Education and Schools
[ education and schools ] [ Number of Scholars at
Sunday School] [ number of teachers ]
[ number of places of Religious worship ] [
Returns of Day Schools 1841 ]
[ Samuel Scriven's submission ]
Education and
Schools
28) The subjoined return of the weekly, Sabbath,
and infant schools, with the number of places of worship, is, as far as it goes,
conclusive evidence that no efforts are spared on the part of the wealthy
classes to afford ample opportunities to the younger branches of the community
of acquiring moral and religious education.
Indeed I do not believe that there
is any other part of the country, certainly none that I have visited, where such
examples, "so worthy of all imitation", are to be met with.
Returns of Sunday Schools in the Staffordshire Potteries
and Surrounding Neighbourhood (February 1841)
Number of Scholars Receiving
Instruction:
Places
|
Church
|
Wesleyan
|
New Meth'ist
|
Prim Meth'ist
|
Indep'
dent
|
Roman Catholic
|
Baptist
|
Total
|
Stoke-on-Trent
|
230
|
320
|
338
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
888
|
Oakhill and Penkhull
|
94
|
0
|
0
|
120
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
214
|
Hanley
|
155
|
400
|
0
|
0
|
440
|
0
|
229
|
1224
|
Shelton
|
410
|
0
|
1344
|
135
|
470
|
0
|
0
|
2359
|
Northwood
|
0
|
0
|
254
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
254
|
Longton and Lane End
|
547
|
927
|
1066
|
61
|
200
|
300
|
0
|
3101
|
Fenton and Lane Delph
|
360
|
176
|
455
|
60
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1051
|
Burslem
|
260
|
1684
|
400
|
101
|
90
|
0
|
150
|
2685
|
Cobridge
|
42
|
0
|
247
|
0
|
0
|
110
|
0
|
399
|
Hot Lane
|
0
|
83
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
83
|
Sneyd Green
|
0
|
147
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
147
|
Green Head
|
300
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
300
|
Dale Hall
|
359
|
72
|
52
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
483
|
Longport
|
0
|
137
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
137
|
Etruria
|
0
|
251
|
69
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
320
|
Wolstanton
|
170
|
72
|
80
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
322
|
Tunstall
|
533
|
700
|
200
|
780
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2213
|
Golden Hill
|
150
|
200
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
350
|
Kidsgrove
|
630
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
630
|
Pits Hill
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
286
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
286
|
Smallthorn
|
0
|
0
|
289
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
289
|
Eastwood Vale
|
0
|
0
|
93
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
93
|
Lightwood
|
0
|
0
|
188
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
188
|
Total: |
4240
|
5169
|
5075
|
1543
|
1200
|
410
|
379
|
18016
|
Number of Teachers giving
Instruction:
Places
|
Church
|
Wesleyan
|
New Meth'ist
|
Prim Meth'ist
|
Indep'
dent
|
Roman Catholic
|
Baptist
|
Total
|
Stoke-on-Trent
|
42
|
60
|
35
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
137
|
Oakhill and Penkhull
|
9
|
0
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
24
|
Hanley
|
21
|
80
|
0
|
0
|
45
|
0
|
27
|
173
|
Shelton
|
41
|
0
|
186
|
28
|
70
|
0
|
0
|
325
|
Northwood
|
0
|
0
|
27
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
27
|
Longton and Lane End
|
39
|
141
|
126
|
11
|
60
|
25
|
0
|
402
|
Fenton and Lane Delph
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Burslem
|
45
|
266
|
55
|
13
|
9
|
0
|
12
|
400
|
Cobridge
|
8
|
0
|
40
|
0
|
0
|
16
|
0
|
64
|
Hot Lane
|
0
|
14
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
Sneyd Green
|
0
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
18
|
Green Head
|
40
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
40
|
Dale Hall
|
43
|
10
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
71
|
Longport
|
0
|
32
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
32
|
Etruria
|
0
|
64
|
12
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
76
|
Wolstanton
|
18
|
23
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
59
|
Tunstall
|
35
|
100
|
36
|
80
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
251
|
Golden Hill
|
14
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
30
|
Kidsgrove
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
16
|
Pits Hill
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
38
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
38
|
Smallthorn
|
0
|
0
|
28
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
28
|
Eastwood Vale
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
Lightwood
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
Total: |
371
|
824
|
628
|
170
|
184
|
41
|
39
|
2257
|
Number of Places of Religious
Worship:
Places
|
Church
|
Wesleyan
|
New Meth'ist
|
Prim Meth'ist
|
Indep'
dent
|
Roman Catholic
|
Baptist
|
Total
|
Stoke-on-Trent
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
Oakhill and Penkhull
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Hanley
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
Shelton
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
Northwood
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Longton and Lane End
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
9
|
Fenton and Lane Delph
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
Burslem
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
7
|
Cobridge
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
Hot Lane
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Sneyd Green
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Green Head
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Dale Hall
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
Longport
