The first year that the juvenile school was opened there were many removals and desertions, and of the deserters six are known to have been committed to prison; but since the full organization of the school, not one child who has been in attendance there is known to have been in prison or in the hands of the police; that is, for a period of five years, from 85 to 105 children have been in constant attendance at this school, and from them not one recruit has gone to join the ranks of criminals. About seventy of the children have been placed in permanent situations, and are now self-sustaining, and reported to be "doing well." Thus, in the course of ten years, Aberdeen has been almost entirely freed from the class of mendicant and criminal children, owing to the establishment of the four institutions above described. Before these schools were in operation, there were 280 of these unhappy beings living by begging and thieving; last year there were 17 apprehended, of whom only 2 were destitute, and therefore admissible to the schools. At the present time about 400 children are being fed, educated, and trained by the Aberdeen Industrial Feeding Schools. III. The Mary-le-Bone Charity School for girls, supported by subscription, maintains, clothes, educates, and qualifies for useful servants 135 girls, children of poor parishioners, from the age of 9 to 15. The Report for 1850 states the annual expenditure at 2,2001. 2s. 8d. Of this sum, 3831. 138. 8d. is spent on the children's clothing, and 1,0467. 6s. 7d. on their food; thus giving the cost per head of about 77. 15s. a year for maintenance, and 21. 8s. 10d. for clothes. When the girls are placed out in service, the school trustees continue their care for their good conduct, by giving rewards to those who, within three years of leaving the school, can produce a certificate of having lived 2 years in the same situation, or within 5 years of having kept two places for 3 years. If, during this time, they have conducted themselves well, the sum of two guineas is given them out of the regular school funds. IV. The Durham Refuge for Discharged Prisoners, established in 1848, proves how many may be saved from relapsing again into crime, if the chance is given them of returning to an honest course of life. With very small means, and with only a room in the house of one of the gaol schoolmasters for the young women discharged, this excellent institution has been the means of restoring 499 out of 537 prisoners who, in the course of 4 years, have passed through it to their homes, or of placing them in respectable situations. The total cost during these 4 years has been 1987. 17s. 11d.-Third Annual Report for the year ending on the 30th April, 1852. A CATALOGUE OF New and Standard Books, PUBLISHED BY SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL, LONDON. Works in the Press. I. THE BHILSA TOPES; Or, Buddhist Monuments of Central India. II. (Nearly ready.) THE CROSS AND THE DRAGON; Or, Memorials of Christianity in China; with notices of the Secret Societies of the Chinese. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE HIMALAYA. One Volume, 8vo, with Numerous Illustrations. IV. FOUR YEARS AT THE COURT OF HENRY VIII. Being the Despatches of SEBASTIAN GUISTINIAN, Venetian Ambassador to England; Illustrating the Court Life and Diplomatic Intercourse of the period, the character of Cardinal Wolsey, and the course of events, A.D. 1515 to 1519. Translated from the Italian by RAWDON BROWN. By MICAIAH HILL, Esq., and C. F. CORNWALLIS. One Volume, Post 8vo. (Now ready.) VII. MODERN GERMAN MUSIC. By HENRY F. CHORLEY, Esq. Two Volumes, post 8vo. (Nearly ready.) VIII. AVILLION, AND OTHER TALES. By the Author of "Olive," "The Head of the Family," &c. Three Volumes, post 8vo. (Now ready.) IX. MAUDE TALBOT. By HOLME LEE. Three Volumes, Post 8vo. X. (Shortly.) AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE COUNTRY ADJACENT. Post 8vo, with a View and Coloured Map. Price 6s. cloth. XI. (Now ready.) THE TRUE LAW OF POPULATION. Shown to be connected with the Food of the People. By THOMAS DOUBLEDAY. Third and Enlarged Edition, One Volume, 8vo. (Just ready.) |