the Christian and the statesman, since it needs beyond all other classes the help of those who stand above it. The promoters felt that here, where the poor are collected in such large numbers and within so small an area, something more was needed to improve their condition than the machinery of ordinary ragged schools. Such schools are sometimes useful pioneers in preparing the way for a better system and gradually fitting the lowest classes to mingle on a level of equality with those immediately above them in their own station. But some more powerful and permanent agency was necessary to lay hold at once of such a population when it consisted of several thousands, and when the object was, to teach the grave duties of life as they ought to be taught. It was determined therefore to erect schools of such size and completeness, and to maintain them in such thorough efficiency as would secure even to the poorest as good an education as can be brought within the reach of any; and (though no compulsion will be used to give religious instruction to which parents may object) our purpose is to make the children Christians, and to fit them to do their duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to call them. With this design the promoters represented the wild condition of these children, and their inability to attend the existing schools to the Lord President of the Council; and on his lordship's recommendation, the Committee of Council on Education was pleased to vote an extraordinary grant of two-thirds of the expenses of erecting a new building for the purpose of extending the benefits of education to the poorest class. These aditional schools are those your Royal Highness will pronounce opened to-day, erected at the cost of £8,500. and capable of accommodating 1,000 children. The total sum thus expended in school buildings in this district amounts to upwards of £18,000, and accommodation is provided for 2,500 scholars. To these schools the poorest class will be admitted for the small fee of a penny per week; and even this is asked of them only because we de not consider our work complete unless we can induce the parents to show in some substantial manner an interest in the welfare of their children. And now all classes in this neighbourhood will have the benefit of a sound education. In the evening lectures will be given on subjects of a religious as well as educational character. Å reading room will be opened and adults will be taught to read. Thus, sir, we anticipate from this day new light will dawn upon this poor and almost unknown district, and that it may be henceforward pointed at as a model of what may be done by the exercise of perseverance and good intentions. And we hope that what has been accomplished here, and has now received the sanction of your Royal Highness will lead other districts to follow the example, and other men of rank and station to foster the good work. In conclusion, sir, we beg once more to tender our best thanks to your Royal Highness for the honour you have conferred upon us in consenting to inaugurate these schools. Now allow us to add that while we offer up our prayers to Almighty God, beseeching him to bless the work of our hands upon us, we shall not fail to pray also that you may long be spared, to be a comfort to our Sovereign Lady the Queen, and to further with your countenance and support those works of benevolence with which your name is now, and has long been, identified in the mind of every Englishman. THE PRINCE'S REPLY. Mr. Rogers and Gentlemen promoters and supporters of these schools, I thank you heartily for your kind and cordial welcome. I rejoice at the opportunity which has this day been afforded to me of visiting this noble establishment. My satisfaction in doing so is increased by the circumstance that my visit occurs at a period of its existence when the state of useful development to which by your exertions it has attained is about, by a continuance of the same exertions, to receive a still wider extension. In the progress of these schools, struggling I may say from the most lowly and humble beginnings up to their present noble dimensions, we find a striking exemplification of the divine truth, that the principle of good once sown is not destined to lie dormant, but that like the grain of mustard seed, it is calculated to extend and develope itself in an ever increasing sphere of usefulness. And we may confidently hope that what you have now effected, following this universal law, will not be limited in its results to the immediate objects, of your charitable exertions; but that it will prove the means of diffusing untold blessings amongst remote generations. For you, Mr. Rogers, who have been mainly instrumental, and at great personal sacrifices in bringing about this great good; and for those who have stood by you and contributed by their support to the success of your efforts, there can, I am sure, be no higher source of gratification than the contemplation of our own work. The reflection that you have been the instrument under divine providence of conferring upon the poor and needy of this district that greatest of all boons-the means of obtaining for their children the blessings of education and of religious instruction, without which any lasting success in life or any permanent amelioration of their lot would seem hopeless. And still further, the feeling that this inestimable blessing will be secured, and in a yet higher degree, to their children's children, will carry with it its own best reward. Still it will be a source of legitimate pride and satisfaction to you to know that your labours have not been unobserved, but that your noble and Christian-like exertions to benefit those who cannot help themselves, have attracted the notice and admiration of your Sovereign, and of those who are deputed under Her, to watch over