BAGGED SCHOOL.

Southland Times, Issue 566, 21 September 1866, Page 2

BAGGED SCHOOL.

At a meeting of the Committee of the Bagged School, held on Tuesday morning last, it was deemed desirable that some alterations should be made in the rules of the School in order to ensure its still more efficient working. The Committee purpose obtaining, if possible, some books which belonged,, to the Board of Education, which would be for the use of the children at school, and also at their homes, this would give the scholars a much better opportunity of advancement than can be expected under existing arrangements. The Committee find that in the present stage of the undertaking the number of children should not be greater than the Teacher could be reasonably expected to manage, and for this purpose find it expedient to limit the number to 35. In the opinion of the Committee this would have the effect of providing efficient instruction to a stated number, while it would tend to create in the minds of parents availing themselves of the school a feeling that a certain privilege was attached to admittance, and that this would lead to more punctual atteadance on the part of the children, the want of which lias been found to be a serious drawback to the success of the school. Some of the Committee have visited the school on several occasions, and bear testimony to the satisfactory progress which those children have made who are regular in attendance and attentive to their lessons. Many who but a few months since stumbled over some of the simplest words in the English language can now read with comparative fluency in the New Testament. Great praise is due to the ladies who arranged a short time since to visit the school, in such a way that every day two attend for an hour to give instruction to the girls in sewing, and although this valuable aid to the usefulness of theinstitutionhas been rendered only about three weeks yet the effect has been already seen in the more regular attendance, improved behaviour, and cleanliness of the girls. The school is in a very satisfactory state as regards the working, and we feel sure the public need only to be reminded that assistance from them is indispensible to the carrying on of the work" in order to induce them to come .forward and subscribe liberally to so valuable an institution as the Bagged School unquestionably aiming as it does, at the moral and intellectual improvement of those who in many cases would be otherwise uncared for, and left to run about the streets, acquiring habits and desires which if unchecked would ruin them, both body and soul. It is clearly, then, the duty 'of every inhabitant of Invercargill to do what he can to aid in the work, by assisting pecuniarily and by visiting the school if thereby encouraging both teacher and scholars. cLelp must be rendered, or the institution cannot succeed. The balance will soon be on the wrong side, unless subscriptions are sent in. Contributions of books, suitable for children, tracts and clothes, or materials for making them, . will bo gratifully received by any of the members of Committee, or may be sent to Mrs Shaw, North Eoad, or to Mrs Yule, Tay-street,

who have kindly consented id HCftti them, . By order of Committed CHARLES ROTTT, SeewtMf . Natsaea of Members of Committee.— J. P. Taylor, Esq., (President} ; Rev§. Stobo, Shaw, 'Bethune ; Bra. Deckhand GWeor ; Messrs Colder, Crouch, Perkins, A. Law, Trew. vT B. Smith, and 0. Bout, (Secretary and Treasurer.)