Star.
London, England, 1818-06-09 00:00:00

EDUCATION OF THE POOR.

The Select Committee appointed to inquire into
the Education of the Lower Orders, and to report
their,,bservations thereupon, together with the Mi-
nutes of the Evidence taken before them from time
to time to the House ; and who were instructed to
extend their Inquiries to Scotland ; have considered
the matters to them referred, and agreed upon the
following Report :
Your Committee rejoice in being able to state, that since their I
first appointment in 1816, when they examined the state of the
Metropolis, there is every reason to believe that the exertion.
of charitable individuals and public bodies have increan:d, not-
withstanding the severe pressure of the times; and that a great
augmentation has taken place in the means provided fur the
instruction of the Poor in that quarter. They are happy in being
able to add, that the discussion excited by the brit Report,
sod the arguments urged in the rommittee to various patrons
of charities who were eaianinect as witnesses, have had the sa-
lutary effect of improving the administration of those institu-
tions. and inculcating the importance of rather bestowing their
funds in merely Educat.ng a larger number, than in giving both
instruction and other assistance to a more confined number of
Clii!dreu. As the management of those excellent establishments
is necessarily placed beyond the control of the Legislature, it is
oidy by tLe effects of such candid discussiiins that improvements
in them can be effected.
Since the inquiries of your Committee have been extended
to the whole Is:and, they have had reason to conclude, that the
means of educating the Poor are steadily increasing in all con-
siderable towns as well as in the metropolis. A circular letter
has been addressed to all the Clergy in England, Scotland, and
Wales, requiring answers to;queries, of which a copy will be
found in the Appendix. It is impossible to bestow too much
commendation upon the alacrity shewn by those Reverend per-
sons is complying with this requisition, and the honest zeal
which they displayed to promote the great object of universal
education, is truly worthy of the pastors of the people, and the
teachers f that Gospel which was preached to the poor.
Your Committee have lost no time in directing and superin-
tending the work of digesting the valuable information contained
in the Returns, accoMiag to a convenient plan, which will put
the House in posamsion of all this information in a tabular form.
They have received important assistance in this and the other ob-
jects of their inquiry, from two learned Barristers, Mr. Parry,
and Mr. Koe of the Court of Chancery, who have devoted much
of their time to the subject.
It appears clearly from the Returns, as well as from the other
sources, that a very great deficiency exists in the means of edu-
cating the Poor, wherever the population is thin, and scattered
over country districts. The efforts of individuals combined in
societies are almost wholly confined to populous places.
Another point to whfcb it is material to direct the attention of
Parliament, regards the two app 'site principles, of founding
schools for children of all sorts, and for those only who belong :o
the Established Church. Where the means exist of erecting two
schools, one upon each principle, education is not checked by
the exclusive plan being adopted in one of them, because the
other may comprehend the children of sectaries. In places where
only one school ;an be supported, it is manifest that any reguLs-
tions which exclude Dissenters, deprive the Poor of that body
of o'd means of education.

out Committee, however, have the greatest satisfaction in
obsirwirg, that in many schools u here the national system Is
adopted, an increasing degree of liberality prevails, .nd that the
church catechism is only taught, and attendance at the established
place of public worship only required, of those whose parents be-
long to the establishtm.nt ; due assurance being obtained that the
children of seztaries shall learn the principles and attend the or-
dinances of religion, according to the doctrines and forms to
which their f.uniLes are attached.

It is wi:h equal. pleasure that your Committee have found rea-
son to conclude, that the Roman Catholic pour are anxious to
avail themselves of those Pretestart Schools established in their
nidglibeurhood, which no catechism is taught ; and they in-
dulge a hope, that the Clergy of that persuasion may offer no dis-
couragement to their attendance, more especially as they appear,
in one instance, to have contributed to the support of schools,
provided that no cuctisisni was taught, and uo religious obser-
vances exacted.

Your C'oenntitttv are happy In being able to state, that in all
the returns, and in all the other information laid before them,
there is the most amiticstionable evidence that the anxiety of
the poor for eCFJcsrion continues not only unabated, but daily in-
creasing ; that it extends to every part of the country, and is to
be found equally prevalent in those smaller towns and country
districts, where c•l means of gratifying It are provided by the
charitable efforts ci the richer classes.