and promote the education and moral welfare of Her people. The means which you have adopted to effect your work of benevolence appear no less deserving of commendation than the object itself. You have not been content with the bare attempt to force perhaps upon unwilling recipients a boon, the value of which might not be appreciated, but you have wisely sought to work upon the convictions and natural feelings of the parents of the children you wished to benefit, by extending your assistance to those only who by a small contribution out of their hardly-won earnings, have proved that they are awake to the sense of the vast importance it is to their offspring that the means of being fitted to pass successfully through life, and by honest industry to better their worldly condition, should be brought within their reach. It is a source of high personal gratification to me that I have been enabled by my presence here this day, and by that of the Prince of Wales, to mark not only my own appreciation of your labours, but also the deep interest which the Queen takes in the well being of the poorest of her subjects, and that gratification will be greatly enhanced if by this public expression of the sympathy of the Queen and of Her Family and Government, this noble cause shall be still further advanced. Most earnestly do I pray that the same success which has hitherto blessed your labours, may continue to attend your future progress, and that your example may stimulate other localities to emulate your useful efforts. EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.-A conference of the friends of the education of the working classes, on the "early age at which children are taken from school," will be held in London on the 26th, 27th, and 28th of May, 1857. The first meeting of the conference will be held at Willis's Rooms, on Tuesday, the 26th, when the chair will be taken by at three o'clock. On the second day of its meeting (Wednesday, the 27th,) the conference will be divided into four sections, each to meet at twelve o'clock. SECTION A. Chairman: The Lord Bishop of Oxford.-Secretary: The Rev. F. Watkins. To inquire into the fact of the alleged early r moval of children from school in the agricultural, manufacturing, and mining districts of England, Scotland, and Wales; and to inquire into the causes of such early removal and its results. SECTION B. Chairman: Lord Littelton. To institute similar inquiries in respect to the education of Foreign Countries. SECTION C. Chairman Sir James Kay Shuttleworth, Bart. To consider the expedients which have been proposed for keeping the children of the "working classes" longer at school; under the heads of- FIRST, CERTIFICATE SCHEMES. In respect of which are to be considered 1st. The circumstances under which the certificates are to be granted. (a) The authority which is to grant them. (b) The qualifications of those who are to receive them. 2ndly. The means of giving effect to the certificates when granted. (a) By pledges from the employers of labour that they will give a preference to those candidates for their employment who hold the certificates. (b) By seeking out suitable situations for the holders of certificates, and watching over their interests when so employed; and with that view establishing corresponding committees in town and rural districts. SECONDLY, PRIZE SCHEMES. In respect to which are to be considered 1st. How the prize fund is to be raised. Whether by subscriptions to a common fund, or by local subscriptions applied for the benefit of the locality where, or the religious community by which, they are raised? 2ndly. The conditions under which the prizes are to be awarded. (a) By what authority? (b) With what qualifications, as to age, character, and attainments. (e) By what means the qualifications are to be determined? 3rdly. The nature of the prizes. (a) Whether money prizes; (b) Apprentice premiums; or (c) Books, clothes, tools, &c. &c. ? Chairman: SECTION D. Secretary John Thackeray Bunce, Esq, To inquire into the merits of such other expedients as shall be proposed for the consideration of the conference, and particularly those known as HALF-TIME SCHEMES. Being schemes for the occupation of children half their time at school, and half at labour; the same arrangement being proposed to be made by parents and employers voluntarily, as under the provisions of the Factory Bill is made (in respect to certain children) compulsory. In respect to which are to be considered 1. What are the times to be prescribed for the attendance of the children at school— certain hours of each day, or certains days of each week? 2. Whether the time at school ought to be equal to the time at work, or less or more than it? 3. Whether a portion of the school time may be taken in the evening? 4. Whether the appeal in favour of the half-time scheme should be addressed to the parents or the employers of the children? The FINAL MEETING of the conference will be held at eleven o'clock on Thursday, the 28th, at Willis's Rooms. A summary of the proceedings of the sections will be laid before this meeting, and resolutions will be proposed to it founded thereon. The discussion of every subject will be preceded by the reading of a paper on that subject before one of the sections. Gentlemen proposing to read papers are requested to communicate with the Honorary Secretaries at the earliest possible opportunity. A subscription of one guinea has been opened, to defray the expenses of the conference. Subscriptions are received by the Honorary Secretaries, and may be remitted to them by Post Office Orders, payable at the Charing Cross Office. The following Noblemen and Gentlemen have promised their support to the proposed conference, or have expressed in general terms their approval of it : The Rev. E. Chapman, M.A. The Right Hon. Lord John Russell, M.P. The Bishop of London The Bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Bath and Wells The Bishop of Lincoln The Bishop of Salisbury The Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol The Lord Littleton The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P. The Honourable and Rev. S. Best The Honourable and Rev. G. M. Yorke Sir Stafford Northcote, Bart. Sir J. P. Kay Shuttleworth, Bart. The Dean of Bristol The Dean of Hereford The Venerable Archdeacon Sinclair Sir Thomas Phillips The Rev. Canon Anderson The Rev. Canon Fry The Rev. Canon Girdlestone The Rev. Canon Lonsdale The Rev. Canon Richson The Rev. Prebendary Guthrie EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION PRIZE The Rev. Norman M'Leod, Glasgow The Rev. Henry Wilkinson Edward Baines, Esq. Leeds J. H. Markland, Esq. D.C.L. Hugh Seymour Tremenheere, Esq. E. D. Wilks, Esq. SCHEME.