Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-12-26
THE2ANTI-SLAVERYI BUGLE

that sort Of school--and | have seen o great many
such in these latter timcs-whcre the bright child
ish Imagination is utterly discoura rec, and where
those bright childish faces-which it is so very
good for the wisest among us to Remember in after
life, and when the world is too much with us, errly
and la'e-are gloomily and Rrimly scared out Of
countenance: where | have never seen among the
pupils, whether boys or girls, anything but little
parrots and small calculating machines. Loud
cheers.) Again, | don't by AIRY means like schools
in leather breeches, and with mortified baskets for
bonnets, which fs along tho streets in long melan-
Icholy rows under the escort Ol that surprising
British monster-a beadle (grcat laughter whose
system Of instruction, | am afraid, too often pre-
SCENTS that happy union of sound with sense ofwhichl
a very remarkable instance is given in a grave re-
port of n trustworthy schoo; inspector to the effect
that "A boy, in great repute at school Tor his learn
ing, presented on his slate, as one OF the command
ments, the perplexing prohibition, Thou shalt not
commit doldrum.' (Laughter.) Ladies and gem
ltlemen, | confess also that / don't like those
schools, even though the instruction given in them
be grdtuitous, where those sweet little voices which
ought to be heard when speaking IN very different
accents, anathematize by rote any human being who
does not hold to what is taught there. Lastly, !
do not like, and | did not like some years g o,chcap
distant schools, where neglected children pine from
year to year under au amount OF neglect want and
youthful misery far too sad even to he glanced at
in this cheerful assembly. And now, ladies and
gentleman, perhaps you vii permit me to sketch
in Il few words the sort Of a school that l do like.
1t is q school established by the members of an
industrious and useful order, which supplies the
comforts and graces of life at every familiar turning
in the road of OUT existence 1t Is n school estab'
llished by them for the orphan and necessitous
children of their own brethren and sister
hood it is q place giving an education worthy
OF them, by them invented, by them conducted,
by them watched over it is a place of educa-
ton where. while the beautiful history of the
Christian religion is daily taught, and while the
lca nf tlot Dipina Tparber who himself took Iiila
children on his knees, is daily studied, no %seetarian
ill-wil nor narrow human dogma is permitted to
darben the face of the clear heaven which they
disclose. 1t is u children's school which is at the
same time, no less n children's home-a home not
to be confded TO the care Ut cold or ignorant stran.
gers, nor, by the nature Of its foundation, in the
course of ages to pass into hands that have as
much natural right to deal with it as with the peaks
of the highest mountains or with the depths of the
sea, but to he from generation to generation ad'
ministered By men living in precisely such homes
as these poo: children have lest-(cheern)-b men
always bent upon making that replacement such
u home ms their dear children might find a happy
refuge in if they themselves wero taken early
away. And | iearlessly ask, is this a design
which has anv claim to your sympathy Is this
a sort of school which is deserving Of your sup.
port? This is the design, this the school, whose
strong and simple claim | have to lay before you
to night. l must particularly entreat you not to
suppose that my fancy and unfortunate habit OF
fiction has anything to DO Win the picture
| have Just presented to you. 1t is a sober mat
ter of fact. The Warehousemen's and Clerks
Schools, established for the maintaining, clothing
and education Of the orphan and neCessitous chill
dren Of those employed in the wholesale trade:
and manufactures Of the Unised Kingdom, are in
fact, what | have Just described. These schools
for both sexes were originated only four years ago
In the first six weeks of the undertaking the young
men, of themselves and quite unaided, subscribing
the large sum Of 10000 pounds. The schools
have been opened only three years. They have
now on their foundation thirty.nine children, anC
in a few days they will have six more, making
total of ~forty-fve. They have been most munif
Gently assisted by the heads of great mercantil,
houses, numerously represented, l am happy t.
say, around me, and they have q funded capital 0
almost Gl4,oOl' This is wonderful progress; bu
the aim must be still upwards, the motto always
Excelsior. You do not need to be told that five
and forty children Gao form but q very small pro
portion of the orphans and necessitous children o
those who have been intrusted with the woholesalt
trades and manufactures Of the United Kingdom
you d. not require to be informed that the house:
at New. cross, rented for a small term Of years, il
which the schools are at present established, car
afford but most i'm perfeot accommodation for suct
a breldth Of design.
TO carry this great work through the two re
naming degrees Of Setter and best there must b.
more work, more cooperation, more friends, more
money. Then he the friends, and give the money
(Cheers.) Before / conclude, there is ono other
feature in these schools which l would commend
to your special attention and approval. Their ben
'efts are reserved for the children Of subscribers
that is to say, it is an essential principle Of the
institution that it must help those whose parents
e. nave helped them, and that the unfortunate chill
es dren whose father has been so lax, or so criminal
ch MS TO Withhold u subscription SO exceedingly small
ms that, when divided by weeks. i. amounts 10 only
threepence weekly, cannot, in justice, be allow.
:. ed to jostle out and shoulder away the happier
children whose father has had that little fore
- thought, or done that little kindness, which va,
requisite to secure for them the benefits Of thu
~. institution. | really cannot believe that ther,
n, will long be any such deiaulting parents. | can
"a not believe that any of the intelligent young mel
~ who are engaged in the : holesale houses will loul
~. neglect this obvious, this easy duty. If they sup
-, pose that the objects Of their love, born or unborn
-, will never want the benefits Of the charity, tina
Wv may Ge a fatal and blind mistate-it can neve
20 be an excuse for, surprising them to be wight i,
aan their anticipation, they should do what is aske,
H. for the sake Of their friends and comrades arount
~ w them, assured that they will be the happier an,
", the better for the deed. Ladies and gentlemen
iyo "' 49, o1 ~ an'LI - ;" uo"o'
rot 49, :, ,tinL Nf
" i mos, heartily wish that / could make you SEE
f' in my stead, the multitude of innocent and bt
80 reayed children who are looking towards thes
i. schools, and entreating. with upliiied hands, I
- be let in. a very famous advocate once said, i
Ia speaking OF his fears Of failure when he ha
~ first to speak in court, being very poor, that h
lelt his little children tugging at his skirts, an
NV that recovered him. viii you think of the nun
~ Der of little children who are Juggling at IN
~ skirts, when | ask you, in their names, on the
~ behalf. and in their little persons, and in II
'ro strength Of my own, to encourage and assist tn
nnr work"
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