Here too, lies Sherriffe, he whose lib'ral hand

Still blesses many when they need it most.

The poor he knew would ne'er cease from the land, And few would make their care their only boast,

For poverty frights many like a ghost.

Utility his object, not to build

A fane whose name should reach from coast to coast, Nor leave to royalty his fame to gild,

His mouldy ill-got gains, such fruits do riches yield!

CHAPTER X.

"Even Satan himself is far from excelling in knowledge-he may be cunning and insidious, but he certainly is not wise and prudent. We in general give this fallen spirit credit for much more wisdom than he possesses."

Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Samuel, chap. 28.

Ar this period I began to attend the corn-market at CleoburyMortimer, which was held every Wednesday. The custom was for the millers, farmers and dealers to meet at seven o'clock in the evening, at the Talbot, and the King's Arms Inns. Each house had its regular frequenters of the two former classes, so that the dealers in corn had to divide their time in attending to both; thus the hour of returning home was so late, that, although it deterred many from attending, and kept the market in few hands, yet it was intolerable to all; especially in the winter

season.

Behind the church (which is in the centre of the town), about a field's length, there was a free school, which was founded in the year 1720, by Sir William Lacon Childe, whose descendants have lived for generations at Kinlet Hall, about half way between Cleobury and Bridgenorth. This I had plenty of time to visit. The income was handsome-fully £500 per annum gross-about £300 of which was devoted to education, books, &c., and a fluctuating sum for clothing, apprenticeship fees, and minor expenses. The remainder was allowed to accumulate as a building fund, to be used in the erection of new schools.

This was a thoroughly free school, no fees being demanded, except from non-parishioners, and those were only 2d. per head per week. There were about 100 boys and 80 girls in the

whole, and 6 teachers. The boys were taught what their parents wished them to learn, and the educational course comprised Latin, French, Euclid, algebra, mensuration, book-keeping, chemistry, the natural sciences, and the elementary branches of instruction. Twelve boys and twelve girls were clothed at the cost of the foundation.

The head master (the Rev. Henry Kemp), threw his whole energies into his task, and encouraged every boy according to his abilities, and not according to the position in life, of his parents. There were the children of tradespeople, farmers, artisans, and day labourers, all in the same classes, and I can safely say that I never visited so useful a school before nor since.

The population of the town was about 1500, so that the attendance of the children, as stated above, was very large, and must have been (and still is) of great advantage to the inhabitants. The whole of the success was owing to the trustees, of whom there were ten, acknowledging and supporting the headmaster in his enlightened views and patriotic conduct.

In May 1864, I wrote to the Head Master as to the progress of the school, and I hope it may not be considered out of place to give his answer here.

DEAR SIR,

Cleobury-Mortimer, May 6th, 1864.

I have pleasure in returning you the statistics you request. You will understand my delicacy, in not giving the names of the Trustees, or the net as distinguished from the gross income.

But there is no reason, so far as the public are concerned, for reserve on either point. Everything connected with this Charity is above-board and straightforward. Only I should not like individuals' names, or what I know in my official capacity, to be published through me.

Believe me to remain,

Yours very faithfully,

HENRY KEMP.

1.-Number of Scholars (average) 90 Boys, 65 Girls, 16 Infants; the Infants will no doubt be increased to 35 directly the new building is opened. 2. The education is quite free to legal parishioners. Those resident, but not legally settled, pay the nominal fee to the School Funds of 2d. per week; or any after the first, from the same family, 1d. per week. It is

in comtemplation to abolish even these fees from all who have been three years in the parish.

3. No payment required for books, &c., from any scholars.

4. Salaries £150, £55, £50.

5.-Assistant Teachers, £10. The stipends to the Mistresses of the Girls and the Infants Schools will be considerably increased after the opening of the new buildings.

6.-Gross Annual Income about £500.

7.—New Schools will cost including fittings, boundary walls, &c., about £1,900.

8. This money, is the result of accumulated surplusses.

9. The course of education is English in its most liberal interpretation, including Algebra, Book-keeping, Drawing, Music, &c., &c.

10. Any applicants for apprenticeship, if duly qualified, are put out; but of late years there have been few applicants.

11.-The School Property consists of a farm and money in the Funds. 12. Twelve of each sex are clothed.

The whole history of this school shewed a sincere desire on the part of the resident Trustee, and the Masters, to do their duty. Such a school was a great credit to them, individually and collectively, but especially to the descendants of the Founder, who have always fulfilled his orders with care, to the great benefit of the parishioners, to say nothing of allowing the residents in the surrounding districts, to participate in the benefits of the school, for a trifling charge.

The new schools were built at the rear of the old schools, and opened before the expiration of the year in which the above letter was written; the total cost was about £1,500.

At the present date (1870) the staff of teachers is as follows::

One Head Master, Mr. W. H. Wilson.

One Assistant Master.

One Mistress and Assistant for the Girls' School.

One Mistress and Assistant for the Infants' School.

The late Master, the Rev. H. Kemp, is now vicar of Kyre, near Tenbury.

The schools are conducted on the old principles and the Trustees are as follows::

W. L. CHILDE, Esq., Kinlet Hall.

The REV. E. G. CHILDE, Cleobury.

SIR T. E. WINNINGTON, Bart., Stanford Court, between
Witley and Worcester.

C. WICKSTED, Esq, Shakenhurst, near Tenbury.
The REV. J. WALCOT, Bewdley.

SLADE BAKER, Esq., Sandbourne, near Bewdley.
PARDOE, ESQ, Nash Court, near Tenbury.

The REV. MURRAY, Bromsgrove.

This list shews that there is only one resident Trustee, and to him therefore the real guardianship of this truly useful school belongs. In proof of this, the above list is sufficient. Of course the Founder's lineal successor, whose name appears first, is entitled to be a trustee, live where he may; but why the other six non-resident gentlemen should be appointed, whilst there are plenty of respectable residents in the town, fit to fill the office, is inexplicable.

Should the Rev. E. G. Childe leave Cleobury, his successor might not have the interests of the school at heart, and in that case, the non-residence of the other six trustees, would be of serious consequence. The way to cure this would be to appoint a resident in the case of every succeeding vacancy in the trusteeships, so that in time there would be no non-resident Trustees on the Board.

There was another school in the town, called Fox's, with but a very small endowment, which has since been incorporated with the Free School.

I used to go to Cleobury on horseback, and generally left home soon after dinner, so that I might call at some of the intermediate villages to get orders. On some of these journeys I passed through the parish of Rock, and stopped at the village of the same name. Its original name was Ac, which was the Saxon name of the Oak, for the growth of which this place was and is