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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.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 I. p. 104.

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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

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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

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Rep. I. p. 137.

16 Rep. II. p. 165.

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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it's former respectability, and which, as far as appears, are hardly justified by any authority they can be supposed to possess in the appointment of the Master of a Grammar School.17

Mr. NEWBOROUGH was Assistant at ETON School in 1682, and in 1689, he had the honour to be appointed Master. He was esteemed a man of great Learning. Under this very eminent Schoolmaster were educated some of the first Scholars of that time. He was Rector of Hitcham, in the County of Buckingham, to which Benefice he was probably nominated by The Provost and Fellows of Eton College, pursuant to the bequest of Mr. ARCHER, a former Fellow, who being possessed of the Advowson, has bound his heirs to present a Clerk, nominated by The College. He died in 1712, and was buried at Hitcham, where there is an Epitaph to his memory on an Altar Tomb in the Church-yard.18

17 Rep. I. p. 267.

18 Harwood's Alumni Etonenses, p. 260.- Lysons's Magna Britannia, vol. i. p. 579.

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