COWLEY SCHOOL, (OXFORD DIOCESAN CENTRAL), NEAR OXFORD. REPORT OF THE EXAMINATION, HELD JUNE, 1863. B.N F.MADAN OXFOR OXFORD: PRINTED BY J. VINCENT. COWLEY DIOCESAN SCHOOL. THE Presentation of Prizes to the Boys of this School took place on Monday, June 15, and there were present J. G. Hubbard, Esq., M.P., Rev. Dr. Warburton, the Rev. the Principal of Cuddesdon, the Rev. J. H. Ashhurst (Rural Dean), and the Revs. Messrs. Benson, Sawyer, Macfarlene, and Shute, with many Parents of the Pupils and friends of the School. The following Report was read :— "The Committee have pleasure in reporting the steady increase of the School in numbers. They feel no doubt that the increased responsibility will be met by an increase of energy and attention on the part of all the Masters, so that this School may achieve with satisfaction to all parties the great work belonging to its high position. "The assistance of so valuable a staff of Examiners at the close of many successive Half-Years is bearing most valuable fruit. "The Committee are most thankful to them for the help thus given. "The Boys who passed the best Examination in Holy Scripture have exhibited an amount of knowledge greater than on former occasions, and the Committee feel sure that the moral training so necessary as a portion of religious Education is being carefully attended to. At the same time they have to regret that the Papers on the Catechism was not so satisfactory as they could have wished. This is, however, partly attributable to circumstances on the day of that Examination, and the Clergy who from time to time have inspected the School and conducted an oral Examination in the Catechism have been pleased with the knowledge they have elicited. "The Mathematical Examination is a very important element of a commercial Education, and the assistance of the Rev. W. L. Dodgson and the Rev. F. Harrison puts the School under great obligations. "Not less cause for gratitude is the continued kindness of Professor Burrows in conducting the Historical Examination, and giving a special Prize himself for the subject on which he examines. They have also great satisfaction in welcoming so great a friend of all educational and philanthropic undertakings as J. G. Hubbard, Esq., M.P., who upon this occasion has so kindly shewn his sympathy and interest by coming to distribute the Prizes." The Rev. J. H. ASHHURST then said-We are assembled here to-day to distribute the Prizes awarded after the Examination of last week, which was conducted by some of the Professors and Tutors of Oxford University, and the gentleman who is come to distribute them is known throughout England, more especially in the diocese of Oxford. I need not speak of him to grown-up people, but I may make a few observations respecting him for the information of the young. One boy here, who will receive a prize, must know Mr. Hubbard extremely well. Now, there are amongst you many who are the sons of professional men, farmers' sons, and the sons of persons engaged in trade and commerce, and those who live in the neighbourhood of Winslow well know that Mr. Hubbard is very kind in attending the meetings that benefit agriculture; in fact, I may say that he occupies somewhat the same position in Buckinghamshire as Mr. Henley does here, and Bucks is a portion of the diocese of Oxford. Therefore, as the sons of farmers, you will feel the liveliest interest in Mr. Hubbard. To those engaged in trade and commerce he must also be known, because of his connection with the Bank of England, and we have been extremely fortunate in securing his services to-day. I will now merely ask him to undertake the office of giving away the prizes. Mr. HUBBARD then said-Before I undertake the duties required of me, I desire to express the pleasure I feel at being asked to be present on this occasion; and I feel much gratification at finding that yours was one of the first of the Church Schools which are effecting such a vast revolution in the educational system of England, for while, at one time, the Church had produced a good effect on the higher classes, it had ceased to inspire the middle classes of England as it used to do. By the institution of such Schools as this at Cowley-an institution for the middle classes-the whole has been converted into one harmonising system, and I am sure my young friends will find its advantages through life. There is nothing in what you are taught respecting the Church to be ashamed of; you are not told to believe or hold anything that would not stand the test of the most rigid inquiries, and you need never be afraid of the result, for the Church, of which you are happily members, stands on a prop that never can be shaken. And now a few words upon the scope of that system you are now engaged in. I am |