Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign School Society. — Lord John Russell, M. P., in the Chair. Illustrated London News (14 May 1853). [Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
The anniversary meeting of this excellent institution — always a scene of greatest interest — this year received additional eclat from the presence of an American authoress of world-wide celebrity; and from the distinguished share taken by the president of the proceedings in the education movement of the day.
The meeting was held on Monday, in the Borough-road school-room. It was preceded, as usual, by an examination of the scholars in various branches of religious and secular education. Among the visitors at the examinations were Lord John Russell, who delivered a brief address at its close; and Mrs. H. B. Stowe, who, on being introduced by the Rev. T. Binney as "The Mother of Uncle Tom," was received with rapturous applause by the children [her anti-slavery novel being one of the best-selling works of mid-nineteenth-century Britain]. At the meeting, the chair was occupied by Lord John Russell.
Mr. Dunn, the secretary, read the forty-eighth annual report, which, after adverting to the promising condition of elementary education in England, furnished a rapid sketch of the society's proceedings during the year.
The boys' model school admitted 842 children, and the girls' school 430. Twenty-seven pupil teachers had been apprenticed by the Committee Council. . . . sixty had been examined for certificates . . . , and 140 teachers had been appointed to schools. During the year fifty-four new schools had been established, affording accommodation for 7000 children; 295 towns had been visited by agents for school inspection; ninety-seven public meetings had been held, and twenty-four lectures delivered in different parts of the country; 124 grants in money or school materials had been made.
Also present were the Bishop of Manchester (who, since he moved adoption of the report, must have been a regular member as opposed to a distinguished visitor), Viscount Ebrington, and Sir James Kaye Shuttleworth. The account ends with a verbatim quotation of Lord John Russell's speech acknowledging the vote of thanks.
References
"Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign School Society. — Lord John Russell, M. P., in the Chair." The Illustrated London News (14 May 1853): 369.
Last modified 31 August 2006