Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]

THE BOY'S RAGGED SCHOOL IN LONDON.

The Ragged Schools of London.

Concluded from page 211.

A report before us says:

Scenes of cruelty and barbarity sometimes occur, even among the female classes. In one class, containing six girls, they quarrelled, and continued fighting until their mouths were literally "filled with blood." The report adds, "The attendance of this latter class is very uncertain; they generally come in gangs, probably at times when they have committed some misdemeanor, to take shelter for a short season, from the hands of justice."

The writer of these remarks visited the Jurston Street School' in 1840, and can testify to the correctness of the above representation.

66

The Ragged School Union" was formed in April, 1844, by a body of Sunday-school teachers connected with various evangelical denominations. In a short time public attention was attracted to the scheme.-Lord Ashley, and several of the nobility expressed an interest in its success. The first report gave a list of 'twenty' schools, having an average attendance of 2000 children, and 200 teachers.

At Windsor, (one of the royal residences,) a 'Ragged School' has been established by a chimney sweep-(himself reclaimed from deep wretchedness,) and he was now overseeing a school of one hundred poor boys and girls, from eight to ten years of age. So great confidence is felt in the plan that at Epping, (a densely populated place,) the sum of fifteen hundred dollars was raised by voluntary subscriptions to open a school. By the last account we have seen, it appears that the number of these schools in or near London, is not less than twenty-six. The average attendance of pupils 2,500, and of teachers 250.

SOME OF ITS RESULTS.

The reports published by these schools are very interesting, and record many cases of good arising from their operation. In the report of a school in St. Giles's, it is stated that 'great improvement has taken place in the general conduct of the scholars. Here there is both a male and a female adult class, a sewing class, and also a place for the scholars to wash before going to school; thirty-five have become depositors to the provident

fund, and thirty-three of the scholars have been either wholly or partially clothed out of another fund for that purpose, and placed in respectable situations during the present year." The intimate knowledge many of the scholars have acquired of the leading truths and doctrines of Christianity, their attention to the instructions imparted by their teachers, the correctness with which the weekly texts have been learned, and their altered behaviour in and out of school, give hopeful indication that much good has been accomplished.

"The school in Jurston Street, Gloucester Street, Westminster Road, has been held every Sabbath evening during the last six years, and through it upwards of 7,000 children and young persons of the most abandoned habits have passed, many of whom have learned not only to read and write, but have become useful and creditable members of society but as the time for instruction is so limited, it is deemed advisable to open a new and separate school near the same locality, as a day-school. Vast numbers of these youths are continually manifesting a desire to attend to instruction, if the time be made to suit their convenience. The following occurs in Gray's Yards report for the past year: One boy, whose conduct as a scholar was formerly very bad, is now a teacher in the school, and a member of a Christian Church; and two others who had been scholars have lately been drafted into the Bible class of a neighboring school of a better kind. Another youth, who was frequently warned of his danger, resolved to forsake his evil companions, and went to reside elsewhere, in order to be out of their way. He is now filling a useful station in society, and gaining an honest living by industry and care.

The plan of a lending library, on a small scale, has been tried in two or three schools, and the results are very encouraging, the books being generally returned regularly and in good order. The committee are anxious to extend this plan, and also to distribute interesting little story-books and tracts amongst the children, especially as they are found frequently to read them aloud to their parents at home. The committee intend likewise shortly to supply Bibles and Testaments, at half-price, to the children. who can read, and they have reason to

believe that many will be thus subscribed for.

6

The committee have not yet been able to carry out their plan of having a place for washing attached to every school, but a paid teacher has been tried at two or three (in order to have the school open several evenings a-week, as well as Sunday), and it has been found to answer very well. It does not appear to discourage or drive away voluntary teachers (who are always welcome,) but at the same time it cannot be disguised, that in general there is a great scarcity of active, zealous, voluntary teachers,' and the usual complaint is, that the children who crowd to the schools, cannot be attended to, or even admitted for want of teachers. Several other schools have it in contemplation to engage a paid teacher for giving week day and evening instructien in reading, writing and accounts, provided the Union can assist in paying a part of the expense, which seldom exceeds £20 to £25 per annum, (say $100). It is hoped that the liberality of the pub. lic will enable the committee to encourage and carry out this plan.

As an example of the class of boys in that neighborhood, the following was carefully made up lately by the Secretary of the Jurston Street ragged school: Number of boys on the school books are not in any regular employment,

Ditto who have been in prison,
Ditto who live by begging,
Ditto without father or mother,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Ditto deserted by their parents, or

run away from them,

Ditto no home to go to,

Ditto no bed to sleep on,

Ditto who cannot read,

140

27

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

41

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Ditto without shoes and stockings,.
Ditto without hat or cap,
Ditto who are children of convicts,.

