The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-23 00:00:00

LORD STANLEY A 7 STOCKPOR7

Last evening Lord Stanley, M.P., presided at a
meeting in Stockport, held to celebrate the open-
ing of a new mechanics' institution. The build-
ing, which occupies a conspicuous position in the
Wellington-road, one of the principal thorough-
fares in the town, contains library, news-room, class-
rooms, anp a large lecture hall, and has been erected
at a cost of about £5,000. Lord Stanly was accom-
panied on to the platform by Mr. J. B. Smith,
M.P., Mr, Bazley, M.P., Mr. Sidebottom, President
of the Institution ; the Mayor of Manchester, Major
Coppock, and several local notables. The hall was
filled in all parts.
Lord STANLEY, after some introductory remarks,
said, he believed that one of the chief controversies
of our own age or the next age would be as to the
limit to be placed on state aid in education, With-
out entering upon the question whether education
should be wholly voluntary, or denying the value
of Government aid, it might be stated to the honour
of mechanics' institutes that they were based upon
the principle of self-help, which was a leading cha-
racteristic of all national undertakings in this coun-
try, and were independent of Govern-
ment support as well as of Government control.

Referring to the alleged failure of mechanics' insti-

tutions, the noble lord said there had no doubt been
many mistakes made at the outset. Thus there was
at first too much generalisation as to what working
men ought to wish to learn, and in the midst of the
discussion on that subject they had neglected what
working men did wish to learn. Again, he consi-
dered that the attempts to " popularise science"
was a mistake. The attempt was made in a form
which gave little trouble to tile hearer; but served
no purpose as a mental discipline. Real students
were rare in every class of society. Such persons
they might encourage, but they could not create
them; and science, in the proper sense of the term,
could never be popularised. After touching briefly
upon other causes of ill success, the noble lord re-
viewed the history of the Stockport Mechanics'
Institution, from its establishment twenty-eight
years ago down to the present time. He parti-
cularly commended the competitive examinations
which the directors had introduced in connection
with the Society of Arts and the Lancashire and
Cheshire Institutional Association. Such exami-
nations gave a definite direction to the studies of
the members, encouraged sound progress in know-
ledge, detected ignorance, imposture, and unreality,
and had an important use in showing those who
engaged in them what they were fitted for in future
life. While encouraging the study of subjects of a
practical character, however, they ought to beware
of regarding the acquirement of knowledge merely
in its relation to our material prosperity. In these
busy hives of industry, where the practical was
liable to predominate, it was more than ever in-
cumbent upon us to cultivate the artistic and imagi-
native faculties. The noble lord concluded by an
eloquent reference to the prevailing distress in the
cotton districts. He thought they did quite right
to celebrate the opening of their building, even in
the midst of the existing suffering; and he was
glad to hear that the directors had determined to
throw open the classes of the institution free of

charge to all persons that were at present out of
work, but who had previously been members of the
institution, He prayed that independence in cir-
.

cumstances might soon be restored to the working
population, and that independence of spirit might
never be wanting among them. When prosperity
returned it would, he was sure, be a legitimate
source of satisfaction to the founders and promoters
of the institution, that in a time of distress and

unexampled difficulty they had devoted their time
and energy to the inauguration of an institution
that would be of lasting benefit to the community.
The noble lord resumed his seat amid long-con-
tinued cheering.
Several other speeches were delivered in the
course of the evening by gentlemen whose names
are given above, and by others.