The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-17 00:00:00

NATIONAL EDUCATION SOCIETY.

&The annual meeting of the society was held on Wednes-
day, at the usual place, the scoool-room in the Broad
Sanctuary, Westminster. His Grace the Archbishop of
Canterbury presided.
The proceedings were, according to custom, com-
menced with prayer, which was offered up by his Grace
the Chairman.

The SECRETARY (the Rev. J: G. Lonsdale) then read
the report, which, after referring to the royal letter of
last year, and intimitating that the committee awaited
with interest the result of the collections received under
it, that being the only source from whet they were able
to vote grants in aid of school buildings, stated that :
" During the past year the treasurer has been authorised
to pay from the Queen's Letter Fund grants amounting to
5,9221., voted by the committee in former years ; besides
which, the sum of 4151., still remaining due upon grants
voted from the special fund for the mining and manu-
facturing districts, has been paid on the usual certi-
ficate. These grants have assisted applicants for aid
in building 190 schools, providing accommodation for
23,799 children, together with 76 teachers' residences.
The number of schools received into direct union with the
society, not including those connected only with a dio-
cesan board, has amounted during the past year to 189,
making the total number of schools now in union with ,
the society 10,020. The committee have received re- '
ports from the councils of St. Mark's College and White-
lauds, which institutions, supported mainly by annual
allowances from the society's general fund, continued under
the arrangements of 1819, from which much, both in point
of economy and efficiency, has been secured. The aver-
age number of resident students at St. Mark's during
the past year has been 77, being an increase of 7 upon
any previous year. The number of Queen's scholars is
18, of whom 12 are in the first, and 6 in the second
year of residence. The continuance of Queen's scholars
for a third year is optional and gratuitous. Six younc,
men have availed themselves of this privilege. The
number of students who have left the college during
the past year has been 22, all of whom have been ap-
pointed to parochial schools. Satisfactory accounts are
received from those previously sent out, many of
whom occupy posts of considerable prominence, yet
strictly within the limits of their vocation. The terms
of admission have been somewhat altered. The ad-
mission fee is no longer required, and a deduction of 10/.
and 151. will be made after the first and second certificate
of merit from the payment due for the following year.
The number of applications for masters has been 78, and
although this is probably somewhat beyond the effective
demand, yet after every deduction it may be assumed
that the supply is not equal to the need. The number
of certificates of merit awarded at the last Government
examination to students actually in residence was 51, 2
being placed in the Ist class, 25 in the 2d, and 24 in the
3d. The sum awarded to the College on this account was
1,1851., exceeding that received last year by 1901., a dif-
ference nearly proportionate to the greater number of can-
didates. No account is here taken of old masters, one of
whom also obtained a first-class certificate. The obstacles
which have hitherto prevented the consecration of the
chapel of St. Mark's College have been removed. and the
consecration is fixed for St. Mark's day in 1854. The prac-
tising schools have continued to grow in extent, and in
efficiency, the number on the books being at present 403,
who pay from Bd. to is. a-week. But in order to develop
or even maintain this important department of this In-
stitution, large additional buildings are required, for
which plans have been prepared, which have been highly ap-
proved by her Majesty's inspectors. For these additions,
and for the completion of the college itself, which will then
provide full accommodation for 100 students, the sum of
8,0001. will be required, of which the council, from the
grant of Privy Council and other sources, can command
about 5,0001."
The report was adopted, and afterward a ballot took
place for committtee-men, the result was announced by
His Grace the CHAIRMAN, who stated that the returns
of the scrutineers having been handed up to him, an-
nounced that the three retiring members of the board,
Lord Lyttelton, T. D. Acland, Esq., and Sir Thomas
Phillips, had been re-elected, and that Sir H. Thompson
had been elected to fill the vacancy.
The Archbishop having pronounced the apostolic bless-
ing, the meeting separated.

THE TRAINING INSTITUTION.---Prince George Svoff,
accompanied by Captain D. O'Brien, Director of Convict
Prisons, visited the London Training Institution or Re-
formatory for Adult Male Criminals, 9, Great Smith-
street, Westminster, on Tuesday last. His Highness
carefully examined the whole of the establishment, in-
cluding industrial department, dormitories, &c., and
expressed himself highly delighted with all the arrange-
ments, stating that he had visited the principal institu-
tions throughout Europe, but this Reformatory far
exceeded all he had ever seen.