The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-09-19 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

PEOPLE ARE SAYING.  That Birkenhead embarked upon a new ideational venture with the opening, on „,,oioday afternoon, of the special school. etch has been erected upon a central site' Clsughtou-road for the instruction of ! wesally and physically defective children. ft is well that apecitl provision should bej lade for this class of children. In Birkenbead until the present time they have lied "spend the elementary schools along with isttnits blessed with a perfection of all ;realties. It stands to common sense that th, ipsttuction of either the one class or the other mart have suffered .Bat iu this special 5-001—a building wtiose inteznal appointhints are More imposing than its external &poi:trance, although that is on a good scale .411 the most recent inventions of modern iience suited to end' work have been proThe training of the children will be esrolled by Miss McDonald, a former t werpool School Board teacher, who has for ,otee time past been engaged in this o„k is Loudon. She will have the assistoho of a specially-selected and, trained - - • - • •  Thst the school, which affords acoommo;Duos for 13) children, was formally opened ▪ tis Mayor (Dr. H. Owen Morris) in the procime of a numerous and interested cornFoy, sm. which Mr. U. A. Sony (the chair,"1-Attention Committee) presided. Mayor delivered a characteristically isterzsting speech. and instructive addressee ai.sa delivered by the Chairman, Dr. gnwer. Mr. T. L. Dodds, and Mr. W. ti. ' kftea. and otherc. The Committee ), sot empowered to spend racrey out of the pas upou feeding the children, and as one ▪ tke •peite,i didiculties which has to be fend in eoune,tion with the work under mli,e is the supplying of the children with good mid-day meal, it is to be hoped, in the luterosta of the children themselves,' j.l, immediately and in the future, that , ladi will interest themselves in the] Satter. and, as has been done in other tow4i. form a D I 1111 e I. Committee.  Thad one of the pleasantest functions held die Mayoralty of Dr. and Mrs. R. Orin MOriii. viz., the children's fancy-dress blh. which came off in March, was suitably tad ;usefully commemorated on Thursday LIU TONI, when a handsome souvenir album tv,tainiug the photographs in cabinet of the ali odd jiranilet. who were present on the enztiou iudiiated was pacaented to the tlyor and hi,. wile. The testimonial was ananged by a small committee, of which Alderman E. G. Mason was chairman, and es-Mayo:, Mr. O. S. Hazlekuret, who 1en4:41 the album to Dr. Morris, lion. secretary and trea•nrer. The Mayor's reply was a feeling one, and there was just a touch of the valedictory in it. He regretted not lading been able to do more good work in tie way of assisting deserving men over atty yews of age into employment. It sees a pity that the powers of men so Zaptael tor doing good work should be baited.  That local Nonconformists are getting may ve.y actively to,. the coming demonitration at tLi Coogregational Rail, Woodchurch-road. in support of passive resistaite. The chief speakers will be Dr. RobertIna Nicoll, editor of the '' British Weekly," ccl known for his championship of :he cause, and the Rey. Robert Lewis. The :tair will be oc7upied by the Rev. Matthew Stanley. who will be supported by many local rooaSters. dud there can be 110 doubt tie a laigely attended meeting will result. attended zneesing will result.  That Wallasey is about to contribute its quota to the passive resistance movement. kor some time the Free Churchmen in the district who have avowed their intention of opposing a rate for the support of the voluntary schools have been preparing themeelvei for the inevitable prosecution. Perham they are not so numerous as in other louns. but they are, nevertheless, as determined and unyielding as any of their fellowobjectors. The overseers of Vclallabey Tillage were the first to take action, serving ummonses on two well-known gentlemer. The eases tame before the Wallasey Policeman at Liscard on Wednesday, and the mart-room was filled with a gathering of Prominent Free Churchmen and ministers, win) displayed the deepest interest in the Progress of the cases.  That there was an absence of any demonstation betor, the magisterial heaiing such as has marked similar proceedings in other dstncts. On the contrary, there wee a de'at Olt the part of the magistrates, the Pollee. the overseers, and those present, to treat the matter in a broad-minded and. P,,ikaPs, sympathetic manner. The magi& trat:s and the overseers had their duty to Perform, distasteful though it may have 14ta, but in the exercise of that duty they ancated a generous indulgence and exhibited a desire to meet, so far as the law allowed them, the objections of the defendants in a frendly and conciliatory audit. The over" 61-14:met1 their common-sense in acceptscch portion of the rate as did not go torardi teaching in voluntary schools. The Bitch also allowed the defendants to state wands of their objection, which was *e in a respectful and considerate manner.  74at the passive resisters in WatLasey ,re d,4rained to die in the last ditch. The Presecution• which took place on Wectuesday fare bad only one effect. They affoeded a selsndici advertisement to a cause which has ,et taken hold of the Noncoriformut life of Ite district as has done in many other r4ees. In future probably more may be • itird °I Passive resisters in Wallasey, for *her the initial prosecution there are.cthers '44 tro willing for COOSCiOUCO sake to go through theordeal at Liscard Police Court. Ilhea the distraint wanner.; are 7:snied end sales take place the .novntrien t will VOW leaPs and bounds.  That the Guardians have not yet got to t4` end of their troubles about Scattered 4"1,1i 'Phe theological difficulty haring "blided, a medical difficulty has sprungllPTuesday the question was discussed qether the district medical officer. should 'ttCOd the children or special medical GSappointed. The Government al> l''me the former; the committee recom"hd the latter; but a majority of the ihardians confirmed the Government view, t'ittlV on economical grounds. That these whose tastes incline to themorbd , ,5" not inconceivably find material .1' their gratification by a trip on the ferry Lancashire which in the course of one los bean the scene of two exciting intilsilta resulting from the determination Sit t'n individuals to commit suicide. In !" the attempt was fortunately frustrubsd, " stemph, chn arrived in time to ,orevent  one.'  the would-be suicide from effecting his purpose. The other case, which occurred on Monday night, was, however, of a very sad character aa. the man diaappeared over the side before any interference was possible on the part of the crew. A singular feature of the case is that the seaman who witnessed this incident and gave the alarm was instrumental in preventing the first attempt at self-destruction.  Wad  That with the approaching winter comes the announcement of the continuation of that very popular form of instruction and entertainment, the "Citizen Social." The programme presents an excellent list of attractive subjects. Sir Elliott Lees,