The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-02-13
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL MATTERS.
Night School .for Apprenticss-we are reallv
gratified to find that the Apprentices in the city
are properly appreciating the advantages Of edu.
cation offered them by the Virginia Mechanics In
stitnte, and that they are focking to the Night
school by scores all eager to become pupils This
school opened in the basement room of the Uniyer
salst church last Monday night, and there were
ABOUT secenty:fre scholars present. Mr.. c. p. Bur
rus, the teacher, after partially examining their
qualifications, found only SIR in that whole num-
Der who could not read and write and all of them
very Intelligent. The number being much greater
man Mr Burruss expected to zee, and of course
tnan ne could properly Instruct alone, he has been
authorized to procure competent assistants SO that
every boy may receive the necessary attention
10 enable him to progress rapidly with his studies
Ieei instructed to say to all the apprentices
OF the Mechanics Institute-the friends of the
young mechanics-that all who wish to attend the
night school shall have the privilege of doing 80 At
any cost II the present roomfs not large enough
to accommodate them, other rooms and other teach.
ers will be procured at once regardless of expense
The great aim and object of the Institute s 10 i'm
prove the mental capacities of the working classes
and its managers will never falter In carving ont
that noble end, while they can find apprentices
willing and ready to receive the blessings OF edu
cation. Then we say to the bows come one
come all, the Institute invites you to come-anti
10 masters. parents and guardians make ycur bows
members OF the Institute and send them to the
Night School at once. Certificates of membership
may be procured at the counting room of the Dis.
patch office, and of Messrs. George s. Loyynes
George Bargamin, Samuel s. Cottrell and Samuel
T. Mitchell. Let no boy delay in making com
in1ncement Time is precious; education is more
valuable to the mechanic than gold Remember
the school Is open every Monday, Wednesday and
Friday nights. and that the best teachers to be had
those who feel deep interest in the prosperity
OF the young mechanics and are willing to make
many sacrifices for their comfort--are in charge Of
the school.
an admirable SAggestioa.-At the last meeting
of the City Council a resolution was adopted "re.
questing the trustees of the I.ancasterian School
to report to the Council whether more economical
plan OF conducting that school may not be adopted,
and whether that school may not be placed upon
the same footing with the primary schools of the
city. Ii we are not misnformed, the Lancaste.
rian School, which has daily average attendance
OF one hundred and sixty scholars, is costing the
city nearly $4,000 per annuIn while the Ward
schools at which the attendance is nearly as great
is costing about $3.50 eaeh-showing an expenii.
ture of means in conducting the Laucasterian
School under tho present system far greater than
the good it accomplishes Ii LOO scholars can be
educated in Monroe Ward at q cost of $500 per
annum, why should $2700 be expended in another
portion OF the city for educating an equal numberf
We have long been under the impression that 1t
would be wise policy in the Council to sell the Lam
casteIiah ouiihbs anu the large iot upon which 1t
stands and have primary ward schools in various
parts of the city. By adopting this policy many
more INDECENT children might he educated than at
present. for less amount of money.
A short time since the Trustees 6 the Lancas-
teran School Wisely recommended the abandon
ment of the high school feature of their institution
giving ss reason that soon as INDECENT chill
dren became far enough advanced in the primary
schools to enter the high schools, they were put to
trades by their parents and deprived of the priv
fat hsatf artI
high school valueless under its present organiza-
ton. But this does not prove that the city should
not have high school. On the contrary, it only
goes TO show the Importance of establishing high
school TO be taught al nigh, where boys who wish
to improve themselves can do SO, even though
they have to labor all day. We therefore suggest
to the Council the propriety of aiding the Me-
chanies Institute in building up an institution at
once where the highest branches of education NAV
be taught at night, and on such terms as all who
wish to avail themselves of its advantages can do
SO. q tt tt
Concert for the Poor-This entertainment, about
which so much has already been said will take
place at Metropolitan Hall next Friday night and,
Judging from the extensive arrangements now be-
ing made, will prove the grandcst musical treat of
the season. Notwithstanding the efforts that have
been made to relieve the sufferings Of the Poor,
there are now hundreds of helpless women and
children in midst on the point of starvation,
and crying piteously for bread and fuel. At al
every Oh udy the once OF the super
intendent of streets is literally besieged with wo-
men, pleading piteously for fuel TO keep their chill
dren and themselves from perishing with cold The
visitors of the Union Benevolent Society have dones
all that ladies could do to relieve Distress but their
means are now exhausted, and unless the public
refill their treasury, their labor of love must cease
and the destitute must suffer and die. With these
facts before readers is it necessary for us to
urge themto bear in mind the Concert on Friday
night next at Metropolitan Hall. and procure tick
ats2 Strefv ia n a m m nr how who n q
enough spare to purchase ticket. that will not
gladly do so. We know the ladies' one and all
will do their share of this noble work, and trust
that the receipts will be sufficient to spread happi
ness and contentment around many desoiate
hearth.
Feanolf Lnp0stOr.-We often have to notice the
short comings and artful dodges of men, who pre-
fer getting money in any other way than by labor,
but to the credit of the sex, be it said We are SCI
dom called upon to warn our readers against the
dishonest acts of females. For several days past
a woman has been imposing upon onr citizens by
representing herself as delegated by the seeona
Baptist churel, to collect money for the reiief OF
the poor and from all that we can under stand sne
has succeeded in filling her purse pretty Wen. WIN
means obtained by false representafons-ther
fore II is that the public to be on theiook
ont for her when she calls. When woman so
far forgets herself TO stoop TO dishonest acts she
is thon so low in our estimation. that she Is pre-
pared for almost any deed that may be suggested
TO her mind. We have seen several persons who
have been swindlcd by this mpostor, and, in order
to check her operations by letting her know that
she has been discovered and exposed make this
notice. @
7ariag Dags--ff the City Council would inn
pose tax of 50 IS on every dog in the city, and
then fine heavily for permitting their dogs
to GO at large unmuzzled the city woald not only
realizd handsome revenue by the operation, but
citizens would get rid of dangerous annoyance:
A day or two since small boy on Church diii
was badly bitten by a dog In the street, and on
Saturday last child ON Shoekoe Hin had his hand
ireadiully torn by vicious brute.
Importing. We are gratifed TO learn that sir'
John A. Bslyin Is rapidly recovering from the N.
Itiries he received on Monday week, aud hopes are
entertained that he viii soon bo out.
!. The Hastiaes Court was in session until . late
hour yesterday afternoon and disposed Of the foi.
lowing cases
!. Moses Pike, charged with receiving goods know
ing them to have been stolen, was tried and found
Roi gaif,yby the Jury.
Maria Trent, charged with stabbing Martha y
Weaver, was tried and acquitted
Charles Hartman charged with stealing shree
hogs from John r. Clarke. was examined ana sen'
ON 10 the Circuit Court 70 answer ter tssony
The Nsp Tar Bill viii keep the city assessor ~
his assistant busy bosh night aud day. e 49,