42

36

19

29

. 210

17

37

7

The parents of the children are themselves generally ignorant and careless as to the education of their offspring. Most of the children seem to come without consulting their father or mother (where they have them), and many, no doubt, from mere love of novelty and pastime. How important is it, therefore, that these schools should maintain the catholic' unsectarian character' with which they began, admitting children of all denominations of the very lowest grade, and teaching such plain and simple truth (based

always on the Word of God) as the meanest capacity may understand, and the most abandoned give some heed to.

The teaching in the school has been found fault with as too exclusively religious. This is not to be wondered at, as matters still remain in regard to the majority. Where the children only assemble on the Sabbath day, and one week evening, the time does not allow of much being taught; and as religious. knowledge is the most important, the teachers usually begin with that. But where opportunity offers, many of the teachers try to communicate all kinds of knowledge that may be useful to the children, especially a knowledge of the duties incumbent on them as children, brothers and sisters, neighbors and citi

zens.

NEED OF SUCH SCHOOLS IN OUR CHIEF CITIES.

It may not be, remarks the Secretary of the American S. School Union, that we have precisely the same class of youth in our cities that are found in London, and perhaps the term "Ragged Schools" would not be appropriate to such an assemblage here; but if public statements on the subject are to be credited, there are thousands who must be constrained by just such means to an abandonment of their evil courses, or they will pursue them to a fatal end. We have room but for a few paragraphs.

Of BOSTON, it is said "that no less than twelve boys, under eighteen years of age, are confined in the city gaol. Gangs of boys roam through the streets every night seeking opportunities to plunder. During the summer nearly every shop in the lower part of Broad street has been broken open, chiefly by these youthful depredators."

Gangs of vicious boys are prowling about the streets defying the law, and putting peaceful citizens in terror by their notorious and violent proceedings." After stating some instances of violence and outrage, it is stated: "In fact no man who is averse to repelling force by force, is safe for a moment near these outlaws."

"For a month a large portion of all the criminals who have crowded our police and municipal courts have been mi

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

In NEW YORK, "it is estimated that at least 20,000 children and youth are entirely unreached by Sunday school or other religious influence; a large portion of whom are already taking the first steps in the path of infamy and crime. Some effort has been made for their rescue, , but such effort must be vastly increased, if we would make any perceptible impression." "The temptations and excitements to crime among the young, are greatly multiplied by the corrupting influence of a corrupt press."

Of PHILADELPHIA, it is enough to say that the chief actors in firemen's riots, and other outrages upon persons and property, are found to be abandoned and reckless youths. Clubs or associations exist with savage and outlandish names -the members of which are often found armed with deadly weapons, with which they have attacked peaceable citizens, as if to show their contempt for human life and public peace.

It has been estimated that at least 1000 youth could be mustered within 2 miles of the State House, all prepared, within and without, for the most revolting scenes of violence and outrage. How many thousands are under training to fit them for the same ranks, we may not know; but for these thousands no adequate provision now exists. The wise and good of all classes and denominations are warned of the state of things around them. Will they awaken to a sense of impending danger and open their hearts, hands and purses, to supply the means of averting it?

WHAT SHALL BE DONE?

If the eyes of our citizens are but opened to see the reality and magnitude of the evils which threaten us from the swelling multitudes of lawless or misgoverned youth, they will feel that 'something must be done.

We are not prepared to present any definite plan of proceeding. This must be the result of inquiry and consultation, and must be modified by various local circumstances and considerations. We

will venture only to suggest some leading thoughts:

I. Whatever is done at all should be done with the least possible delay. The mere discussion of public grievances, and of plans for their alleviation, if not fol lowed by prompt and vigorous executive measures, only aggravates the evil. The natural inference is that the mischief has been exaggerated, or that it is beyond remedy, and in either case it only adds fuel to the fro.

II. Our common Sunday schools aré not likely to serve the purpose for which the "Ragged Schools" of London were instituted. Whatever name we give to them, a class of schools must be organized, similar in their main features to our ordinary schools, (as in the employment of voluntary' teachers; in the strictly Scriptural, but unsectarian character of the instruction, &c.,) yet still differing from them in the mode of collecting pupils, in the arrangement and furniture of the room, in the character and qualification of the teachers, in the nature and grade of the exercises, and in the attractions and associations of the time and place of meeting.

