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Can you give a general opinion upon the best means of improving the children of the poor in your district?- The only plan that I could suggest would be, by the establishment of more schools, and an additional number of masters among the poor, which operates as a stimulus: we have found when children are desirous of coming to school, the parents were unwilling they should come; and we have found, that by visiting the parents two or three times, and talking to them upon the subject, that such remonstrance has been effectual, and they have generally in consequence suffered their children to come to the Sunday school; we can get them to a Sunday school when we cannot get them to a day school.

Are the children employed on a week day, which prevents them attending a day school?-A great number of them are; the Juvenile Benevolent Society summon, in their different districts, all the children under their care once a week, to a room appointed for the purpose, to ascertain what progress those children have made in their learning. Nine children out of ten that we visit, who have not been placed under the care of this institution that I allude to, are unable to read.

Have you visited some of the very lowest classes of society? That is the description of poor that we take particularly under our cognizance.

What number have you clothed?-About 200 within the Jast 18 months. A family who are natives of Scotland, the man a weaver, but not able to work, from having broken his leg, and the woman having charge of four children, consequently unable to assist her husband in procuring a liveli hood; their distress was so great, that this family, which consisted of six persons, laid and slept in one bed; two of the children were about thirteen years of age at that time; they have been taken under the notice of this institution from its formation, and assisted with pecuniary aid, and their children sent to Sunday schools. Since that was done for them, they have been progressively improving. I visit them weekly, and they appear altogether much more comfortable; two of their children have got employment; the other two continue to attend the Sunday school, and at what is termed a weekly conference with some of the committee of the Juvenile Benevolent Society, which is merely an examination, they receive a little advice how to conduct themselves when they are at school. The boy some time ago was absent from home; his mother told me she believed he was connected with some of the juvenile depredators, who procure a subsistence by stealing; but I have now the satisfaction to say

that this boy is restored to his parents, has got work, and conducts himself with propriety; his only sister has also got a comfortable situation. The two eldest children, in consequence of being employed, have left the school, but they can read, which they have principally learnt to do at the Sunday schools; the other two children, who are attending Sunday schools, are making progress in their learning; and the family, although very poor, are much improved in their condition and comfort.

It has been stated to the Committee, that where clothing has been furnished to children, it sometimes has happened that after it has been worn for a few times, that they and the clothing have disappeared together; has your society suffered in that way?-Our society has suffered very little in proportion to the number of children it has clothed, owing to the precautions which is used by the committee; they supply them in the first place with clothing of little value, the clothing is stamped with permanent ink in the inside, "J. B. S. Charity," which prevents pawnbrokers receiving the same; this clothing is not given to the children, it is merely lent them, they take it out from the depôt on Saturday, and return it on the following Monday; in case they omit to do so, where such omission has taken place, the parties are visited by a member of the committee who has the particular charge of them; and we have found that that plan answers the purpose better than any other. But we are not confined entirely to that plan; when a child who has been under the care of the institution some time, and demean themselves in such a manner as to merit a peculiar mark of distinction, that child receives a gift of clothing, and is placed in a dayschool, which is done publicly before the rest of the children, that it may stimulate them to act equally consistent.

Do you know in point of fact whether all the children so supplied with clothes go to Sunday schools, or if not, what proportion?-We have regular information from the Sunday schools, by tin tickets, stamped J. B. S. that are given to each child, which child is well known by its peculiar dress; in the Sunday schools it is given to each child that has attended school; and as all the children under our care are summoned together once a week, we have an opportunity of ascertaining correctly what children have attended, and who have not attended; if any deficiency appears in that respect, the committee man, who has particular charge of the delinquent, is obliged, according to the rules of the institution, to visit that child in the course of the same week.

When you recommend children to any Sunday school,

do you send them to schools of any particular religious sect, or to all indiscriminately?We send them to all indiscriminately, it is quite optional on the part of the parents.

Do you recommend them to that school nearest their residence?-We do, if that school meets with the approbation of their parents.

Are you of the society of people called Quakers?-I am a member of that society.

Mr. WILLIAM NETTLEFOLD Junior, called in, and Examined.

ARE you Secretary to the Hoxton Academy Sunday school? Yes, I am.

Are you acquainted with the state of the children of the poor in your neighbourhood?-I visited a considerable part of the neighbourhood when our school was first opened, to obtain children to fill it; but we have now in the school about 560; and in going round the neighbourhood, I discovered that one-fourth, I should suppose, of the parents that I called upon, had children that were uninstructed.

