Star.
London, England, 1816-07-16 00:00:00

PAIGE SEVEN7PSNCR.

when the plan was borel.. than at present. He con-
ceived that if the Government were to provide school.
rooms, the current expenses might he defined ber.
penny a week from each child. Such a grant would
be so great an encotragement to the system, that the
subscriptions would increase as well as the general
zeal for superintendence which he consi,!ered very
important.
Mr. J. Meows, master of the Foundation School
in Whitechaps.l Road, gave an account of the fund's
and nature of that establishment. It vas founded and
endowed in I (PO, by the Rev. Ralph Davenanr, for 60
boys and 4,ogirls • it was supported •by funded pro.
perty and subscriptions. The children are clothed and
taught. The master's salary is £100; the matron's,
; the expense of books, itso ; of clothes, £3lO.
About seven years ago the school was increased Irani
100 to 200 boys. The witness stated, that the school
could not educate a greater number, unless it were
rebuilt. He did not know of any thing to compel
the plan of clothing the children. The mahagers of
'the Charity were the Rcctor, the Treasurer, and 13
others, who chose their successors. Since the esta-
blishment, of a large school (Mr. Siinkin's) in the
neighbourhood, there had not been so many unedus
cared children as there were formerly.
Mr. J. G. WiLsoo, master of the Parish Schein)
St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, in Heilmings's.row, state
d
that thii school was established in 1699 by the Vicar, at
the instigation of the inhabitants. It was supported by
annual subscriptions, benefactions, collections frond
charity sermons, and funded property. The whole in.
come last year was little more than 011200,0 f Whlcl) the
inccinie Freon funded property was between 70 and i6BO.
The school educated 80 boys and 40 girls. The boys
were also clothed: they were taught reading, wining,
and arithmetic: the girls plain work. The expenses
were nearly equal to the receipts. The master had 100
guineas a-year ; the matron 30 guineas. The boys
were taken from distressed people in the parish, and
the girls were daughters of those who had paid parish
rates : they were recommended by subscribers, and
obliged to conform to the discipline of the Church.
The witness conceived horn the manner in which the
school was established (there being no charter), that
there was nothing which obliged the Governors to
clothe and board the,children. The old mode ef
teaching was practised : the boys were kept front 8 till
114, the girls from 8 till 15, When the boys were ap-
prenticed out, and the girls sent to household service.
J. FLETCHER, Esq stated that helad lived in Shad.
well 20 years, and was engaged in the foundation of
a society for the purpose of promoting the education
'of the poor in that neighbourhood, called the British
Union School. The plan extended to the parishes of
Wapping, St.Geerge's, Middlesex, Limeh..use, Shad-
well, and to the hamlet of Ratcliffe, which contained,
he supposed, at least 100,000 people. In that popu.,
lesion only 18,000 children were educated ; what pro.
portion they bore to the population lie did not knote.
There were ISO boys and 180 gills clothed and edu-
cated in the parochial class cohnected with the Church
of England. There were two National Schools, in
Which were 609 children ; six Charity Schools of the
Dissenters maintained 467 children, who were all
clothed. In the Catholics' Sihoel were lOS children,
of whom 84. were clothed. The East London Or-
phan Asylum boarded, clothed, and educated 5 boys
and 21 girls. There were likewise 2549 children.
educated in Sunday Schools in she .Efferent parishes.
Among the lower orders, there were a great many
Irish. The Roman Catholic Clergyman had informed
him, that there were 14.00 persons bdongi,o; to the
Chapel : almost the whole of them %vete cif-
cuinstances. The children were very badly off in re-
spect of education only the 108 he had mentioned
were educated; though it was possible there might be
some in the National and Dissenting Schools ; but
there could not be many. Under certain restrictions
the Irish would not have any objection to have their
children educated, but they would not allow them to
go into any of the schools at present established. The
charity schools which he had spoken of were not full:
the reason he conceived to be want of funds, there
being no indisposition in the poor to send their chil.
drew ; en the contrary, in 'the Shad well Walk School,
there were 50 children, and 71 were on the nomina-
tion list, waiting for admission. The old method of
teaching was used in all the schools, except the Na-
tional Schools, in Ratcliffe add Limehouse. In some
cases he imagined the wantof clothing would prevent
parents frons *Arlin their children, even if free
schools were established. The habits of the lower
orders, in tbittodistrict were -very dissolute : the chit.
.reawere-in a Most depraved state. The poorest
classes had generally-families. The Irish, partial-
larly.,inolotne roiMir, had two or three families living
in a condition, which it was impossible to describe.
They earned much money when they were at
work, but their employment was casual, depending
on the arrival of- ships. They worked by task,
and could get-any. sum they pleased by exertion.
—A. good workman might make from los. to 20s. a
day : .the Average might be taken at Ss. or 10s. but
This was perhaps for only one or two days in the
week, when the coal ships were in. When they were
not occupied, they walked abedt- and drank—they
found is necessary to dila muck when they were at ,
work; the quantity they drank was very great, they
frequently drank almost all they carped. They were •
not provident, but. there was a %ming bank about to
be established, front which, when coupled with edu.
cation, he anticipated great. improvement in the ma
rah of the people. If schools were established in the
district, he did hot think there was any risk, that the
children would be taken from them to send them
beggihg there was but little begging in that district.
The new establishment, which witness was employed
in instituting, *as intended to accommodate 1000.
In the district he had spoken of, was a foundation
called Rhine's hospital,•Which clothed, educated, and
gave -a
marriage portion of £lOO with 30 girls. The
funds were low at present, having consisted of kale.
hold property. The discipline of' the Church was used
in it ; the girls were taken from the parish;

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