03 RAGGED AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. 



RAGGED AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. 



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the schools. Such schools were opened during the day as well as in 

 the evening. In many schools industrial day and evening classes were 

 also added ; and in some, food, to a small extent, was given to the 

 scholars. In order to obtain more complete control over the children, 

 ittdiutrial Ferding ScJioolt were established, in which the children are 

 taken charge of for the whole of the day, supplied with food, instructed 

 in the ordinary branches of common school education, and taught some 

 handicraft. The credit of originating this system is by common consent 

 awarded to Sheriff Watson, of Aberdeen, and the schools founded by 

 him are generally regarded as models. Rrfn<jn are industrial feeding 

 schools in which the children are also housed and clothed . Refarmalarit* 

 are similar to refuges, with this difference, that the children received 

 into reformatories are such as have brought themselves under the 

 operation of the criminal laws of the country, and are, by authority 

 of the magistrates, placed under instruction and discipline, not only for 

 their own benefit, hut likewise for the protection of the community. 



[ REFORMATORIES ] 



In connection with the London Ragged School Union, at the com- 

 mencement of 1860 the number of schools held on Sunday afternoon and 

 evening was about 200 ; of scholars, more than 22,000. Of day schools, 

 there were 1 46 ; of night schools, 200. Of industrial classes, there were 

 114. About 1500 children were sent to situations during the year 1859. 

 There were 2670 voluntary teachers, 380 paid monitors, and 416 paid 

 teachers. The paid teachers have an association for mutual benefit, by 

 means of which new modes of teaching and other improvements are 

 communicated to the members. There were 76 penny banks, with 

 upwards of 15,000 depositors, with an amount approaching 90002. paid 

 in during 1859. In 49 clothing clubs sums amounting to nearly 6002. 

 were contributed by the subscribers for the purchase of articles of 

 wearing apparel. In connection with the operations of the Union, 

 there were 93 Ragged Church and City Mission meetings held weekly, 

 and 75 meetings for the benefit specially of the fathers and mothers of 

 the children attending ragged schools. During the year, 132 scholars 

 had become voluntary teachers, and 88 were received as members of 

 Christian churches. The aggregate income of 155 schools for 1S59 

 was upwards of 17,0002., and that of 15 refuges was more than 15,0002. 

 The expenditure of the Ragged School Union was about 50002. 

 During the year, 2822. 13*. had been given by the Union in small sums 

 as prizes to scholars who had retained situations for more than twelve 

 months. 



The Western division of the metropolis contains 39 ragged schools, 

 with upwards of 4200 children. Of these schools, 8 are in Westminster, 

 5 in Chelsea, 1 in Brompton, 5 in Paddington, 2 in Bayswater, 5 at 

 Netting Hill, and 2 at Hammersmith. 



The Central and Northern division comprises 38 schools, with about 

 5500 children. These schools are pretty equally distributed over the 

 district, which is an extensive one, reaching from Bedfordbury, Covent 

 Garden, to Hoxton, and from Clare Market to Agar Town. Five of 

 the schools are in the vicinity of Drury Lane and Lincoln's Inn Fields ; 

 2 in and near Seven Dials ; 5 in Field Lane, Saffron Hill, and Clerken- 

 well Green ; 3 in Camden Town ; and 10 in Islington. 



The Eastern division includes 38 schools, with about 6000 scholars. 

 Of these schools, 2 are in the City, 5 in Whitechapel, 7 in Spitalfields, 

 4 in Bethnal Green, and 10 in the neighbourhood of the Docks, 

 Ratcliffe Highway, Shadwell, and Poplar. 



In the Southern division are 40 schools, with about 5500 children. 

 Two of these schools are situated in Lambeth ; 3 in the vicinity of 

 the New Cut ; 7 in the Borough ; 4 in Newington and Walworth ; 5 

 in Bermondsey ; 6 in Rotherhithe, Deptford, Greenwich, and Black- 

 heath ; 2 at Peckhom ; 2 in Camberwell and Brixton ; and 2 at 

 Claphatn. 



Jirittol was amongst the foremost in dealing with an unhappy 

 juvenile population by the agency of the ragged school. The name of 

 Miss Carpenter, as a writer and as an active worker, is necessarily 

 associated with this good work in the city where she resides. Few 

 persons have done more to advocate the claims of the children of the 

 ragged school than this energetic and benevolent lady. The Bristol 

 ragged school for males and females, established in 1846, has accommo- 

 dation for 150 ; the Bristol industrial school for males, established in 

 1349, for 50. At Liverpool the first ragged school was established in 

 1844. In 1S48 a Ragged School Union was formed. This union 

 comprised, at the commencement of the year I860, 60 schools, of 

 which 33 were evening schools, 12 day ragged schools, 3 industrial 

 schools, and 12 Sunday schools only. The aggregate attendance of 

 scholars was 6974 ; the number of teachers 483 ; and of monitors (in 

 the day ragged schools) 20. During the year 489 obtained situations. 