In humbly su;,;:s•!rg what is fit to be done for promoting
Universal Educatior, your Committee do not hesitate to state,
that two different plans are advisable, adapted to the oppbsite
circumstances of the town and country districts. Wherever the
efforts of individuals can support the requisite number of schools,
:t would be unnecessary and injurious to interpose any Parlia-
mentary assistance. But your Committee have clearly ascer-
tained, that In many places private subscriptions could be raised
to meet the yearly expenses of a school, while the original cost
of the undertaking, occasioned chiefly by the erection and pur-
chase of the schocl.liouse, prevents it from being attempted.
Your Committee conceive. that a sum of money might be well
employed in supplying this first want, leaving the charity of in-
dividuals to furnish the annual pros ision requisite for continuing
the school, and possibly for repaying the advance.
Whether the money should be vested in Commissioners, em-
powered to make the fit terms with the private parties desirous
of establishing Schools, or whether a certain sum should be in-
trusted to the two great Institutions in London for promoting
Education, your Committee must leave to be determined by
the wisdom of Parliament.
In the numerous districts where no aid from private exertions
can be expected, and where the poor are manifestly without
adequate means of instruction, your Committee are persuaded,
that nothing can supply the deficimcy but the adoption, under
certain material modifications, of the Parish School system, so
usefully established in the Northern part of the Island, ever
epee the latter part of the 17th century, and upon which many
important details will be found in the Appendix.
The modifications will be dictated principally by the necessity
of attending to the distinction, already pointed out, between
districts where private charity may be expected to furnish the
means of education, and those where no such resource can be
Ilooked to; and the Tables subjoined to this Report, will afford
important lights on this subject. It appears further to your
Committee, that it may be fair and expedient to assist the
Parishes where no School-houses are erected, with the means
of providing them, so as only to throw upon the inhabitants the
bortiten of paying the Schoolmaster's which ought cer-
tainly not to exceed .024 a year. It appears to your Committee,
that a sufficient supply of Schoolmaster may be procured for
this sum, allowing them the benefits of taking scholars who can
afford to pay, and permitting them, of course, to occupy their
leisure hours in other pursuits. The expense attending this In-
' valuable system in Scotland, is found to be so very trifling,
that it is never made the subject of complaint by any of the
Landholders.

Your Committee forbear to inquire minutely in what manner
this syr•em ought to be connected with the Church Establish-
ment. That such a connexion might to be Grated, appears

elfest L ;tatted ty a retard to the prtereayt
of Loth systems, and in rhodaud (1w teo are mutual
together. But a difLulty arises in England, which
found there. The great boey of the llissentet
fish Church differ hide, it at all. in doctrine froniti
mem; they are separated only by certain opinions o
rather than a relit loos nature, respeedng the right o
and by some shades of distinction as to church
to pa
•
they may conscientiously aend their children to pi
connected with the Establishment, said terse
In England the cue is widely different; ard it il ails
pp
Committee essentially necessary thatclimes clime full considered in devi.ine the arraneemettr d Tht
place the choice of the Schoolmaster in the P.aish
jcct to the approbation cf the Parson, aril the
Diocesan ; but to provide that the children d q ce
not be compelled to learn any Catsehistrt, &mad ;
other than those of their parents, menu to r.r,
safest path by which the Legislature can Kire
dyable objects of security to the Ests.b:Litniet,,„,th;
and justice to the Dissenters on the when.
The more extended inquiries of your C.,:re,!,te,
have amply ccuf.rmed the opinion which a p 4,1,
ration had led them to form two years ago, tpot
abuse of Charitable Funds connected ehy
muse refer to the Appendix and the Tibia,. T
portant details of this branch of the sub eu; bet
that although in many cues those large lend, rpi
been misapplied through ignorance,to., 4,m0,,
carelessness, yet that some instaec.s of aNsse e,
themselves, of such a nature, as wound Lee
commend, at an earlier period of the SAlfte, elk
of proceedings for more promptly checking
beth in the partkutar cases, and by the forts 0, t:
ample. From the invertigatious of the Cutrue
be issued under the authority of an Art ot fsfa
advantage may be expected ;—t's.l though
come your Committee to anticipate the =razor
it c
wisdom of the Legis'ature may ad'ept in cer:•tryr Inquiries, with a view to provide a spu:dy ate Mot
for the evil than the ordinary tribw,.4 of M. cr.
yet your Committee cannot raid la::: .r, eta
and publication of the a-xis:hip ,bs: -xi." a
in leading the parties concert rd correa tne-•
the apprehension of the inquiry ah,eat to h '
mean time produce a similar eft rt.
As the Universities, Publi. &hoot.. and rot
dal visitors, are exeuipted from Oft jurictlic;'•
InissiOntri, your Conunittee have ben, e
several of those Insututiuns; the result of te.ei.
be fount: in the Appendix. It :Inquestis.uaEy
4derr.ble unauthorier: ti,.vlatkats have beta retie,
and Winchester, from the original plans of the fo
those deviations have hem diatattd more by a rep
terests of the Fellows dial of the Scholar. nay,
object of the foundatiuns ar.d of the futi.l.i.•
although iu some respects they have !seine
whole to the Inukutions, !Pet the! tier hay.
encroachments In former times, cm....d toe fa..
While, therefore, your Committee readir,„r
Fellows elan blame In this reapers. the; emote
expectation that they will seize the opporTure7
inquiry, of doing themselves inner by cor.-tainy
that have crept in, as far as the real interests cr the
MM. may appear to re quire it. If, too, there I
similar errors in the Univers:On, which have cot Orel
your Committee willingly Batter themselves that te
taken to correct them, by the widen. and heel-Err c
respectaLle person, to whose hands the crica:ros ef
bodice are committed.

