The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-27 00:00:00

TILE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

REV. F. CLOSE.
THE NEW TRAINING COLLEGE AT

CHELTENHAM.

Before this comes into the bands of the greater part of
our readers, the subject will have been explained by the
Rev. Mr. Close himself to the friends assembled to meet
him, at the breakfast announced for this morning at the
Adelphi. But as many more of those interested in the
subject of national education, through the instrumentality
of our national church, may be expected to attend the
meeting at the Concert-hall this evening, than could
make it convenient to be present in the morning, we
deem that a word or two may not be out of place in the
meantime, were it only to account for the apparent
anomaly of asking Liverpool, already burdened with the
weight of numerous, and some of them insufficiently sup-
ported, educational establishments herself, to contribute
towards the erection of an additional one in Cheltenham.
First of all, though Cheltenham happens to be the site,
the operations are designed to be national, of the insti-
tution projected, at this moment, and for some time past,
actually in operation, but still requiring something to-
wards its final completion, by the Rev. Mr. Close.
The two great educational bodies in the country, are the
National Society, representing the Church, and the
" Lords Committee of Council on Education," represent-
ing the country at large. The importance of training
schools is felt and acknowledged; and the Committee of
Council are willing to give every encouragement to the
establishment of such schools, and are most liberal in the
amount of grants ready to be bestowed, when the party
making application for them is able to satisfy the condi-
tions required by the Committee, in order to the perma-
nancy of the institution, and its efficiency towards pro-
moting the object for which it is designed. Besides the
training schools in London, in connexion with the Na-
tional Society, and thus aided by government, there are
but two other Diocesan Training Schools, we believe,
through the entire kingdom, established on a similar
footing. This is manifestly insufficient for the increasing
demands of the Church throughout the kingdom; especially
when it is borne in mind, that these schools must ere long.
from their superior excellence, enloy the monopoly of sup-
plying masters and mistresses for the whole church. No
master, after a while, will, or ought to, have a chance of
employment, but one trained in one of those accredited
institutions.

A series of circumstances, that will be detailed by Mr.
Close at the meeting, led to the formation of a school by
him in his own parish of Cheltenham, of a something
higher character, and on a somewhat larger scale, designed
to supply masters and mistresses to the Church schools in
the neighbourhood, or through the diocese. This led to
the present effort, when the ministers of the privy council
held out the hope of sanction and encouragement. A sum,
however, of £12,000 was required for the erection of suit-'
able buildings, &c., &c., and an annual subscription list,
of a specified amount, in order to the school being taken
into connection by the committee of council. This latter
is nearly complete, and, by means of the subscriptions
already received, the schools are now partially in operation.
During the iastyearMr.Close, with untiring perseverance,
has succeeded in raising £6,000 ; the committee of council
have promised £4,000 ; leaving the work incomplete until
£2,000 additional be forthcoming. Birmingham, Brighton,
Bath, Bristol, Clifton ,Worcester. &c., &e., have responded
generously, and now the appeal is to be made to Liver-
pool, which has hitherto taken a lead, and whose zeal has
provoked many. We have no doubt that the meeting will
be well attended ; and we hope that, notwithstanding the
pressure of the times, and the other numerous demands,
a suitably generous response will be rendered to this appeal
on behalf of an object so important. The Rev. Dr.
M`lsTeile takes the chair, which is in itself a sanction suffi-
cient to the objecti of the meeting.
We perceive that Mr. Close is also to preach in St.
Barnabas' Church, Parliament-street, on Wednesday
evening, when, doubtless, he will be greeted by a nu-
merous and attentive congregation. His efforts certainly
deserve the amplest measure of success.