Windsor Parish Magazine – 1887

January

Children’s Old Clothes
The Vicar would be grateful for any children’s things, especially boots, that might be given to the poorest of the school children. The Infant School particularly petitions for this shape of help.

February

Special gifts.
We are tempted to follow the example of some charitable bodies and ask for special gifts. Our appeal for children’s cast offs closing have not been in vain and these some children would be so grateful if some friends would follow. Mr Budgen’s kind lead and make a present of Rice to be mixed, as now with the Milk so liberally given.

Temperance Society
On Monday the 14th this month, the members of this society hope to hold their annual meeting in the Albert Institute at 8:00 pm. Cannon Ellison will be one of the speakers, and no doubt many of his old friends will come together to hear him speak once again on his favourite topic. Sir W J Herschel will also give an address. The weekly meeting in the Church Street rooms have been well attended this winter and those who have been rescued from the misery of the sin of intemperance show their gratitude by doing all they can to help on the cause which has done so much for them personally. The Chairman is never at a loss for someone to sing or speak through all the evenings programme is improvised at the time. A minstrel troupe of 16 young men, all total abstainers, have given one entertainment. The room was full and the audience seemed pleased with the programme provided.

April

Champagne and Other Prizes
The bibles, which are given away every year in our Parish, to those children who have been most regular and attentive at the Scripture lessons, were distributed on March 25th, by Canon Dalton. He complimented the children upon the progress made during the year, and hoped that they would persevere and not only get a head knowledge of the Bible, but also carry out its principles in daily life. The following children were the successful ones:

Harry Banham, Percy Alderman, Louis Best, Thomas Gray, Robert East, George Knight, George Roach, Alice Jeffs, Clara Silver, Annie Hamblett, Harriet Slark, Maud Shorter, Edith Redman and Lucy Mayne.

Miss Gibbons also gave away a number of prizes for proficiency in secular knowledge, and for regular attendance. Certificates were given to all those who had not missed once during the whole year. Of these, 26 were girls and 22 boys.

The needlework prizes given by. Mrs. Gee and Mrs. Holland, were gained by:

Florence Clark, Alice Jeffs, Harriet Slark, Phoebe Harding, Annie Short, Ada Fleet, Emily Wells, Emily Looker and Ada Short

July

The Jubilee in Windsor
Our School Feast Day in the Home Park. How can we be sufficiently thankful for the dry grass under our feet, and the glorious sunlight over our heads? What a good thought it was to gather together those 6000 little ones, if only as a witness that in this district we were not neglecting the education of ” the children whom God had graciously given His Servants.” Accounts have come down to us how the last Jubilee was celebrated in Windsor, we read that they roasted their ox, and lighted their bonfire, but we do not read that they gathered a large number of school children and feasted them. We question whether they had them to feast! Sure we are that they could not count them by thousands, and hardly by hundreds. We question whether our Parish had any scholars beyond the Free School. National Schools were not established until about 1811. Education was the rare privilege of a few, not as now, the right or even duty of all.

One thing we may hope will come out of these school treats and gatherings, and that is, the discipline or management of all the children that take part in them. We had no special fault to find with our own; but if is with the young as with the old. These occasions bring out the better or worse side of each character. We see what children are pushing, restive and quarrelsome, not to say greedy and clamorous; and what children are gentle and unselfish, ready to yield and content to wait. We think that they may learn as much, and be taught as much on these days as when actually in school and with their books open before them. We greatly desire that the very poorest and lowest children may be civilized and humanized, and that there should be no such set known in Windsor as ” The Roughs.”

Lastly: Let us be thankful, not only for the weather and right working of plans, but from the freedom of all hurt or accident attending a week of such doings. How would all our pleasure have been turned into mourning had there been a sad loss of life or even of limb. Most, thankful were we to lead off the ground our 700 children unhurt and unharmed; and to have had no other use for our ambulance tent than to relieve cases of faintness and fatigue. Even the dreadful “See Saws” had failed to do real mischief !

