ept by a nickname, and that fights on entering and
leaving school were of common occurrence. At present the practice of
nicknames has disappeared, and a fight does not take place once in three
months.

"The proceedings of the evening commenced with a hymn. An orphan boy,
fourteen years of age, a self-taught musician, placed himself before a small
organ, provided by Mr. Winfield, and played the evening hymn. All the boys
accompanied him with their voices, and sang very creditably; after this they
were formed into their usual classes.

"The school labours under great disadvantages; the hours of attendance are
not sufficiently long; even these few hours are infringed on when trade is
brisk, and the men, working over-hours, require the boys to assist them; and
from physical exhaustion of the boys after the labour of the day, they
sometimes fall asleep over their books.

"A hymn is sung, a prayer said, and the bible read without comment, no
catechism or doctrinal point is introduced. The school includes the sons of
people of the Church of England, Roman Catholics, Wesleyans, Presbyterians,
and Unitarians."

Messrs. Peyton & Barlow, metal-bedstead makers, Mr. Bacchus, glass-maker, Mr.
Middlemore, currier, and Messrs. Chance, glassmakers, have also established
schools for the parties in their employ.

Mr. William Chance is an earnest philanthropist; he has established a ragged
school, at his own expense, in Birmingham, open to all, and at his works in
Spon Lane, West Bromwich, one school for his workmen alone, and another open
to the neighbourhood.

The first school, in Spon Lane, is divided into three departments, for
infants, for girls, and for boys. A weekly charge of 3d. is made, for which
books and stationery are provided; punctual attendance and cleanliness are
conditions insisted upon. The number of scholars, of whom one-third are from
Messrs. Chance's works, has steadily increased from the time of opening. The
boys are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, and
the elements of drawing. The girls are taught plain needlework instead of
drawing. No catechism is taught, but the bible is read without comment. One-
half are the children of parents in communion with the Church of England, and
the other half of Dissenters. In 1850 it contained 190 boys, 80 girls, and
150 infants.

It is difficult to rate too highly the advantage the operative classes obtain
from the preliminary traini