The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-12 00:00:00

POPULAR EDUCATION.

A public meeting of the friends of " popular eduaa-
tion,'_ as the bills had it, was held last evening at Marl-
borough Chapel, Old Kent-road, to adopt measures for
establishing schools in that district on the principles of
the British and Foreign School Society. The attendance
was both large and respectable.
Mr. B. Wood, M.P., in the absence of Mr. Hawes,
M.P., occupied the chair, and was supported by- Dr.
Bowring, M.P., Mr. D. W. Wire, Mr. Browne. the
banker, Mr. John Donkin, Mr. William Cash, Rev.
George Clayton, &c.
The CHAIRMAN excused himself for saying nothing in
his capacity as chairman, on the ground that he was
quite unprepared for the honour, which was designed fOr
Mr. Hawes, M.P., who would have been present, but for
an accident which had happened to one of his (Mr.
Hawes's) children..
Mr. DONKIN then explained the object of the meeting,
as stated above.

Mr. J. ALDIS, in proposing the first resolution, re-
marked, that they were not now called upon to advocate
the necessity for educating the people—the struggle now
seemed to be who should educate them ; and he was glad
to see that those now showed the utmost anxiety who
were accustomed but a short time ago wholly to neglect
the subject. The Rev. Nonconformist indulged in
rather strong language. The following sentence may be
taken as an example:—" Wo (the Nonconformists) have
at any rate prevented a gorged and tyrannical priesthood
from laying hold of the minds of youth, snatching from
them all hopes of Christian liberty, and dragging them
back to the darkness of the middle ages." He conclpded
by proposing a resolution to the effect that it was desir-
able to provide further education for the children of the
working classes.
Mr. W. CASII seconded the resolution.
It was also supported by Mr. S.BLAciusunw, and ear.
tied unanimously.
Mr. B. Hawes, M.P., here entered the meeting, and
was loudly cheered.
_ _ _

Mr. B. -Wood then quitted the chair, having first an-
nounced his intention of subscribing 501. to the object of
the meeting.
The Rev. G. CLAYTON proposed the next resolution,
expressing approval of the principles of the British and
Foreign School Society, and a determination to erect a
school on the same principle in this neighbourhood.
Dr. Bownixu, M.P., seconded the resolution most
cheerfully and most heartily. Meetings such as be now
saw before him encouraged him in the course he had
taken in opposing the Factory Education Bill ; for he
was persuaded when he opposed that Bill that the people
might be left to educate themselves.—(Cheers.) It had
been said that the Church of England might well under-
take the task of educating the people ; but how ill had
the Church performed her duty during the many centu
ries that she held her sway ? If they looked around for
the .brightest spot as regarded education, they would find
that in New England, where, 200 years ago, a small band
of pilgrim fathers took up their abode, their descendants
now declared that there was no spot on which the sum
shone so well provided with the means of education. In
the Protestant cantons of Switzerland, where there was
no episcopacy, no one was permitted to enjoy the privi-
leges of citizens who could not read and write, and yeS
no one was excluded. In Prussia, the proportions of
persons in the schools wns as Ito 6. Denmark and
Sweden also were much in advance of England. During
the last three years he found that there were married in.
this country 367,894 couples, of whom 181,000 women.-
and 121,430 men could not sign their names to the re-
gister. In Leeds, only 1 person in 41 of the entire po
pulation attended any school ; in Manchester, the pro
portion was 1 in 33 ; in Birmingham, 1 in 38 ; and in
barbarous, despotic Russia the proportion was 1 in 48.
Mr. 1.).W. Wire, the Rev. G. Rose, and other g,entle"
men subsequently addressed the meeting, The Chair-
man also indulged in a few remarks ; and a liberal sub-
scription was entered into.

FREE CHURCH DEPUTATION TO AMERICA.—We
understand that the Rev. Dr. Burns left Paisley on Fri-
day for America, as one of a deputation from the Free
Church, to collect information as to the various modes
of theological education pursued in that country.. it is
understood that he is to be joined by the Rev, Mr. Lewis
of Dundee, and a Mr. Ferguson of Liverpool—Secbfr
paper.