The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-03 00:00:00

ISM ,GEORGE GREY AT MORPETE,

`at/ of State for the
-- residence at
'4 a visit

On Wednesday last
Home Department, who ilas d ftqantr,
Falloden, about 20 miles from Morpftb,
to his constituents and took part in the pfoiceeflabb
at a public mooting held at Bedlington, an outlying
part of the borOughi to promote the rebuilding of a
school, with 06 aid of a grant of money from the
Government. The Hey. Charles Whiteley, the
Vicar. who has generously given a site for the pro-
posed seminary, acted as chairteaul and the rant-
ing *ag attended by the principal inhabitants. Sir
George Grey, in moving a resolution stating the
inadequacy of the present school accommodation
for an increasing population, and the expediency of
augmenting it by a Government grant in aid of
private subscriptions, took occasion to say he con-
sidered it the bounden duty of those who had pro-
perty in the district of political connections with it
to assist in keeping up the means of education to
the number and wants of the inhabitants. 'l he time
had gone by when it was necessary to dilate on the
advantages of education, or to point it out as a
duty we owed to God and our neighbour. Unfor-
tunately, a division of opinion had long existed as
to how education could be best promoted. Con-
tinental methods of education would never be poklu-
lar in England. We must put up with some in-
conveniences in return for the freedom we enjoyed.
He was sure that if education were ever made
compulsory in this country the law that made it
so could not be carried out. It must b 3 voluntary,
and conducted in such a manner as to receive the
general concurrence of the people. The right
course appeared now to be taken, by which money
was placed by Parliament at the disposal of the
Government to encourage voluntary efforts, and to
help those who help themselves. The time when
education was not appreciated had passed away.
The temporal advantages alone of a good education
were undoubtell. It enabled
.aa individual to rise
in the world, and without education it was next to
impossible for a man to improve his fortunes. He
was reminded, it was true, of a man who w as an
honour to Northumberland, the county in which
they were then met—he meant George Stephenson,
who, without having learnt to read when you Zig,
had risen to a world-wide eminence as an engineetl-
Those who adduced that as an example that educa-
tion was not absolutely necessary for a man's ad-
vancement should remember that few were endowed
with Stephenson's genius, and that he himself gave
alsignificant proof of how much he valued educa-
tion by giving, when he came to have the means,
one of the best kind to his son, who was now a
living instance of what genius and education could
accomplish, and whose engineering achievements
were now the wonder and admiration of all who
were familiar with them. The intellect then must
be cultivated, for truly knowledge was power. The
resolution was seconded by Mr. Longridge, and
carried unanimously, and a committee was ap-
pointed for carrying out the work. Sir G. Grey
was afterwards to have dined with the Mayor of
Morpeth (Mr. Hood) and some of the principal re-
sidents of the town at the Black Bull Inn, but the
right hon. gentleman was unexpectedly summoned
away by the receipt of a telegraphic message on a
matter of urgency.