles-t.
6, middle-class." I hare done so becausee
bearing. upon the object and intention with eotchha''
this
insti-
tution was founded. Looking to the extent of the
classes as I have defined them—that active, energetic
the leaven of the whole social community—which hasbetyr,
nished no inconsiderable number of our statesmen, which
has furnished by far the largest proportion of the liberal
professions, the bar, the
bench,
and the episcopal bench,
also, which has distinguished itself in the army, which, in
point of fact, has‘ supplied every liberal profession with
sori
f its b-itzbee9t ornaments. It I might be permitted
n

to pause for a moment, I have often heard the late Sir
Robert Peel make it a subject of boast that he belonged to
and had sprung from the middle classes of society—(hear,
hear)—and we all know that, by his own en2rgy and in-
dustry the father of Sir Robert Peel raised himself from a
position certainly not entitling him to be placid above the
middle classes. I remember that. 20 yaars ago, another
right hon. gentleman, said an ornament of this country at
the present time—l mean the Chancellor of the Exchequer