THE DUDLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL PRIZES.
To the Editor of the Daily Post.
Sir,—The omission at this Midsummer vacation of the usual distribution of prizes to the boys, and the circular issued by the head master (the Rev. R. Harper,) announcing a very important alteration from the hitherto practised mode of rewarding the industry and stimulating the energy of the lads in this public school, cannot fail to have awakened the minds of the parents and public in this town and neighbourhood, as to the reasons which have induced the trustees of the Prize Fund to alter their mode of action in this particular department of the school scheme.
It is stated, Sir, and generally understood, that a certain sum of money was left by the founder of this excellent school, to be appropriated periodically for the reward of deserving scholars; and that from time immemorial these rewards have been represented by suitable historical and scientific books, adapted to the attainments of the fortunate recipients. But at the present time we find that one gold medal and two silver medals are for the future to be substituted for the former valuable book prizes, thus at once narrowing the chances of the deserving junior boys from ever obtaining a prize, and fixing the amount of scholastic knowledge at such a classical elevation as is not reasonable to expect that boys who usually attend country Grammar Schools are ever likely to remain long enough to obtain.
It may suit, Mr. Editor, the unadorned ambition of plebeian thought to fancy its creative genius can raise up a Moloch of tinselled gold and burnished silver to be the absorbing deity of juvenile innocency, and the great object henceforth striven for; but while the eye is fascinated with this new-born idea, knowledge—that incalculable element of the present day, intended to be conveyed in all schools—is thus kept back from the enquiring mind, and the immortal writings of such authors as Milton, Mills, Bickersteth, Macaulay, Alison, Hume, Davy, Strickland, and Longfellow, are henceforth to be shelved in the bookseller’s store-room, to gratify the maudlin fancy of some ill-digested mental conception, or afford us an opportunity of witnessing another concession to neighbouring exploded theories. The “breaking-up day” of the schoolboy frequently operates upon the action of the after-man; for the modest consciousness of carrying off the prize in his own class before the eager eyes of his aspiring competitors, creates a most beneficial effect upon the younger branches of the school, for whilst it recognises the Reward of Merit at all ages to the good, it stimulates the ambition and energy of the aspiring, and publicly condemns the conduct of the indolent and disobedient boy. The dissatisfaction already produced amongst the lads, by keeping from them, this Midsummer, their dearly cherished prizes, and the evil to be anticipated from the intended practice of giving only three prizes, (and that to senior boys), when hitherto at least a dozen junior boys have been the grateful recipients of useful books, are reasons calculated to produce much mischief amongst the minds of the industrious boys, besides arousing a feeling of distrust and suspicion amongst the parents and the public, as to the objects intended to be gained by such a movement. If it is good and advisable to reward the senior classes, surely it is just and right to encourage the junior classes also. This intrusion amongst your correspondence will oblige your obedient servant.
“INVESTIGATOR.”
Dudley, June 22nd, 1858.
To the Editor of the Daily Post.
Sir,—I should not under any circumstances reply to an anonymous correspondent, but for the sake of the inhabitants of Dudley, and of the parents of pupils in my school, I am anxious to state what I know in respect of this prize fund. This fund was collected chiefly through the instrumentality of my predecessor, Dr. Thompson, about seven years ago. It has for some years been suggested that a gold or silver medal would be a better mode of giving these prizes than any other, and more in accordance with the wishes of the original subscribers of the fund. The chief reason that the present time was decided upon for the change was a hope that a gold medal given under the conditions imposed, would furnish the school with at least one pupil yearly, who might be able successfully to pass the examinations which are now instituted by the two Universities of Oxford and Cambridge for the benefit of the middle classes. It is not intended to award all the medals to the higher forms, and there is nothing in my circular which could lead to such a conclusion. The gold medal will be the only one so appropriated, whilst it is intended to give the other medals to the best boys of the lower forms of the school. You will also observe, from the circular which I enclose, that only in the case of the gold medal are the subjects for examination strictly defined; and I cannot conceive that the amount of scholarship required for such a prize is too extensive, or more than might fairly be expected from a well educated lad of 16 years of age in any Grammar School. In fact there was a desire rather to limit the subjects than to extend them, as it was thought that a few subjects well taught would be a better training for the middle class examinations than a superficial knowledge of a larger number. It ought to be recollected that the prizes of books awarded in this school at Christmas will not be affected in any degree by the new arrangements with respect to the prize fund.
No one can regret more than I do the circumstance that the boys are deprived this Midsummer of their usual prizes; but, owing to the expense of the dies for the medals, this was unavoidable.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
ROBERT HARPER,
Head Master of the Dudley Grammar School.
Grammar School, Dudley, June 23rd, 1858.
THE DUDLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL PRIZE FUND.