III. Though Sunday school teachers must take the labouring oar in the work to be done, one prime object must be to enlist the sympathy and co-operation of those who have means or time, or skill, not now fully employed,-thus adding to the stock' of benevolent activity, rather than diverting it into a new channel.

IV. At least one school should be opened, at once, in each of our principal cities; and to give it a fair start, the utmost skill, and pains, and interest should be concentrated there. A job well be gun, is a job half finished. The experiment can be made on such a scale as the degree of interest and zeal warrants, and with the conviction that it is better to succeed with ten pupils, than fail with a hundred.

V. It may be needful to connect with such a school some extraneous advantages, as an inducement to attend; such as gratuitous instruction in science on a week-day evening, or assistance in getting employment, or free access to some useful popular lecture, on condition of correct behaviour, &c. These are details upon which we do not enter, and allude to them only to show the nature of the undertaking.

VI. Make the establishing of this class of schools a subject of discussion, (not mere exhortation), in "teachers' meetings." Let the 'facts' in the case be diligently ascertained and truly presented-nothing extenuated, and nothing set down for effect. Let us spare no pains to bring these facts, in the most intelligible form, to the minds of our benevolent citizens; and if we are prepared to show that great good can be done, and that there are hearts and heads and hands and feet ready to enlist in the attempt to do it, we may look for large success.

REQUISITES.

1. Great labour and self-denial on the part of those who undertake the work;

2. Generous support on the part of our wealthy and well-disposed citizens;

3. Skill and tact in devising and applying the means of success;

4. Continual prayer and supplication to God for his favour towards the undertaking, without which the wisest human counsels will be turned to confusion. 5. PERSEVERANCE.-S. S. Journal.

Washington, as a Merchant. By every variety of commentary, has almost every fibre of the character of this great man been illustrated. His military talent has, in all its phases, been brought to the notice of the world-weighed, analyzed, reviewed-until it has come out of its fierce ordeal, established, as of the very first order of judgment, energy and bravery. His reputation as a statesman has been blazoned abroad with a vigor, derived alike from the truth and its forcible use. Men have honored themselves by giving the power of their intellect to the history of his devotion to his country. All his movements in war, all his acts in the cabinet, are on record; ard he is one of the very few men that ever trod the earth, of whose reputation it is safe that the knowledge of it should be thorough.

But George Washington was a great man, in other departments of life than those blended with the army and the state; and it is of a feature in his character, less prominently before the world, but one of the most valuable, of which we would speak in this article. It is the order, regularity, method, punctuality, and above all, the recti tude the unsullied and unchangeable devotion to his engagements, which distinguished him, and which, combined, are the very qualities that make up the merchant.

In all these, the example of Washington may fittingly be urged upon the consideration of the merchants of the Union. The old merchants of the colonies were the very men who perilled the most in arraying themselves on the side of a separation from England. Theirs was no cheap patriotism-no offering of words; but the severing of a profitable mercantile connection the riving asunder of relations, that involved sacrifices alike keen and costly. From among those merchants, some of the most valued and useful of the officers and soldiers of the revolution were taken; and they proved themselves as active in the trade of war, as they had ever been vigilant in the war of trade.

The education of Washington was purely a practical one. All that he added to this was the result of efforts in maturer life, generally made, as events de:nonstrated the particular necessity of the study. This was a business foundation, early laid; and though at a time of life when boyhood is usually in its recklessness, the various parts of a business education were thoroughly built up in his character.

At the age of thirteen he studied the intricate forms of business, with an ardor which showed what was in him-with a method which demonstrated how that was to be developed. He copied out bills of exchange, notes of hand, bills of sale, receipts, and all the varieties of the class, which he denominated Forms of Writing;' and these are remarkable for the precision and the elegance with which they are copied. His manuscripts, even then, were of the utmost neatness and uniformity; the diagrams always beautiful; the column and tables of figures exact, and in unstained and unblotted order. Old Tim Linkin water would have looked most approvingly over his work, and admitted George to the awful books of Cheeryble, Brothers.' His excellent historian, Mr. Sparks, who has given us that rarest of all books: an authentic biography: remarks, that these excellent habits of method and order, thus early formed, continued through life. His business papers, ledgers, day-books, in which none wrote but himself, were models of exactness. The description of them might apply to those of the most careful bookkeeper in our metropolis. Every fact had its place, and was recorded in a plain, clear handwriting, and there was neither interlineation, blot, nor blemish. Frank Osbaldistone's father could have asked no more. Is it any wonder that, with such ideas of

« PreviousContinue »