Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-08
lCoMNUNTcATED.l
WorkiBamen's Literary and Scientific A.
sOciatiOn.


METROPOLITAN HALL, December 7. 1860.
To the Editors afhs Daily Press.
SiRs; Your excellent journal having an
extensive circulation among our working
men, invites me to seek its mediality In
reaching them. 1t is now many months
since writer in the Dial probably the Rev.
Editor, tracing the causes of certain lam
entable catastrophe, did not hesitate to
post both on the debtor side of popular 10.
norance, loudly calling at the same time for
workingmen's night-schools. Though re-
garded the lucubration of which | speak as
unnaturally colored, could not but esteem
the suggestion of night schools for the man
as practical, and, coupled as il was at the
time with high minded, prompt and truly
Christian overt-act unmistakably benevo-
lent. Nevertheless, ] knew we'll that no such
establishment, the Dial could found or regu-
late, would reach even a single member of
the section of our community to which the
writer directed his remarks and as that sec
ton has special claims upon me, and as those
remarks touched chord whose vibrations I
recognize as the familiar music of a brothers.
voice-for this idea had long enlisted all nv
sympathies, exertional as well as sentiment
tall have come to the determination of
doing little, as pioneer, in this new field.
And am happy to inform you, sir, that as
far as | have gone l have met with sympa-
thy, support and success.
Last Monday, Notwithstanding the severity
of the day and evening, our first public lee
ture was greeted by as beautiful meeting
as have yet seen in this city. The lecture-
hall (Gordon's) was filled to the door by
workingmen; several speeches were de-
livered in the best taste, and so respectful
was the attention and so gentlemanly the
decorum, that the falling of pin might have
been heard during the pauses of the speaker.
Spynrol M in, hatr
as members of the night-school, which COM
menced the night following, and is now in
session every evening at Metropolitan Hall.
The Times newspaper, while giving me
credit for purity of motive in this connec-
tion-testimony which l accept thankfully,
because given voluntarily--seems to think
that the want (which Mr.. Conway had COM
planned and which is, thus far, successfully
approached, has been sufficiently met by the
numerous night schools, public and private,
with which (thank God) we are blessed,
taken in connection with the occasional lee
lures at our literary institutions. 1t is al
most impossible for the writer to exaggerate
the good which those establishments are
silently scattering abroad; but here is a
point to fix the gaze upon-if there be among
us hundreds upon hundreds on whose mem
tai fallows one grain of this good seed never
fallsl
PAUSE lOI reply. nefe Is our special
field, and on this special field our special
mission. The more completely those founda-
tions elevate their votaries, the more con-
spicuous will be the distance between them
and the stand-still thousands below.
If supported, it is our fixed desire to make
all our lectures and classes free to the work.
ingmen. AT present we have to charge .fve
cents, but no more, to each person attending
lecture. AT present, also, we can have
but one class-an English grammar-class-
the Uery peculiar manner of instruction en-
ployed in which, is bringing to it a very re-
spectacle and intelligent order of young
men. By-and-by we must have classes in
science conducted upon the same common
sense principle. We employ no books, and
give no tasks to the tongue, but address
ourselves to the understanding, the memory
and the hand.
If you approve of this idea, will greatly
thank you, Mr.. Editor, to give it the in
dorsement of your respectable pen.
Sir 30 TOIIN II