EDUCATIONAL WORK AT THE " COLINDERIES."
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—Doubtless there are many clergymen, employers, and others who desire at the present moment to facilitate the visits of workmen to the Indian and Colonial Exhibition ; and it is generally known that to meet this object the admission-fee has been reduced to an almost nominal sum, while the railway fares have also been lowered. There is, however, an equally important step which has always been too much lost sight of,—that of enabling the working-class visitors to derive the full benefit of such collections from an educational point of view. There has been an absence of organised effort to provide intelligent guidance in knowing how to observe and what to observe. Consequently, such Exhibitions are too often little better than a peep-show to thousands to whom they might be of great practical service.
I am glad, therefore, to be able to call the attention of your readers to the fact that this want is being excellently provided for at the present time by Mr. E. J. Marshall, Head Master of the Brighton Grammar School. In the first instance, he pre- pared for his boys lectures and printed notes on the contents of the Exhibition, in order that the chief points of interest in each department might be indicated, and the attention drawn to the lessons to be derived therefrom, the visitors being also led to put to themselves questions which were printed in the "Notes." These latter were interleaved with blank pages, so that the questions might be answered in writing, there and then.
The practical value of this plan of indicating the knowledge and the conclusions to he obtained from the several exhibits, became so obvious in working it out, that Mr. Marshall was anxious to extend the advantage to a larger body of persons. On being invited, therefore, by the Working-Men's Club and Institute Union to prepare an enlarged edition of his "Notes," and a new course of lectures for the members of the clubs affiliated to the Union, he most readily complied. The Conference Hall was at once placed by the Prince of Wales at the service of Mr. Marshall and the Union for a succession of Saturday afternoons, and a large number of workmen are now availing themselves of this excellent provision, each being furnished with a copy of the "Notes of Lectures."
I do not like to suggest that Mr. Marshall should be toiled to undertake farther labour, so as to continue these services in- definitely ; but I know that he will, if asked, be very glad to give all the aid and advice in his power to others desirous of following in his footsteps. Any one who proposes to give such lectures will find the "Notes" most useful as a basis. In fact, they only need development, for they are full of facts and suggestions, and may be advantageously furnished to visitors, even without the accompanying oral instruction. They consist of a pamphlet of sixty pages, illustrated by outline maps ; are published at six- pence by W. E. Clowes and Sons, 13 Charing Cross ; and are sold there, as well as at the Exhibition. A redaction will be made in price for a large number of copies.—I am, Sir, &c., HODGSON PRATT.
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