while several were of that class of juveniles usually denominated "bad boys," and whose parents sent them to this place, with the hope of removing them from the society of vicious companions, and of having them methodically trained under the moral discipline of the asylum. The fee charged for board and education was 4s. 6d. per week. The system of instruction appeared to embrace much useful, healthy, and profitable industry, with correct moral nurture, as well as a fair share of ordinary school instruction.

One of the most remarkable features in the arrangements of the school, like that at Norwood, was the variety of industrial occupation, suitable to different capacities and tastes. There were a small printing-office with a press and types, a carpenter's shop with a bench and tools, a blacksmith's shed with an anvil, hammer, and bellows, and also shoemaking and tailoring departments, in which all the shoes and clothes were made and mended. Each workshop was under the charge of an aged artisan, who acted as instructor in his craft. The printing-office was a neat little room, under the management of an old compositor; and here the boys printed all the reports for the institution, school tracts, and other papers. The out-of-door labour in the garden and field was conducted daily at fixed hours, except when the weather rendered it unsuitable. Along the margin of a rivulet, which wound its way through the premises, the young cultivators were taught to rear and manage a stock of water-cresses. The regular duties of the day commenced as early as six o'clock; and after a certain period for school and breakfast, the boys formed divisions under monitors, received their tools from the tool-house, with instructions from the master, and proceeded in an orderly manner to their different appointments; the printers to their office; the carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, and tailors to their shops; and the agriculturists to the field or gardens. At noon the various divisions assembled, formed a line, and proceeded to the tool-house, where each boy deposited his spade, &c. in its place; a general monitor being responsible for all the instruments of labour being kept clean, and in their proper places. The boys then washed themselves, were inspected by the master, instructed for a short time in gymnastic exercises, and afterwards went to dinner. For about an hour after dinner, they amused themselves in the play-ground, or in reading books from a small library kept for their use. At two o'clock, all again proceeded to labour in the gardens, or at their other employments, and afterwards received lessons in school. Such is something like the routine of daily occupation. On Saturdays there was a general examination, and every child was washed in a tepid bath. During fine weather in summer all were taught to swim in a neighbouring canal, under the eye of the master.

From this general outline of the scope and management of the institution, it will appear that the main object of its projectors

and supporters was the substitution of useful and profitable habits of industry for those of utter idleness and crime. That this important end was gained has been universally allowed. The only serious obstacle which the manager and patrons of the institution had to encounter, was the proper disposal of the children after they had been fitted for an honest course of life. Not being able to find situations readily for them in England-at least without apprentice fees, which could not be afforded-and not wishing to turn them adrift in the streets, which would have been inhuman, the society commenced the practice of sending the children, with their own consent and the consent of their parents, if these could be found, to the Cape of Good Hope, where, under the friendly care of a local committee, they were placed as apprentices to farmers or others requiring their services, and who became responsible for their correct and humane treatment. I regret to add, what is doubtless well known, that a public clamour was raised against this to all appearance unavoidable practice, the school funds fell off, and the institution was broken up.

Latterly, the want of this valuable establishment, supplementary to other charities in the metropolis, has been much felt; and the deficiency has given rise to various schemes for suppressing juvenile vagrancy, none of which, as far as I have heard, has fulfilled the desired purpose. General means for elementary education, as well as for succouring destitute children, alike failing in comprehensiveness, and ever leaving private benevolence to charge itself with duties belonging to the public at large, there have lately sprung up in London a class of schools for juvenile paupers, entitled "Ragged Schools." Without quarrelling with a name which is somewhat unfortunate, these ragged schools are allowed to be doing no little good, as indeed almost any kind of institution must do which keeps children out of mischief in the streets. Their usefulness is much marred by their being open only on Sundays, and at most three times through the week, and also from their routine of instruction embracing no industrial exercises. In comparison with the schools next to be described, they fall considerably short of what is desirable.

Having occasionally heard of the existence of a useful and well-conducted class of Industrial Schools for poor children in Aberdeen, I visited that town in October 1845, with the view of personally satisfying myself of their suitability for suppressing juvenile mendicancy and crime, and training to industrious and honest habits.

VISIT TO INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS AT ABERDEEN.

Towards the end of the year 1841, it became a matter of painful remark in Aberdeen, that, notwithstanding all that was done by the ordinary means for suppressing mendicancy, there were two hundred and eighty children, under fourteen years of age,

still

known to maintain themselves by begging, having no other visible means of subsistence; and that seventy-seven children, of whom only about one-half could either read or write, were, within the preceding twelve months, inmates of the prisons. In other words, there were, out of the mass, seventy-seven children already advanced to the criminal stage, the others making a daily progress towards it. The announcement of these startling facts roused inquiry, and led to a subscription for the purpose of establishing a School of Industry, in which pauper boys, from eight to fourteen years of age, might receive daily shelter, food, work, and education. The school was opened on the 1st of October 1841, the pupils consisting partly of homeless boys from the house of refuge, and partly of boys who were gathered from the lowest haunts in the town. From the amount of funds subscribed at the time not exceeding £100, the committee felt it necessary to limit the number of admissions to sixty. The primary claim to admission was destitution, and that claim, once established, entitled the boy to attend the school, and to receive food and education in return for the profits of his labour. During the first six months 106 boys were admitted, and the average daily attendance was 37. Afterwards, the average increased to from 40 to 50. The removal of so many boys from the streets not only occasioned a perceptible diminution in the swarms of street beggars, but the superintendent of police reported that, subsequent to the opening of the school, a considerable decrease in juvenile delinquencies had taken place. This was corroborated by the Inspector of Prisons, who, in his seventh report to parliament, observes that, "during the half year ending 20th May 1841, 30 boys, under fourteen years of age, were committed to prison in Aberdeen; but that, during the half year ending 20th May 1842, the number was only 6." This marked success led to the establishment, in 1843, of a similar school for girls; which proved equally efficacious. The apparatus for extirpating juvenile mendicancy and crime, however, was not yet complete. Children who, from bad character, or some other cause, could not be received into either of the schools, remained unprovided for; while many parents, who made profits by their children begging, withdrew them, and the streets continued to be infested by the worst description of juvenile mendicants, almost all of them being known to the police as common thieves. It was evident that an additional institution was desirable, and that it should be conducted on the broadest principle of admission. A School of Industry on a new plan, supplementary to the others, was accordingly resolved on.

