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COMPANY, who are The Governors, that reading, writing, and arithmetic should be taught in addition to the Classics,-and from that period, the teaching of the Classics appears to have been discontinued. It is stated, that the parents are not willing to send their children for instruction in the higher branches of education.11

It may deserve to be remarked, that by the original foundation of the Free School at Ratcliffe, by NICHOLAS GIBSON and Lady AVICE his wife, both the Master and Usher were required to be learned persons, and to teach Grammar and the Latin language, as well as reading, writing, and arithmetic,—but that grammatical instruction has been so little called for, that the school has ceased to be a Grammar School.12

The boys were formerly instructed in Latin, in the School founded by Mrs. 19 Rep. I. p. 186.

11 Rep. I. p. 175.

SMITH, for the benefit of the children of inhabitants of the parish of St. Lawrence Jewry, but, in 1784, this was discontinued by an Order of Vestry, on account of the Scholars being the children of poor parents, and they have since that time been taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and the Church catechism. This may be considered a deviation from the original plan of the donor of the Charity,—but the mode now pursued, is deemed by the parish more beneficial to the objects of her bounty.13

The Commissioners cannot but observe, that the Free Grammar School at Highgate does not appear to have kept pace in it's progress, either with the intention of The Founder, or with the gradual improvement of it's Funds, and the necessities of the neighbourhood in which it is placed. As a Grammar School it has fallen into complete decay. The instruction of the children has entirely devolved 13 Rep. I. p. 53.

upon an Assistant, receiving a small salary from the Master, who never teaches them himself, nor interferes with the conduct

of the School, except by occasional superintendence, or when the exercise of his authority is applied for by the actual teacher. Their number remains as it was fixed by The Governors nearly 250 years ago, notwithstanding an immense increase in the population of the neighbourhood, which has long afforded an ample call for extending the benefits of the Institution, this being the only Free School in the place belonging to the Established Church.1

14

The Will of Sir JOHN JOLLES imports, that he intended Grammar and the Latin language to be taught at Stratford Bow, -but all that is at present taught, is reading, writing, and arithmetic. Dr. WARREN, the Rector of the Parish, was appointed Master in 1728,-and the two succeeding Masters were also in Orders,but it is pretty clear, from the Minute Report 1. p. 104.

Book of THE DRAPERS' COMPANY, that no Grammar or Latin has been taught in the School from the year 1711,-indeed, for the Salary of 267. 13s. 4d. which has received no augmentations, it would be difficult to find a Master able and disposed to teach a learned language. The prescribed number of 35 boys is, however, kept up on this slender income.15

Neither has the Free Grammar School in East Grinstead been used as a Grammar School since 1775,-nor has any application been made to the Trustees to restore it to it's original foundation,—the system on which the School is at present conducted as a National School, is considered more beneficial and satisfactory to the Parishioners at large.1

The extraordinary deficiency of evidence with respect to the Free Grammar School at Bitterley, founded by The Rev. JOHN NEWBOROUGH, and which is in itself 16 Rep. II. p. 165.

15

Rep. 1. p. 137.

no small proof of inattention to it's concerns, renders it difficult to form a precise judgement of the manner in which it's interests have been managed,-but enough appears to satisfy The Commissioners, that it is greatly deteriorated in character and efficiency from what it once was, and that there has been a manifest deviation from the intention of The Founder, and of the only Benefactor of whom they have any knowledge. This was an antient Grammar School, to which, under that denomination, a learned person in the beginning of the last Century gave an endowment (18th. Jan. 1711), the object of which The Commissioners must conclude to have been it's support as a Classical School. It appears to have been, until no very distant period, a flourishing school of that character, but it is now sunk into a mere reading and writing school of the commonest description, and is holden by the Master under terms stipulated by the Parishioners, which seem destructive of any hope of restoring it to

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