ren.

"THE Kingsland and Newington schools owe their origin to a few individuals who commenced a Sunday school in the neighbour. hood of Kingsland, and afterwards in Stoke Newington, which were held at each place in a small room at a private house. This was for many years the only means of instruction for the children of the poor, in these increasingly populous neighbourhoods. In 1808, by great exertions, a small school-house was erected, and opened as a day-school for 25 boys and 25 girls, besides the school held on the Sunday. In two or three years the poor became more desirous of obtaining education for their children, and application for admission was increased, so as to render it necessary to augment the number of children in the schools, and after that to a still greater number. At length a difficulty was experienced in procuring suitable persons as master and mistress, to instruct upon the old plan of education. This led to an acquaintance with the system of Mr. Lancaster, now the British and Foreign. In 1811, application was made to the Institution in the Borough-road, and a master was supplied for the boys' school, which was immediately filled with boys, as far as was prudent for the health of the childThe girls' school was still continued on the old plan. In this way both schools were continued till the beginning of the last year 1815, at which time the applications for admission were more numerous than there were even children in the schools; but no more could be received, for want of room. The committee therefore determined to make an effort in order to raise money suffieient to build a more commodious room for a boys' school, and to convert the two day-school rooms into a school for girls. This was effected in the summer of last year, and cost but little more than 400. The schools were opened on the 9th of last October; a mistress was then provided from the Borough Institution for the girls' school; so that now both schools are conducted on the British system, and are open for the children of the poor of all denominations, in Kingsland, Stoke Newington, and the adjacent villages. The boys' school is capable of containing from 200 to 300 boys, and there are 150 in daily attendance; the girls' school contains from 80 to 100, and is quite full. The committee are anxious to effect an enlargement of the girls' school, it being far too small and incommodious, but cannot at present, for want of the means. In the above school-rooms the Sunday school is continued, and more than 200 children are regularly assembled on the Sunday, and are instructed on the same plan as on week days. The annual expenditure on the present scale, including the Sunday as well as the day-schools, is 1537. The children are not clothed in these schools, except some of the girls, and thase only in part, and which is done by a private subscription among the ladies and their friends, but quite independent of the fund of the schools. The ad. vantages arising from this institution are already abundantly apparent in this neighbourhood. The facility with which instruction is communicated on the improved system astonishes all who will take the trouble to inspect the schools, and to notice its operations. Its good effects on the children are particularly observable, by its

inuring them to habits of good order and subordination. It is also worthy of remark, that a considerable alteration for the better has taken place among the parents, their general character and conduct being undoubtedly much improved by the orderly habits and good conduct of the children : numbers of the poor are now seen attending their different places of public worship on the Sabbath, when they used to be either in the alehouse, or engaged in other vicious practices. It has been remarked by old inhabitants of Kingsland (and by persons who feel not sufficient interest in the welfare of the poor as to induce them to assist in the removal of that which is in a great measure the cause of their wretchedness) that Kingsland and its vicinity is certainly much improved, as it respects the moral character and condition of the poorer classes of the inhabitants. Another advantage that has resulted from the instruction of the children is, that a desire has been created in the parents to obtain education for themselves. This being made known, an adult school was commenced in the beginning of the last winter, and was held in the boys' school-room, and continued during the four winter months, four evenings in a week, from seven till nine o'clock; in which time 106 men received instruction. They were taught upon the same plan as the boys, and were much more rapid in their progress, both in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Numbers of them, when they first attended, did not know the alphabet; but in the short space of four months could read easy lessons selected from the Scriptures, and could write legibly words of five or six letters. Several instances occurred, of men upwards of 60 years of age attending, and making surprising improvement. Other instances might be mentioned (to shew how desirous they were of obtaining instruction) of men, after finishing their day's work, walking from two to three miles to attend the adult school, and from which no weather, however severe, prevented them. The writer has often witnessed them coming into the school during heavy rain and snow, when nothing but an eager desire to gain instruction could possibly have induced them to leave their dwellings. The British system of education is particularly applicable to the teaching of adult persons, as has been experienced in this neighbourhood. Had it not been for this invaluable plan, 106 poor ignorant men could not possibly have been attended to by the superintendence of only two persons. The average number attending each night was from 50 to 70; consequently it would have taken more persons as teachers than could have been procured, had it been on any other system. The whole expense attending their instruction did not exceed 10l. which was defrayed by a private subscription.