This school, quite novel, I believe, in Britain, was opened on the 19th of May 1845. On that day the authorities, taking advantage of powers in the local police act, issued instructions to seize and bring to this new School of Industry every boy and girl found begging. Upwards of seventy children were brought

in.

Instead of being treated as criminals, they were washed, fed, given some little instruction, and when dismissed in the evening, were informed that they might or might not return next day, but that it was resolved that street-begging should no longer be tolerated. Nearly all came back voluntarily; and so on from day to day has the school ever since been in operation, the average attendance being about fifty. The expectations of the benevolent founders of the institution were to the utmost extent realised. Not a begging or vagrandising child was to be seen in the streets, nor, as far as general observation goes, has there been till the present day. I was sorry to learn that great financial difficulties were experienced in establishing this interesting school. Sceptical of its success or utility, the public did not readily contribute funds for its support, and the whole money in hand when it was begun amounted to no more than £4. Some aid, however, was obtained from the police authorities: they pay a male and female police officer, who act as teachers; and the institution was fortunate in obtaining the gratuitous use of a vacant soup-kitchen and its appendages, which answer as cooking and school-rooms. From this localisation, it became known as the soup-kitchen school.

On the day after my arrival, I made a round of visits to these different schools, commencing with the School of Industry for boys, to which I have first alluded. Occupying a species of garret in an old building near the House of Refuge, it owes nothing to exterior or internal decoration; but with that I was the better pleased. The too common practice of lodging abject pauper children in fine houses is, in my opinion, fraught with the worst consequences. In this garret, which was large, clean, and airy, I found nearly fifty little boys, of the ordinary ragged class whom one is accustomed to see roaming about the streets. They were seated around the place, at a proper distance from each other, in perfect silence, under the eye of a superintendent; and were occupied, some in teasing hair for mattresses, some in picking oakum, and others in making nets. To relieve the irksomeness of the employment, they occasionally sing in full chorus; and to give me a specimen of their powers in this respect, they all struck up a hymn, in a style at least equal to what is usually heard in country parish-churches. Next, a bundle of copy-books was laid before me; and a few, who seemed to be a kind of novices, not yet fully trained, gave me a specimen of their reading powers. Beneath, was a room fitted up with benches, which answers as school and eating-room; and here, on my second visit, I saw the whole at dinner, each with a hunch of bread and tin of barley broth before him-the food being supplied from the adjoining House of Refuge.

The discipline of the school is a happy blending of instruction with exercise and industrial training. The pupils meet at seven o'clock in the morning; first, they receive religious instruction

suited to their capacities, after which their attention is directed to the elements of geography, and the more striking facts of natural history, till nine o'clock. On two mornings of each week, an hour is devoted to instruction in vocal music. From nine to ten they get breakfast, which consists of porridge and milk. At ten they return to school, and are employed at different kinds of work till two in the afternoon.. From two to three they dine, usually on broth, beef, and bread; occasionally on potatoes, soup, &c. From three to four they either work within doors, or, if the weather permit, are employed in the gardens partly in recreation. From four to seven they are instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic. At seven they get supper, same as breakfast; and are dismissed to their homes for the night at eight o'clock. A half holiday is allowed on Saturday after dinner, and on other days the half of each meal hour is allowed for recreation; and occasionally, when other arrangements allow, and the conduct of the scholars appears to deserve it, an hour or two is devoted to out-of-door exercise. On Sunday morning the scholars assemble at half-past eight o'clock, get breakfast at nine, attend public worship in the House of Refuge during the forenoon, and after dinner return home, to enable them, if so disposed, to attend church with their relations. At five o'clock they meet again in school, and are catechised; get supper at seven; and are dismissed as on other days.

The labour to which the scholars are put, such as teasing hair and net-making, is of a light nature, requiring no great exertion, and does not seem by any means irksome. At net-making several boys have acquired great expertness, and can easily earn a penny an hour. If a sufficiency of this kind of employment could be procured, the school would soon be self-supporting. Unfortunately, this is not the case; and, as a general average, the amount of each boy's earnings is at present about twentyeight shillings per annum; such, however, being exclusive of the profits of a garden, which, if taken into account, would make the yearly earnings nearly thirty shillings. This sum is inadequate for the support of the institution, which, therefore, on its present footing, requires public assistance. During the past year the expenditure was £309, and the earnings £95; the actually required for the maintenance of the establishment being thus £214.

sum

On the whole, the spectacle of this little colony of workers was satisfactory. A peculiar feature, remarked by every visitor of the school, is the order and quiet contentment manifested by the boys, and the interest with which they seem to pursue their several occupations. Acquiring habits of industry, they are gradually prepared for employment in the factories, to which, when the proper time arrives, they have little difficulty in gaining admission. And such we might naturally expect to be a result of the training here acquired. There is evidently, as I