I •sik6l

1 '4,

Your Committee are fully persuaded, that r.
gime and abuses exist in Charities which base RC
indeed. it so happens, ti.ot the were inmate %hid
met with belongs' to this class; and that ne
was exercised, until a few aunts ago. altir-rpiltir
dons had existed for many years. T. this rat'rct rb
beg ler.Ye to request the speedy atter-Arr. cf Pirtiau-or
It further appears to Tent Cont-idec, that a. d
sion about to be issued w3l be cur.f.ovi to the int
abuses, and as the ir.fornuttiee, in the Fornehial Le
sufF.ciently detailed re4ecting the r. to r! FAiuwir
a Commission should also be lei tc, cAer u-e'er
Parliament, or by means of an ~..cidren tc the Crn
purpose of supplying this defect.

In the course of their itupthies, Ccm-2ttee
dentaUy observed that c►aritable funds, coward
tion, are nut alone liable to greet abusrs. nig
malversation appears to base prevaila in all other
and although• your Committee have no authority, t
struetiao, to investigate the matter, and to rrp..“
they should deem themseiv...s wanting in their dun
not to give this notice of so important a =Vet,
forced upon their attention.

The prorogation of Parliament is expects
place to-morrow, in which case the Disoi
be proclaimed on Thursday or Friday.
clamation for this psi was signed by!.':
REGENT on Saturday last. Tais Proclami
the usual terms, and the writs are rcun
Wednesday, the Ist day of July next.
A similar Proclamation has been signe
election of the sixteen Peers of Scotland, w!
take place at Holyrood House, in Edinhi
Saturday, the 20th day of June instant.
Tux Quitex.—The answer to the incuirr
Queen's Palace yesterday, as to the state tf
iESTY• was—" The Quers has had a goc
" and is much better to-day." In the eve
MAJESTY rude out in her gardca for an b
tween six and seven o'clock.

Yesterday evening the Patscr rti.:;ENT 1
the performance of the Philharmonic Sot::
his presence for the second time. A 1.,0x in t
of the Argyll Rooms was reserved 1:-4. the al
dation of his Royal Highness's Party.
The Duke and Duchess of CAuzatnot,
Landgr.tve of HEssr-CAsszt., with their a,
visited Covent Garden Theatre last night.
received by the audience with cnthusiast:c
applause. God save ge Kos being at the
played, and sung with great effect.

DRURV-LA NE THEATRR.—A genoral NI
the Proprietors was yesterday held at tl.is
Sir THOMAS TURTOW in the Chair, for ire p
receiving the Report of the Special Coin
After hearing the Report, it was unarirr
solved that the Theatre should not be c
open longer than was absolutely
the usual benefits to yerformers, rn'.ess F.
were willing to take on themselves the rr
during the remainder of thc usu tl se..l;ccn
attempt to open the Theatre next se..con.
previous arrangement with the creJr,.r., 14J
able; that if such arrangerr.:n: c uIJ be
was expedient to raise the same or WAX):
the system of managemen: shauid Re cicaai
a person properly qualified should be hunts
the sole management of the Theatre du
ensuing season, subject only to the revisic
pecuniary arrangements by a Coign—ice n
the Proprietors.
VAUXHALL GARDENS Were opened
ing for the first time this season .to the great c
nearly seven thousand spectators. The Gan
beautifully illuminated and decorated. The(
was filled by a body of able musicians, v
instrumental. Between the Acts of the co-
dame and Mademoiselle SAnnt perforrnec
tight-rope; and during the fire-works, Nladar
made her astonishing ascent on a rope
inclined rlaac to a height of sixty feet!