Were they desirous to be instructed?-They were desirous of having their children instructed. On one Sabbath morning I collected 73 children who had never been in any Sunday school, and out of the 73 there were but two that could read, and that not sufficient to read in the Testament.

Are there now a sufficient number of schools in your neighbourhood to instruct all the children?-I consider not; I am convinced that if our school could instruct more children, that is, if we had more room, we could readily get 100 more.

Do you conceive very large schools are the best for Sunday schools, or to increase the number of small ones?-I should consider there was no particular choice in that respect; as Sunday schools are divided into classes, the children being regularly under the attention of one individual, one may consider each class as a distinct school, only, being congregated, they have all the advantage of one general exhortation or admonition.

How long have you taken an active part in this school?Three years.

Have you observed any particular improvement in the children?-Considerable.

In what respect?-As it respects the improvement in the children, their attention to the reverence of the Sabbath is to be discovered, and their increasing delight in attending

the school, to what they had when they first came; and the parents, upon visiting them, one may perceive a very considerable improvement in their domestic circumstances. When first called upon, the parents appeared to consider that they were obliging us, by sending their children; after the children had been at the school, probably a month or two, we have had the thanks of the parents for instructing them; they have considerably more parental obedience to what they were accustomed to receive from the children; and if the parents are poor, greater willingness on the part of the children to assist in the support of the family, if they require their assistance. Previous to the children attending the school, one might understand, from the acknowledgment of the parents, that they (the parents) would occupy the Sabbath at work; washing, for instance, on the part of the mother, and the occupation of the father continued likewise; but from the books which the children have carried home from the school, and the information they have given their parents from the instruction and exhortations they have heard, have been, in a number of cases that I could mention, induced to regard the Sabbath themselves by attending a place of worship.

Have you reason to believe that moral principles are fixed in the minds of the children, by the instruction they receive at the school?-Yes; we never discovered in our school one of the children that had been there ever committing any act of delinquency. The number of children in our school is 560. Do you limit the time which children shall remain in the school?-No.

Are there any advantages which the children receive by continuing in the school, beyond those of merely learning to read? No particular advantages, except presents at times for their good behaviour.

Do they improve in behaviour?-Yes, they do.

You conceive an increased number of Sunday schools throughout the Metropolis would benefit the lower classes of society-Materially so, because a number of the children of the very poor are occupied in the week by obtaining a portion of their livelihood, which will preclude their attendance at National schools. In one case I know a blind man, and the wife who is so infirm from affliction, that they are both dependent upon three small children for their support, the eldest of which is not twelve years of age.

How do they obtain it ?—They obtain it by selling various articles in the street.

Do those children come to your school?-They do.

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How long does it require to teach a child to read in a Sunday school?—A great deal depends upon the abilities of the child to receive instruction.

What is about the average?-We have had children leave the school at the end of nine months, who, when they entered, did not more than know the alphabet, and, when they left, could read in the Bible.

You would not state that as the average length of time?I should consider twelve months sufficient.

With the education he would receive at the Sunday school alone; or do you include the additional instruction he would receive at home?-Those cases I have mentioned have not been in the habit of receiving any instruction at home.

The children are only taught to read in the Sunday school? Yes.

Do the children not learn to write? They do.

On a Sunday?—No.

When do they learn to write?-On Monday evening.
Any other evening?-No other..

Do you teach them arithmetic-Yes, on the Monday evening.

Do you find the parents of poor children very desirous that their children should be instructed?-Where the parents could read themselves, but not otherwise, unless they conceive they shall be receiving some pecuniary aid by allowing their children to come.

Are you aware of any particular impediments which prevent poor children from receiving instruction ?-Where the parents are poor, the impediment arises from the want of suitable clothing to attend it.

After children have been in your school for any length of time, have you found that their dress has been improved, and their general appearance?—Yes, because the conduct of the parents have been improved in proportion to the conduct of their children.

Is your school in connexion with the National Society?— No, it is not.

Do you know the average annual expense?-Seventy pounds.

Does that include rent?-We have no rent to pay.

What are the expenses?-The expense is for books, fire, candle, and door-keepers.

Do you give any rewards to the children for good behaviour?-Yes, and for attending in time.

What rewards do you give? We give them small tickets, a certain number of which purchase books, according to

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