August

Government Examination
At the time of writing these lines our schools are under Government Examination. This is time that, is more than trying, almost torturing, to teachers and scholars. We have no reason to complain of the fact or manner of inspection. If the country makes large grants to schools, it, is entitled to see the money is earned. Few would propose that good and bad schools should be paid alike; and all must allow that schools do differ greatly from each other in merit. Perhaps the amount of difference in money payment might, be lessened; so that, poorer schools should not be so greatly impoverished by their smaller receipts. We shall not know the judgment pronounced upon our schools, until August be far advanced. It is satisfactory to know that the Inspector is pleased With the general appearance of the scholars. ” If, was pleasure ” he stated, ” to examine the Girls’ School,” and we venture to think he was satisfied with the tone and appointments of all four schools. We presented to him altogether something like 880 children.

We have had to make up our school accounts for the occasion, and have every reason to be thankful that, in a year of unusual depression, we have not found our subscriptions diminished. We can hardly say that they increase, and it is tantalizing to see how small an addition would enable us to balance our books, and pay our way without any arrear. We can only tell  our friends that an addition of £20 a year, would make just the difference between sufficiency and straightness of means. When the winter comes, we may take counsel together, as to some entertainment or enterprise, which would bring in the amount that we fail to receive directly under the head of subscriptions.

School Treat
 The above statement may help to explain why we have felt more than justified in taking the Jubilee treat as the school treat of the year. When numbers are so large as those already given, a very simple entertainment, costs a considerable sum. This has to be raised from the many who have already contributed to their means, and even beyond their means, to the regular expenses of the schools. There is a treat given in the winter to all who attend Sunday Schools, and those who decline such attendance have not much claim upon gratifications in a Church School.

The Excursions of the adult classes have been cared for; and the Middle Class Schools, which were not thought admissible to the Home Park, have, through the kindness of Captain Denham, enjoyed a very pleasant evening in his fields. About 150 mustered for that school tea.

School Sweets
A Little time ago we chanced to take up the Magazine of a neighbouring parish and our eye caught warm remonstrance against the way in which “sweets” were brought to their schools. Punishment was threatened; and offenders had notice that at the distribution of rewards, “sweets would be found to be bitters.” We take advantage of our neighbour’s dissatisfaction, to say with that we smart under the same grievance, though we hope it is diminishing. Will not parents cease to send their children to Sunday school with a penny or half-penny specially given to load themselves with sticky stuff by the way.

Prince Consort’s Association
This Association held its meeting this year in the Home Park on July 19th. The gathering was not so large as usual owing to an unexpected alteration of the hour. Our parish had no reason to complain of the share of prizes which was allotted to us; and we are sure that none of those rewarded and entertained, had any ground of complaint as to the dinner liberally provided. H.R.H. Princess Christian gave away the prizes with her usual kindness of manner. It is satisfactory to know how many domestics qualify by long efficient servico for these rewards, and how many young servants give full satisfaction in a first place, kept through three years.

Our schools have done well in needlework, taking among other rewards a first, prize among the elder competitors. Prize have also gone to both our Infants schools to that in Windsor, and to that in Spital. Altogether out of 274 rewards, 74 have been assigned to our parishioners

October

Night School
This is now open three nights in the week. (Monday, Wednesday and Friday,) At eight o’clock, free of charge. Arrangements will be made for the Advanced School should such present themselves. But the earnest endeavours of the promoters is to gather in the ragged and ignorant and afford one last opportunities to those who in their boyhood lost or abused all teaching. Assistance given by gentlemen or ladies in teaching such would be readily and gratefully accepted.

December

Teachers Meeting
There will be a meeting of School Teachers in the Girls Schoolroom on Saturday, December the 10th at 3:15 PM. When the rev. A.H. Drummond will read a paper on religious instruction in the voluntary schools and Mr R Knight. One on writing and understood in the code. Tea will be provided at 4:45 PM.