NONCONFORMITY IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Evening Star, Issue 4244, 3 October 1876, Page 3

NONCONFORMITY IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

It was stated some days ago th£t a gentleman had been dismissed from aB assistant mastership at Perse Grammar School, Cambridge, for no offence but his being a Nonconformist in religion. Some further particulars of the case (only one side of which, however, has yet been heard) are given by the Rev. W. F. Slater, 8.A., in a letter to the ' Leeds Mercury.' Mr Slater says : " Mr F.C. Maxwell, M.A, (of St. John's College), is the son of a Wesley an minister, and brother of the Independent minister at Goole. He has been for five years an assistant master at the Perse Grammar School, Cambridge. For the first four years the head master was the Rev. J. Heppenstal, M.A., who last year took the Grammar School at Sedbergh. With him Mr Maxwell worked with the utmost harmony and friendliness. Mr Heppenstall now comes forward to attest the efficiency of Mr Maxwell's work. I may add here that Mr Maxwell is a man of versatile ability, and has special qualifications as an instructor of young boys. He is a Wesleyan local preacher and society steward, and an earnest worker in the temperance movement, Band of Hope societies, &c. The present headmaster, Mr Allen, is not only a churchman, but but objects to teach classics and ri?athematics in company with Dissenters'. The presence of so decided a Nonconformist as Mr Maxwell in the establishment is an intolerable nuisance. He, therefore, sent him a letter, stating frankly that, in consequence of his being a Nonconformist, ' there existed a certain difference of social position which it was undesirable for the well-working of the school should be allowed to continue.' At the same time he volunteered a testimonial as to his character and qualifications. Subsequently, however, finding this position to be somewhat doubtful, he sent another notice, alleging incompetency and inefficiency as the grounds on which the removal must take place." !

A Yankee hor.-e jockey, boasting the other day of the speed of his horae, gravely asserted that he could trot seventeen mi'es au hour. " Seventeen nu>s an hour !" says a bystander; "I guess that's a thumps."—"My dear fellow," replied the Yankee, " seventeen miles is not great for the creature now; for when he was but two years old the lightning killed the old mare, and chased the colt all round the Eaddock without getting within ten rods of im " In 1766, Foote, the act.* and wit, when on a visit to L( rd Maxborough's, broke his leg while hunting. Shortly after, Lord Belmore, condoling with him on his misfortune the inveterate joker could not foibsar his jest at the ex pease of the silly nobleman, and replied " Pray, my lord, do not abide to m 7 weak poiiit;_lkave not alluded to yours f at the same time significantly pointing tothenobbman's head.