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Preface
Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Appendix

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Contents

1852. “The practice of making inquiries upon the after course of those who have been educated in this establishment has been continued; although in some instances, it must be admitted that the good habits commenced at school, and for a while afterwards continued, have not been permanently sustained, vet, in many others, the replies kindly cherished are truly cheering. Would that anything could be dote for this interesting class, when approaching their majority, which, by keeping them Under Christian care, and from evil communications, might, with the Divine blessing, prove a further help during this Critical period of life.”

1860. “Some of the children we fear have suffered from going into situations, and many more from want of continuous Christian care, but the state in which they leave school is generally admitted to be satisfactory, we believe the after course of not a few of them, affords comforting evidence that the Divine blessing has rested upon the Christian efforts made on their behalf.”

1868. “Believing that this school has been the means of conferring a sound Christian education on a class of children previously unprovided for by our religious society, and of enabling many to attain to positions of usefulness which otherwise could hardly have been anticipated, we would strongly urge its claims upon Friends, believing that the Divine blessing has eminently rested upon it, and humbly hoping for its continuance.”

1865. “As heretofore, interesting reports have been received of those who have been educated in the school, some of whom have been united to us in religious fellowship, and many now occupy useful and respectable positions in society. Two have filled the responsible position of Mayor, David Dowll Wilson, of Middlesbrough, and William Harding, of Darlington.”

I observe in the returns the following trades and professions:- teacher, schoolmaster, clerk, grocer, draper, ironmonger, tailor, butcher, baker, farmer, maltster, market gardener, sailor, shoemaker, mason, blacksmith, doctor, architect, artist, soldier, telegraph clerk, station master, gardener, catholic priest, dissenting minister.

The rate of admission, proposed by John Pease in his letter to Thos. Richardson, was fixed at £8 per annum. The lowest rate at Ackworth School, at that time, was £10. The school gradually filled. At the end of 1841 there were 16 boys and 16 girls. Several of these were from Cumberland and their parents were in very humble circumstances. The application was made for them by John Little, our agent for Carlisle, who accompanied some of them to school. The amount for their admission was paid by Thomas Richardson. The income from all sources not covering the expenditure, and the committee finding that a few children had been admitted at £8 whose parents, or friends, were able to pay a higher rate, adopted a scale of charges. We find the following reference to this in the report for 1845:-

“The Committee adopted a scale on the terms of admission to be regulated with reference to the abilities of the friends of the children, in unison with the practice of other similar establishments. Upon this recommendation children have been admitted at the stated prices of £8, £10. and £15 respectively, and it is trusted, with a discretion which has prevented the, exclusion of any one child for want of funds. There are now 61 children in the school, only one a member, a fact which shews the necessity of this provision for the class of children for whom the institution was originally founded, and in respect to whom its advantages are, we feel assured, neither transient nor to be lightly esteemed.”

The Report for 1846 states: “things have proceeded in their usual course, and the applications for admission upon terms varying from £8 to £15, chiefly of the lowest rate, have been sufficient to keep a full school of about 60 children, and also a few names on the list for admission.”

After the additions to the main buildings and the erection of the boys' new school house, the institution was in a position to receive the number contemplated by its founders, this is referred to in 1847 Report.

“The school has been supplied with the stated number of 36 boys and the proposed increase of girls from 26 to 36 is nearly effected, there being 31 on this side of the house. Only one member of our religious society is at present in the school.”

The number in the school fluctuated on the girls’ side, on the boys’ side the maximum number of 36 was mostly maintained. In 1851 there were 37 boys and 38 girls in the school, the highest number during the first 25 years; the lowest during the same period was 34 boys and 26 girls. On some occasions the complement of scholars could not be kept up for the want of applications for admission of the class for whom the institution was designed; as this affected the average cost very seriously, for the same amount of salaries and wages and many other expenses had to be met whether the numbers were many or few, to remedy this it was agreed to admit those having no claim on our Society under certain regulations, provided their parents or guardians would allow them to attend our Meetings, and in all things conform to the rules of the school and conduct themselves as Friends.

The committee on the 22nd of 10th month 1849, made the following regulations on this subject:-

“The attention of this committee having been closely occupied in considering the subject of admitting children, who with their parents or friends are not in the practice of attending our religious meetings, and on whose behalf the claim is remote or doubtful; this committee is of the judgment that the full cost of any one of the three preceding years should be paid under such circumstances, and in no case should admission be granted to the exclusion of such objects as may present a more direct claim.”

The lowest rate of admission was changed from £8 to £10. In the report for 1861, I find the following statement:

“The terms of admission have varied from £10 to £21 per annum. In the exercise of the discretion which has been vested in it, the Committee has endeavoured to arrange for payments as near the cost as the circumstances of parents and friends would allow, notwithstanding which, the number admitted at or about the lowest price has materially pressed upon the funds.”

The average cost of each child varied; in 1842 it was only a little over £14, as more officers and servants were required, the expenses of conducting the school went gradually up. At the end of 1865 when I left the institution it was £21.

The average cost of the Brookfield School in Ireland was always considerably less than ours. A friend enquiring the cause was told the scholars at Brookfield School “lived on potatoes and they dug for them.”

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