The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-10 00:00:00

EDUCATION IN WALES.

Mr. WILLIAMS then rose, in pursuance of notice, to
move than an address be presented to her Majesty for inquiry
to be made into the state of education in the principality of
Wales, with the means afforded to the labouring classes of ac-
quiring a knowledge of the English language. He said that the
state of education in Wales was much more neglected and
deAcienl then in any other part of the United Kingdom.
The consequence was, that there were ma works produced
amongst that people which had been an addition to literatpre
for ages, neither had there been any translations of English
works into their language, either on literature, t 3 arts, and
sciences, especially in those most important to the interests of
mineralogy, agriculture, or the useful arts. That was the
position in which they were placed, and he thought until the
Government shJuld have taken measures for such an intro-
duction of the English language as would increase
the intelligence and information of the community
in general throughout the principality of Wales,
no great improvement was hitely tn talo
Many
.of these schools hid masters whO were themselves the
most ignorant men, and, of course, were incapable of giving
instructions to those under their care. He could give many
proofs of what he had stated to the House, but he
would not take up the time of the Hon. Members, by
reading more than one or two of the statements
which he had received in cornArmation of the state
of education in that portion of her Majesty's dominions.
His motion only asked for an inquiry in the same way as had
been granted to England and Scotland. A Committee had
been appointed to inquire into the system of education in
England and Wales, anti many valuable reports resulted from
that inquiry so far as England was concerned. Now
cut of all this inquiry only ono part of Wales
was alluded to. Why that was the case he could
pot tell. The report from that district,. howeve, gave such a
statement of the destitute state of education, that lit considered
it binding upon her Majesty's Government to remedy the evil.
There were 250,000 children in the principality of Wales, from
the age of fourteen years downwards, who ought to receive
education, and who were a' present, in a great m.asure, with-
out the.means of obtaining it. He had received various letters
on the subject, in one of which it was stated, that
of the 25,000 children a very large proportion of
them received no education, or of so inferior a
_

description, it may be only nominal. That Gentleman states,
that those 240,000 children had immortal souls, and they were I
left without the means of receiving a proper education. In
Merthyr Tydvil, and four parishes in Monmouthshire, con-
sisting of 85;000 inhabitan s, he Oates, that the means, for
affording education in those parishes consisted of forty•seven
schools, thirty-three of which were for children, and there
remained 8,026 who received no education.—( Hear.)
whatsoever. Sixteen of the masters of those schools were un-
successful in retail trades. Eleven masters were miners or
labourers, and only ten had received any education with a
vi. w of becoming fitted for the instruction of youth.
Four were dissenting preachers, and such was the mode
by which at present the schools in Wales were governed.
He states that the instruction afforded to the children of the
labouring classes could not be expected to have much per-
manent effect, either in raising their habits or correcting
their their dispositions. He found the greatest dis-
position among the people to avail themselvos of instruction
and in the district to which he had alluded, contained eighty
Sunday schools, at which a large number of adults attended
for several hours of the day, in order to be enabled to read
their bible.—( Hear, hear.) He would refer the House to the
statement of Mr. Tremaherne. In making his statement as to
the mental destitution of the people, he said, the men engaged
in the furnaces and in the mills got from 255. to 60s. a week
wages. The miners and colliers got 21s. to 555. ; the artisans
IN. to 243. • and the commonest labourer 12s. to 18. Now,
what was the mental condition of that population so physically
off? Mr. Tremaherne said scarcely one instance existed
among those men earning 50ss. a week of any savings being
made. He said that these men, industrious to the last degree,
were so destitute of mental means of enjoyment that they were
obliged to resort to the public- house, and there they spent their
earnings. It might be asked,what was the cause of all this apathy
and indifference towards this people ? He could not answer the
question; but it appeared to him more than extraordinary to
to perceive such indifference practised towards a mass of
people who needed so much moral, mental, and, he would
add, physical improvement. He very much feared that some
strong feeling of indifference prevailed amongst the gentry and
landed proprietary of the country ; and though there were, to
his own knowledge, many most excellent and worthy
gentlemen amongst them, yet, he should adhere to
what he had originally stated. He had no doubt if
the landed proprietors were compelled, as were the gentry
of Scotland at one period, to form schools in the various
districts, that the outlay would be tenfold repaid them, not
alone by the improved habits, and superior manners of the
people, but also by the superior style of cultivation
which they then would be certain to practice.
He should state that there existed the most intense desire
amongst the people of Wales to possess the means os acquiring
a knowledge of the English language. In support of this he
begged to refer to report of Her Majesty's Commissioners ap-
pointed to inquire into the state of the principality of Wales.
The Hon. Member then read an extract from the reports of
the Committee appointed to enquire into the state of educa-
tion in North and South Wales, which set forth that the want
of a knowledge of the English language by the inhabitants of
the principality was a great drawback to their improvement as
it prevented the proper morking of the laws, the-administra-
tion of justice, and threw great difficulties in the way of the
exertions of the Church of England and its members.
There were but few churches, and so low was
the state of morals as to almost cripple individual
exertions, the consoquenee was that many farmers and their
families were almost beyond the retch of improvement. They
also attributed the recent political excitement to the
of ignorance amongst the people. The report was signed by
gentlemen of great influence, whose authority was sufficient
to induce the House and the. Government to give
the subject the earliest and fullest consideration.
If be could induce her Majesty's Government and that House
to confer upon the people of this country the benefits of a
sound education, the beneficial results would be beyond
calculation. He [would now call the attention of the Right
Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State to the statements made
by the gentlemen he bad named. They said that the want of
the knowledge of the English language, arising from a
want of proper education presented the most serious obstables
to the administration of justice. It were impossible
for him to furnish evidence more striking of the
consequences of the want of education than those
statements appeared to be. If the House wished, he
could multiply such statements a hundred fold ; but
he would just confine himself to two or three per-
sons who were well known to that House and to
the country, and who he was sure would receive that attention
they deserved. He would beg leave to quote the opinion
of a gentleman, who was in an especial manner
worthy of their attention: He meant the gentleman who was
sent by the Times newspaper to Wales to inquire into the dis-
turbances which prevailed there some few years ago. He was
in that country for a considerable period of time ; he was a
gentleman of high education, a barrister, and one who was
peculiarly qualified for investigating into the co dition of toe
people. He was the same gentleman who was lately sent to
Ireland under the name of the Times Cemrnissioner,
and who had sent to this country those very able
reports which had appeared in the Times. He
meant Mr. Foster. The Hon. Member went on to read an
extract from the reports which had appeared in the Times
newspaper a few years ago with respect to the disturb-
ances in Wales. That gentleman stated, that after a long
sojourn in that country, ho had found that the state of
the education of the people was lamentably deficient,
which was the main cause of the disturbances which had
broken out, and that they were, in fact, completely destitute of
that which led to improvement and civilisation—complete and
sound education. He also stated that there could be no ex-
tensive, sound, and feasible plan of education, unless it were
based upon the principle of making the English lan-
guage the only means of communication.—( Hear, hear.)