 In eight of the evening schools, at which the aggregate attendance was 

 378, a charge of a penny a week is made to the scholars, who are 

 generally ragged school children who have gone to situations. I 

 of the schools have penny banks in connection with them. 

 industrial ragged school, commenced in 1846, has accommodation for 

 100 orphans, destitute children, and vagrants. Manchester possesses a 

 ragged and industrial school at Ardwick Green, commenced in 1846, 

 with accommodation for 800 poor and vagrant children and unconvicted 

 juvenile thieves, from which, since its commencement, about 500 

 children have gone into situations. In connection with the Manchester 

 and Salford Ragged School Union, formed in 1858, there are 16 schools, 

 with an average attendance on the Sunday evenings for the year 1S59 



of 3564 children, with 426 teachers. Each school has one or more 

 evenings in the week devoted to secular instruction, \\ith attendance, 

 in all, of 1916. During the year more than 200 scholars were 

 transferred to Sunday-schools of a higher class ; 60 ware sent t 

 schools, and 65 obtained situations. The penny banks connected wit It 

 the schools received upwards of 20ti2. from nearly 1200 depositors. In 

 Hirminyliam& ragged and industrial school was commenced in 1846. 

 The free industrial school, commenced in 1849, provides for 120 

 children of both sexes. Bath established industrial schools in 1848; 

 Derby, H*U, Iiamch, and Sn*derlmd in 1849 ; Cambridge in 1850 ; 

 Clutter, CVi/toi., and Ulouretler in 1852; Holion in 1853; and others 

 followed in quick succession. At Bradford, where the first ragged 

 school was established in 1855, there were in that year 111 cases of 

 juvenile delinquency. In 1856 the number fell to 76 ; in 1857 to 47; 

 and in 1858 to 26. These results are ascribed to the operation of the 



rged school. 



In Scotland the subject of juvenile delinquency was first dealt with 

 in the city of Aberdeen, where vagrancy and street begging, with their 

 usual accompaniment of petty pilfering, had become formidable 

 nuisances. With 1002. subscribed by himself and some friends Sin-rill' 

 Watson commenced in October, 1841, an industrial school for boys. 

 The number of scholars at starting was 20. Two years later a similar 

 school was opened for girls. Another, called Sheriff Watson's I 

 School of Industry was opened in April, 1847, with 53 children. The 

 juvenile school of industry was commenced in 1845, in co-operation 

 with tho police authorities, who underook to send to the school every 

 child found begging in the streets. At the end of 1846 was instituted 

 the Child's Asylum, the committee of which investigates the cases of 

 begging and delinquent children, and hears applications from part 

 the admission of destitute children into the schools of industry. The 

 children are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, 

 geology, and religious knowledge. The boys are employed in net-making, 

 which is found to be a healthy as well as a remunerative occupation ; 

 and they occasionally work in the garden. In the girls' schools the 

 scholars do all the household work; they receive an education similar 

 to that which the boys receive ; and they are trained for domestic 

 service. The present state of the Aberdeen industrial schools is aa 

 follows : 



Behool*. 



Boys 1 industrial school 

 Juvenile industrial school, boys 

 Juvenile industrial school, girls 

 Female school of industry . . . 

 Sheriff Watson's female school of | 

 industry . . . . j 



Average 



Number on 



Roll. 



79 



67 



60 



100 



63 



Average 



Monthly 



Attendance. 



70 

 621 



es j 



95 

 96 



Average 



Cost of each 



Child during 



the Year. 



J. rf. 



8 12 6 



3 18 



4 2 10 

 4 15 3J 



It is scarcely necessary to remark that juvenile begging has been en- 

 tirely got rid of in Aberdeen, and that the number of juvenile criminals 

 is very greatly reduced. In 1841 the number of juvenile offenders 

 in prison was 61 ; in 1858 it was 15. Upwards of 3000 children 

 have attended the Aberdeen industrial schools since their com- 

 mencement. Of these 200 girls have gone from school into domestic 

 service, and 400 boys into situations, and are, with few exceptions, 

 known to be doing well : many have been taken home by their 



The Dundee industrial school, accommodating 200 boys, was founded 

 in 1846, and has been extremely beneficial to that town. Glasgow com- 

 menced the work in 1847, and has six industrial and reformatory 

 schools, with accommodation for more than 1000 children. The Act 

 17 & 18 Viet. cap. 74, applicable to Scotland, which was pa- 

 1854, provides that children, apparently under 14 years of age, found 

 in a state of vagrancy, may be brought before a magistrate, and sent to 

 an industrial school. This Act, commonly known as ' Dunlop's Act,' 

 has been found exceedingly useful in Glasgow, as well as in other large 

 towns in Scotland. It has been ascertained that the amount of 

 juvenile begging has been materially lessened since the Act r. 

 to was brought into operation. The industrial school at Ayr was 

 founded in 1848; those of Grecnock and Stirling wm commenced in 

 1849 ; of Kilmarnock, Paaky, and Utranraer in 1850 ; and many others 

 have been opened since. 



The industrial schools of Edinburgh, owe their formation chiefly to 

 the exertions of the Rev. Dr. Guthrie of that city. The success of 

 the efforts at Aberdeen and Dundee prompted Dr. Guthrie to take 

 measures for forming an industrial feeding school in Edinburgh. An 

 interim committee was formed, and public attention and sympathy 

 were engaged by the publication of Dr. Guthrie's first ' Plea for "Ragged 

 Schools.' The scheme received general support, and was speedily put 

 in operation. Another industrial school was also commence' I l 

 influential persons in Edinburgh. Dr. Guthrie's first ' Plea ' w.n 

 followed by a second, and the two have been recently rcpublished 

 with a third 'Plea,' under the significant title .if 'Seed Time an. I 

 Harvest; or Pleas for Ragged Schools.' The results in the decrease of 