(Signed)

Kingsland, 30th May 1816.

T. TAYLOR, Secretary.

"This report may be submitted to the honourable the Committee of the House of Commons, as a specimen of well conducted schools, and of œconomy.

The building of the boys' school, which is capable of receiving 250 boys, cost not quite

• £.400.

The education of 200 boys

cost

girls

- £153

Which sum includes the salaries of master and mistress.

GEORGE GREEN, Esq. called in, and examined.

Where do you reside ?-At Blackwall.

Are you acquainted with any school established there?→→ I am treasurer of the Blackwall free school; and I am likewise treasurer of the Stepney Meeting Dissenting school; and I was lately treasurer of the parish school.

Are there many poor in that neighbourhood without the means of education?-A great many indeed.

Can you give the Committee any estimate of the number? -We ascertained, as well as we could, before we established the Poplar and Blackwall free school, that there were 700 children destitute of education in that immediate vicinity, and a very large proportion of them are Catholics; the parish school not being calculated to receive them, because they were all compelled to learn the church catechism, and go to Poplar chapel.

How many are educated at the free school?-It is calculated to receive 500; at present we have about 360.

Upon what plan is it ?The plan is principally upon Dr. Bell's, and partly upon Lancaster's; but we allow them to go to any place of worship they think proper, receiving certificates that they have been to some place of worship? and the catechism is taught to church boys on a Sunday morning; the Dissenters are learnt at the Sunday school; we do not interfere with them.

Do Dissenters learn any catechism at your school?—No, we only teach one Catechisın.

Are a great proportion of your children Catholics or other Dissenters?-Our place abounds with Dissenters: we have got four Dissenting meeting-houses, which are nearly all filled, and only one chapel of the established church of England; therefore they were very much alarmed at our school, fearing we should make Dissenters; on the contrary, we are reducing the number of Dissenters, and increasing the number of church people: we find persons leaving Dissenting schools, and coming to our schools. There is not above one in six that call themselves Dissenters, the rest all go to Poplar chapel; so that out of 360, we have now at the school, nearly 300 of them that go to Poplar chapel.

That last number is rather more than one-half you found uneducated in the district?-They were principally Catholics that we found uneducated in the district: they were so much alarmed at us, lest we should interfere with their religion, that they are now establishing a school of their own, but which must soon fall to the ground, for the want of finances, and we have no doubt they will very soon all come to our school; at present we have only five of them.

Do you propose extending the limits of the school in proportion?-We have pledged ourselves to give education to the whole of the poor in the district.

When you have educated the whole of the children at present in the school, do you apprehend the children who are at present beyond the limits to which you have hitherto confined yourselves will be admitted?-We take them of any age beyond seven years. The minister of Poplar chapel at first was alarmed, lest we were giving too much encou ragement to the Dissenters; he is now completely with us, and recommends an old parish school to be given up, and that the free school should be the only school in the parish.

What are your receipts?-Our building was paid for by donations, and we are supported by the annual subscriptions of about 600 persons, which produce upwards of 800%. a-year at present. We have been very extravagant in our hamlet, by having four different schools, besides Sunday schools we have got two masters and two mistresses; besides a Catholic school and a Dissenting Sunday school. When the church people are satisfied that the church of England boys are taken care of by their learning the church catechism, and not being induced to go to any other place of worship, we are in hopes this will be the only school in the hamlet, by which a great saving will be made.

What is the reason of only 360 children attending, when you have accommodation for 500?-We wish to give an opportunity to the children of Catholics coming in; at present they have not come forward; we turn away generally twenty or thirty applicants; every day we are receiving children.

How many days in the week do you receive children?— About once a fortnight.

Where do those children resort for education, whom you turn away?—They remain uneducated.

What is the reason of turning children away; is it from want of funds?-A great many children have come, from their parents being very much distressed from the times, whom we have not received, but in preference we should rather receive the children of Catholics; we had an opportunity of doing it by our rules, in which we say, every sub