The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-11-25 00:00:00

FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
LIVERPOOL RAGGED SCHOOL UNION.

The Liverpool Ragged School Union commenced its
existence in April, 1847, and most of the Ragged Schools
Dave been opened since that period. It must not be
understood, however, that all these, or even the majority
of them, owe their origin to the Union. For whilst it is
true that several of those schools have, directly or indi-
rectly, originated with your committee, yet it has also
frequently been a source of encouragement to observe
aealous friends of the noble cause of Ragged Schools, who
Perhaps scarcely knew of the existence of your Union,
Organising new schools in different parts of the town by
their own self-denying exertions. Most of the schools
now in existence are in connexion with congregations of
the Established Church, the Presbyterian Church in
Ingland, or the Independents ; and it is to be regretted
that other sections of the Church of Christ have not yet,
as distinct bodies, taken up their position in the work ;
but we trust they are alive to its importance, and will
shortly show themselves active in its promotion. In
almost all the Ragged Schools in Liverpool, religious
instruction is given solely from the Bible. In fact, this
Union only affords pecuniary assistance where the Bible
is taught. The schools which have received such aid
from the Union, since its commencement, are the fol-
lowing:—York-street Ragged School, Old Swan Ragged
School, Limekiln-lane Ragged School, Harper-street
Ragged School, Bedford-street Ragged School, Indus-
Sctrial Ragged School, Soho-street; Windsor-street Ragged
hool, St. John's, Hodson-street ; St. Jude's Ragged
School, St. Simon's Ragged School, Gay-street Ragged
School, St. Bartholemew's Ragged School, Clare-street
Ragged School, Gill-street Ragged School, Bedford street
Industrial Ragged School, since removed, and adopted by
Mellon. Mrs. E. Cropper; Edge-hill Ragged School,
-Jordan-street Ragged School, Bedford-street Ragged
Evening School, Shaw's-brow Ragged School.
Your committee having made it a rule to grant no aid
without visiting, and instituting many inquiries as to the
schools making application. which, together with the
various other branches of business of the Union, required
the whole time of some devoted labourer, they, after
touch deliberation and advertising for candidates, ap.
Pointed Mr. James Brennan paid superinteudent ;
to increase his experience before entering upon his duties
in Liverpool, they despatched him to London, that he
blight there visit and carefully inspect the different
schools. Mr. Brennan returned to Liverpool on the 4th
of December last, and has since been actively engaged in
applying the experience thus acquired to promote the
cause of Ragged Schools in Liverpool. There are now
about 2,720 children attending these places of instruction
for the destitute, in which the Bible is taught ; 1,500 of
Whom are at the schools receiving assistance from this
Union.
Liverpool can now assert that she has three Industrial
Ragged Schools—one at 66 and 68, Soho-street, for boys
and girls; another at 24, Park-street, supported by the
lion. Mrs. B. Cropper; and a third, which has recently
been opened for girls, in High Park-street, under the
Management of a committee of ladies residing in the
Vicinity. It is most pleasing to your committee to be
%bleto announce, that there have been, during the last
Year, many instances of well-grounded hopes of saving
conversion to God amongst the scholars of some of the
Ragged Schools.