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Etruria
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Wolstanton
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
Tunstall
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
Golden Hill
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Kidsgrove
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Pits Hill
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Smallthorn
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Eastwood Vale
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Lightwood
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Total: |
14
|
16
|
16
|
8
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
63
|
Returns of Day Schools in the
Staffordshire Potteries, 1841:
PLACE
|
Bells
|
M (T)
|
F (T)
|
Lanc
aster
|
M (T)
|
F (T)
|
Infa
nts
|
M (T)
|
F (T)
|
Schol
|
Teach
|
Stoke-on-Trent
|
160
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
160
|
2
|
Penkhull and Oakhill
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
40
|
0
|
1
|
40
|
1
|
Longton and Lane End
|
261
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
50
|
0
|
1
|
311
|
5
|
Hanley
|
332
|
1
|
1
|
282
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
614
|
4
|
Shelton
|
183
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
183
|
2
|
Burslem
|
165
|
1
|
1
|
92
|
1
|
0
|
172
|
0
|
1
|
429
|
4
|
Dale Hall
|
204
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
118
|
0
|
1
|
322
|
3
|
Tunstall
|
333
|
1
|
1
|
32
|
1
|
0
|
37
|
0
|
1
|
402
|
4
|
Cobridge
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
88
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
88
|
1
|
Kidsgrove
|
292
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
292
|
3
|
Total: |
1930
|
9
|
10
|
494
|
3
|
2
|
417
|
0
|
5
|
2841
|
29
|
[ADDED NOTE: for each place
the table shows the number of scholars and teachers (male and female) in
each of the teaching systems (Bells & Lancaster) and in infants - then
the end colums show the totals of scholars and teachers.]
Samuel Scriven's submission:
29) I almost tremble, however, when I contemplate
the fearful deficiency of knowledge existing throughout the district, and the
consequences likely to result to this increased and increasing population, and
would willingly leave the evidence to speak for itself, did I not feel that I
should ill discharge my duty were I to shrink from the task;
on an examination
of the minutes of evidence which I have the honour to forward from Cobridge,
Burslem, &c. &c., it with appear that more than three-fourths of the
persons therein named can neither read nor write.
An inferee may be possibly
drawn that I may have been partial in my selection of them, but I beg distinctly
to be understood as having on all occasions had them before me irrespective of
any educational competency they may have possessed.
But it is not from my own
knowledge that I proclaim their utter, their absolute ignorance. I would
respectfully refer you to the evidence of their own pastors and masters, and it
will appear that as one man they acknowledge and lament their low and degraded
condition. My experience has satisfied me that this state of things is
attributable to the three following causes.
30) The first, and perhaps most
prominent, I conceive to be that of sending children at too early a period of
life to labour from morning till night, in hundreds of cases for 15 or 16
hours consecutively, with the intermission of only a few minutes to eat their
humble food of "tatees" and "stir pudding", and where
they acquire little else than vice, for the wages of 1s. or 2s. per week,
whereby they are necessarily deprived of every opportunity of attending a day
or evening school.
31) Another is the total indifference of parents,
who, although in numberless instances earning from 2s. to 3s. or 4s. per week,
and not requiring the early labour of their offspring, nevertheless care so
little about their immediate or future welfare, as to be equally satisfied
whether they continue in ignorance or not.
32) A third is doubtless the
poverty of others unemployed.
33) In all the schools 2d. per week is required
from every pupil, which, although trifling in amount, is beyond the reach of
many; instances, happily, are not wanting in which benevolent persons contribute
this stipend to the children of industrious and deserving parents, who have
during the recent depression of trade been thrown out of work.
34) There are in the district
Sunday-schools belonging to the church, and to dissenters of many
denominations, but chiefly to Methodists of the "Wesleyan", "New Connexion", "Christian Association", and "Primitive" connexion. In these are congregated immense numbers of
children of both sexes.
The practice of all is to open their doors at nine
o'clock in the morning, and close them at half past ten, when they retire to
the religious worship of their respective churches or chapels: to open again
at one o'clock, and retire at half past two generally, for the same purpose,
thus giving three hours of instruction deducting half an hour for prayer and
singing, with which they commence their duties.
There are defects in the
system of Sunday-school training, or whence arises the fact of children whose
depositions I hand you from Burslem, the very pride of the potteries, their
very seat of learning, being so profoundly ignorant as not to know one letter
from another, and yet regularly "attend Sunday schools" my
deliberate opinion is; that in an educational point of view they are not doing
the good which is attributed to them:
first, on account of the limitation of
the hours of schooling;
next; from the absence of writing, and other such
secular instruction; and,
thirdly, on account of the teachers; who with honour
be it spoken, are eight-tenths of the working classes, yet unequal to the task
of teaching.