To the Editor of the Daily Post.
Sir,—I am sure that the inhabitants of Dudley will duly appreciate the prompt and straightforward manner in which (Mr. Harper) the head master of the Dudley Grammar School has replied to my letter of Monday last, respecting the omission of awarding prizes to the boys this midsummer; but, whilst I fully agree with him that the reception by a boy of a gold medal at his hands may be looked upon as a presumed assumption that the holder will be able successfully to pass the examinations which are now instituted at Oxford and Cambridge for the middle classes, yet I maintain that hundreds of boys will pass that elevated mental examination without being the gold medallist of their school; besides the fact that any youth is eligible for that ordeal, whether he has been educated at a public school or merely received private tuition; neither do I still see any valid reasons why a dozen excellent book prizes should be withdrawn from the junior classes at that school to be the means of elevating the classical and scholastic standing of one or two youths, probably much better fitted, both by position and capacity, to battle with the difficulties and mental toils attendant upon the earlier training of youth.
As an ardent promoter of education, sir, I rejoice with others to see that the great, nay, almost once irreproachable, Universities have at last opened their hoary portals to that class of society for whose benefit and interest those seats of learning were originally instituted; but I cannot but feel that there is great danger in store for the lads of any independent grammar school lurking under this expanded mental promotion offered by the Universities, of the chances of the master devoting an overdue attention to the senior classes, with the view of coaching them up to the required altitude, at the risk of neglecting the important ground-work of tuition indispensably required by the junior classes. Apart from this temptation to elevate the fame of a school at the risk of damaging its productive qualities, a paralysing effect is sure to be produced upon the younger boys, when they feel and know that years of mental toil have yet to be gone through ere a prize is likely to be won, or an encouraging smile awarded by the dreaded Dominies.
It is very gratifying to find that the Head Master of this school is so truly anxious for the welfare of this important institution; and as an inhabitant of this town, having children to educate at that school, I would respectfully claim with him my share of anxiety for its continued usefulness, and onward progress. But institutions, Sir, like the Dudley Grammar School, were never, in my opinion, intended to be the grinding schools for the aspirants for classical honours; neither am I persuaded that the class of parents who usually send their sons to that school will, as a rule, be disposed to keep them there up to a period of youth (16 years,) with the idea of bettering their commercial position by becoming an associate of one of our Universities.
Rugby, Shrewsbury, Birmingham, and the like, are the public schools that will most benefit by this recent relaxation; but the ordinary Grammar Schools of this period are not required to promote boys (not students) to a comprehensive knowledge of Latin authors, algebraic lore, and mathematical expositions, attainments which do not come within the scope of the class intended to be benefited by such institutions, for it is too often the case that a superficial exterior is made to suffice for an empty ground-work; and I fully concur with the Rev. Master, “that a few subjects well taught would be a better training for the middle classes than a superficial knowledge of a larger number of subjects.”
Having reasons to suppose that the Head Master has had very little to do with this important alteration, I trust, for the welfare of both boys and the town, that he will use his professional and scholastic influence to induce the trustees of the Prize Fund to rescind their resolution of awarding medals instead of books, believing that a persistence in this unwise step will not only alter the acknowledged character of the school, by producing a pecuniary loss to the funds of the same, but inflict an uncalled for injustice upon the minds of parents in this neighbourhood, who have an undoubted right to the best-devised advantages that can be derived from that heirloom of knowledge handed down to us for the last two centuries.
If, Sir, an annual gold medal prize can be of any use in elevating the ancient renown of this Grammar School, pray let the trustees appeal periodically to the parents of the boys attending the school for the funds for that specific object, and rely upon the well-known generosity of a Dudley public; rather than inflict an ungracious discouragement upon the junior classes of the school.
INVESTIGATOR.
Dudley, June 25th, 1858.
September 14th, 1858. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Worcestershire was held in Dudley this day, but, contrary to usual custom, there was no walking in procession or prayer sayings at Church, but nevertheless the usual dinner was celebrated with due solemnity at the Hotel. “So mote it be.”
September, 1858, we had a very miserable and unwise “strike” for an advance of wages amongst the “colliers” in this district, which extended to a period of sixteen weeks; adding great deprivations and distress to that already existing through the bad state of trade in the neighbourhood. The stoppage of the usual daily supply of coal to furnaces and mill forges, &c., became a source of serious inconvenience to the completion of contracts in manufactured iron; and had not a limited supply of coal been obtained from Wales and Leicestershire, the iron trade would have been suspended also; fortunately, this additional evil was averted, and although we had to pay an increased price for our coals, yet a sufficient supply was secured to keep the works in motion. The misguided colliers were compelled from sheer want to give in at last, and resumed their labour at a reduction of one shilling a day in their wages.