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erected by the munificence of J. Rock, Esq., for the purpose of carrying on what we believe is pretty correctly denominated his school”. In the following week, Mr. Rock explained the part he had taken in the matter and also suggested the formation of a Workingmen’s Reading-room, in a communication to the News, as follows:-
- “Mr. Editor, - In the remarks you made in your last week’s publication on St. Mary’s Boys’ Evening School, you gave me credit for more than is my due.... For the last ten years or more I have taken an interest in the above school, considering it to be a matter of great importance thus to endeavour to supply one link in the chain of education connecting boyhood with manhood. The Day School brings them up to a certain point – say from ten to twelve years of age; they then leave for various occupations – errand-boys, &c. which in our town are very numerous; and unless some such means as the Evening School affords is provided, they lose what they have already learnt in the Day School, and get what may be termed a ‘street education’, the baneful effects of which are well-known in our town by the large number of juvenile offenders. The Evening School takes them from twelve to twenty or older, and leaves them prepared to enter the Mechanics’ Institution, become teachers in Sunday Schools and other religious and profitable pursuits, and so fits them for useful life. The Bible is the only school-book. The exercises are commenced by singing a hymn, then reading, spelling, writing and arthmetic(sic), and the boys are occasionally visited by kind ministers and friends, who give them a word of advice. This is the object for which the schoolroom has been built, it having been so difficult to find a place to carry it on. I mentioned this to two kind friends and that I knew of a piece of ground that would do to build a room on if I could get some friends to help me. They immediately said if divided into four, they would take two shares. I then named it to the Rev. T. Vores, who as readily agreed to take the other share, thus leaving me with only one share, instead of the whole. I trust that, through the blessing of God, it may be a spiritual and temporal blessing to very many. I ought also to say that I am indebted to other friends for their kind subscriptions.”
- “Now, sir, there is another effort I should very much like to make if I could meet with some friends to join me; that is to build a large room to be used as a reading-room and for religious purposes, where the working-classes might assemble to edify themselves in the reading of religious and moral periodicals and books, and where they might spend an hour or so in improvement, instead of wandering -