I do not mean to detract from the merits of Sunday-schools as a
source of religious knowledge, which by some is considered the basis upon
which all others should be built, or from the moral effects resulting from the
congregating of children in religious places; or from associating with
religious friends; but would rather give my humble praise to the many sects
who have with such determined efforts striven to stem the torrent of
infidelity, profligacy, and drunkenness, and continue with pious zeal, in
imitation of their founder, to extend the knowledge and love of God.
35) On a reference to the table it will be seen
that there are in the several townships 17 day-schools, upon either Dr. Bell's,
the Lancasterian, or the Infant system; but in the attendance upon these, as
compared with the Sunday-schools, there is a sad falling off; nearly all of them
are handsome and spacious edifices, and capable of holding and seating
comfortably four times the number of children in daily attendance.
36) Amongst the most prominent
are those of Hanley, Shelton, Stoke, Longton, Burslem, Dale Hall, and
Tunstall; these are noble institutions, and do honour to the respective
inhabitants.
The boys and girls have their separate rooms, which are lofty,
dry, well ventilated, warm, and in all respects adapted to their purposes; and
each has its master or mistress, who has generally been trained at one of the
normal schools, and therefore, it is presumed, well qualified for his duties.
It has however, not been my fortune to find much order or decorum in the
children, or cleanliness in the rooms they occupy.
37) Most of the schools belong to the National
Society, and are therefore upon Dr. Bell's system, and do not admit the children
of other denominations unless they conform to the worship of the Church; at
least such is the general rule, although it may sometimes be departed from.
It
must be remembered that this district is the stronghold of the Kilhamites or new
Methodist connexion; and that the Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists or Ranters,
prevail in immense numbers, and constitute perhaps four-fifths of the
population; that they have, within a few years, erected at their own expense a
vast number of chapels of great beauty and magnificence, together with detached
Sunday-schools in all respects corresponding; so that they may not have the
pecuniary means, however much they may have the inclination, to build
day-schools for their children.
The rule above alluded to in the National School
necessarily excludes them; hence the insignificant number of those that attend.
Independent of this, monitors are appointed over each class. Boys, as well as
girls, as soon as they arrive at eight, nine, or ten years of age, are sent to
work; these monitors are therefore very young, and possess only the ability to
read "a bit" themselves, or it may be spell.
Parents even of the
church have a strong objection to pay the weekly 2d., 3d., or 4d. for their
children to be made the monitors of others, or to their receiving instruction
from others as such; see the evidence of James Hulme, No. 46, who, although he
could not read, was one of the most intelligent lads that I have met with; he
depones "that they put lads over me that could na' read better than meesel,
and when I came to a hard word they used to say, Go on, go on; put it off, put
it off; so I did na' loike that; I told my father, and Ire took me away."
38) There is only one school
upon the British system throughout the townships, and that at Hanley, a superb
edifice of its kind, open to the children of every denomination of Christians,
comparatively well filled and regulated.
There are several infant-schools well
conducted, but the numbers attending them are very scanty. Amongst them I may
mention one under the management of Jane Shriven, at the National School of
St. John's; here I selected many of the children for examination, whose
proficiency perfectly astonished me, and speaks volumes in honour of the
mistress.
39) There are no industrial schools of any kind.
These would appear to me to be of the utmost value to the children of both sexes
in such a place as this, as the nature of their employment has peculiar claims
for such.
40) In Hanley and Fenton there
are Mechanics' Institutes for adults well attended;
Hanley has 336 members, a
good library of 1500 volumes, reading-room, and class-rooms for drawing,
engraving, chemistry, these arts being essentially to workmen engaged in the
manufactories: if something of the kind could be established for younger
persons I doubt not but that it would prove of immense importance to them in
after life.
41) The preceding communications from Messrs.
Davis, Galdard, Garner, and Harding will convey some facts relating to the
medical topography of their respective places of residence.
42) I feel great pleasure in
recording the gratifying fact, that throughout the whole of my visits, whether
in the factory or workshop, the cabin at the pit's mouth, or in the humble
cottage, I have been received with the utmost respect, kindness, and
hospitality; not the result of any merits of my own, or of a previous
knowledge of the people, for I came amongst them a total stranger, but from an
impression that something was about to be done to regenerate the youthful
population from a state of moral degradation and physical toil;-a measure
which I believe would be hailed with gladness and satisfaction.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your most obedient servant,
S. SCRIVEN.
|