-The following is an excel lent Prize Scheme as agreed to at the committee meeting of the Birmingham School Association, held on the 31st March. QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES. Third Class (Lowest) Prize. 1.-Boys or girls (not being pupil teachers or paid monitors) who can produce certificates that they have attended for one year, and are still attending any public elementary school within the borough of Birmingham, and who can also produce certificates of good conduct and character. 2. These prizes being intended for the children of the industrial classes, the committee reserve to themselves the right of defining what schools shall be eligible to send candidates, Second Class (Middle) Prize. 3. Candidates for the second class must produce certificates that they are attending school, and have attended for two years; and they must produce the same certificate of conduct as the third clase. First Class (Highest) Prize. 4.-Candidates for the first class must produce certificates that they are attending school, and have attended for three years; and must produce the same certificate of conduct as in the former classes. 5. In the case of girls, certificates of a knowledge of needlework (sewing) will, in each class, be required in addition to the other qualifications. 6.-No child can compete for the second (or middle) prize, without having previously obtained the third (or lowest) prize, or a certificate of commendation; nor can any child compete for the first (or highest) prize, without having previously obtained the second and third prizes, or corresponding certificates. The third prize will be confined to children under eleven years old, the second prize to children under thirteen years old, and the first prize to children under sixteen years old. 7.-For the present and next year (1857-8,) the preceding clause will be modified, so as to allow properly qualified candidates to compete for prizes in the three classes. 8.-A year's attendance at school will, throughout this scheme, be understood to mean that the scholar has attended not less than 176 days in the year. In computing the 176 days, two half days, whether morning or afternoon, may be reckoned as a day, but Sunday attendances will not be counted in. 9.-The certificates of attendance and moral character must be signed by the teacher of the school, and countersigned by the minister of religion to whose place of worship the school is attached, or by the managers of the school. 10.-If a child moves from one school to another, certificates must be produced from each school attended during the period for which attendance is required. In cases of change of school, the aggregate attendance will be counted as attendance within this rule, provided the committee are satisfied that sufficient reason is shown for such change. SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION. 11-3rd Class, (lowest :) Candidates must read fluently; write from dictation; spell correctly; work the first four rules of arithmetic, simple and eompound; answer questions on the map of England. 12.-2nd Class, (middle :) Candidates must read fluently; write from dictation; work the four first rules of arithmetic, and reduction, proportion, and practice; answer questions on the map of Europe; parse an easy sentence. 13.—1st Class, (highest:) Candidates must answer questions in arithmetic generally; in geography, (general outline ;) in English grammar; and on the outlines of English history. 14.-Religious Knowledge: Candidates will be examined in various portions of the Holy Scriptures to be fixed from year to year by the Board of Examiners. This part of the examination will be conducted (if required) by an examiner or examiners of the denomination to which the school belongs. SPECIAL PRIZES. 15-Individuals will be allowed to offer special prizes for the following subjects, subject to regulation by the committee: Boys and girls-arithmetic, grammar, geography, mechanics, English history, composition, drawing. Girls only-cutting out, sewing, knitting, darning, marking, &c. 16.—No candidate can compete for more than one of the special prizes. NATURE OF THE PRIZES. 17.-Prizes of books or money will be given to each candidate who shall obtain such & proportion of the whole number of marks as shall be fixed from year to year by the committee. Certificates will be given to each candidate who shall obtain a certain lower proportion of marks, to be similarly fixed. MACHINERY OF ADMINISTRATION. 18.-Prize Fund to be raised and kept distinct from the General Fund of the Association. 19-A Board of Examiners, to be appointed yearly by the General Committee of the Association; of these a certain number to be appointed to act as examiners, and the questions framed by them to be submitted to and approved by the whole Board, but this regulation shall not apply to the questions included in clause 14. 20.-Examinations to be conducted entirely on paper. 21.-The first examination will be held early in October next. |