e been still
more unfortunate than these but for the wise charity of the people of
Manchester. The Swinton Union School is a large, noble building, in the
outskirts of Manchester. The school is a fine looking place, surrounded
by nice gardens and grounds. It can contain one thousand children;
there were then in it six hundred and fifty. They have a fine, large,
well-ventilated school room. They have a large place to wash
themselves, with a sufficient number of separate, fixed basins,
arranged to admit and let off water, a towel and piece of soap for each
child; and they are obliged to wash their faces and hands three times a
day. There are great tanks where they are all bathed twice a week.

They have a fine infant school for the little ones, most admirably
managed. The large girls are taught to wash, and iron, and do
housework. The boys are, some of them, taught the tailor's trade, and
some the shoemaker's, and others the baker's. It was a pretty sight to
see the little fellows sitting on their legs, making their own jackets
and trousers, and laughing together, and looking as happy as boys can
look; and just so with the little shoemakers. They work only four
hours, and then another set take their place. The room was large and
airy, and perfectly comfortable. I saw the clothes they had made, all
nicely pressed and put away in their storerooms, ready for wear. So
with the shoes; they mended their old shoes and their old clothes
themselves.

I saw those of the children who were not at work, at play; for the
school hours were past. I saw their happy faces, their clean, tidy
clothes, and their long rows of nice, clean beds, for I went into every
part of the house, and a beautiful sight it all was. In the kitchen
some girls were making up the bread, and most excellent bread it was,
and a good, large, thick slice there was for every one. I saw the
dining hall, and all that belonged to that part of the concern, and all
was just what it ought to be.

Now, you must know that these are, all, the children of
paupers--children who have no earthly parents, children that the public
must take care of, or they would live or die in the streets. All the
different parishes have erected this building, and put in the best
teachers, and furnished it as I have related to you, and there placed
these poor children, who were growing up in vice and misery. Here they
are taught habits of order, industry, and obedience, and learn a way of
suppo