84 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



money to assist the ragged school, and a master was 

 found who had a special gift for dealing with the 

 street arabs. A band of workers, too, offered to help 

 in the work, and in a very short time the school was 

 so great a success that even the police noticed what a 

 difference it made in the neighbourhood. 



This encouraged the managers, and they opened 

 a night school in connection with the ragged school, 

 and to this there flocked a crowd of young men and 

 women, so degraded in character that even Mary 

 Carpenter's strong spirit quailed. One Sunday even- 

 ing no fewer than two hundred pupils attended the 

 school, and these were so rough and unmanageable 

 that when the time came for dismissing the school, 

 and an attempt was made to conclude with prayer, a 

 small riot broke out, and the court resounded with 

 screams and blows. Working men offered their help, 

 but it was of no avail, and for a time it was necessary 

 to call in the police. A rather amusing anecdote is 

 told about the member of the force who was sum- 

 moned to assist on the occasion. He came and did 

 what he could, but very speedily the master recovered 

 his control, and there was nothing for the officer to 

 do. " It was not long before he was one day reported 

 to the magistrate for neglect of duty, having been 

 two hours in the ragged school setting copies to the 

 boys." 



Miserable as was the district where the first Bristol 

 ragged school was located, St. James's Back, the 