COMMONS' SUMMARY.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
Mr. B. COCIIRANE took the oaths and his seat for Brid.
port. . _

The Sheriffs of London presented a petition from the Lord
Mayor and Common Council of the City of London against
the North Kent Railway Bill.
Petitions were presented from different parts of the country,
praying for the remission of the sentence on FROST, WIL-
LIAMS, and JosEs.

Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from Mr. C. D. DIVETT
who held a confidential situation in the Post-office of Ireland
previous to 1830, complaining of the course that had been
pursued towards him, and praying for inquiry.
Mr. WILLIAMS moved, pursuant to notice, for an address
for inquiry to be made into the state of education in the
principality of `Vales, especially into the means afforded to
the labouring classes of acquiring a knowledge of the Eng-
lish language.
He believed that if there had been any discretion among the
English people they would have long since planted among
them their school-master, and not kept the people of Wales
in that state of darkness which they had done. The Govern-
mant had done everything they possibly could for Ireland,
and he did not see why they should not do the same for
Wales.

(LEFT SITTING.)

GO` VNSMEN'S BRAWLS AT CAM.

BRIDGE.

(From the Cambridge Independent.)
We very much regret to state that Tom Thumb's exhibi-
tion was considered by the "gentlemen" of the University a
good opportunity for favouring this town with one, or rather
a series, of those disgraceful rows, in the indulgence of which
they appear to take great delight. On Monday evening a
performance was given at nine o'clock, at the reduced price
of 6d., to enable the humbler classes to be present, when a
"band of fierce barbarians," in academic costume, meanly
availed themselves of the lowness of the charge to go and
make a disturbance; and not content with an exhibition of
ruffianism to women and children, they damaged the Town-
hall, for the repair of which General Tom Thumb has had to
pay 51. At the conclusion of the performance they com-
mitted several assaults upon townsmen in the Petty Cury—a
disturbance and fight were the consequence, and as usual with
these silly gentlemen, they ran away, glad to escape chastise-
ment, at the expense of their caps, two or three of which were
afterwards found in the Cur`-, and served as footballs to the
little urchins who were attracted by the disturbance. On
the following evening the sane conduct was again displayed,
and for several hours the Market-place and Its vicinity were
disturbed by fighting and rioting, the indecent violence upon
unprotected females, exceeding, if possible, that of the pre-
ceding evening. The police interfered, and on IVedneeday
morning warrants and counter warrants were granted against.
several of the parties, and the cases heard on Friday. Surely
the University might adopt some steps to prevent the repeti-
tion of such disreputable proceedings.
POLICE COUR:, CAIIII3IIIDGE, FRIDAY.—The Han. G.
Calthrop, an undergraduate of Trinity College, was charged
with assaulting p.c. Freestone on Tuesday night, at Tom
Thumb's levee. Mr. Calthrop had also taken out a warrant
against the policeman ; but when the case had proceeded to
some length, and as the magistrate (Mr. Fisher) said, proved
against Mr. Calthrop", our chief constable of police, Captain
Bailey consented to abandon the case, and each party were
ordered to pay their own eypenses. However, the public
shall have a full report of the proceedings nett week, and
they will then be able to judge for themselves. At the same
time another person was charged with an assault, who did
not fare so well as his aristocratic co-defendant. His name
was " Billy Moden," who was fined 10s. for an assault on
R. Freeman. Mr. Calthrop had been requested to take a '