THE NATION'S BOY-POWER.
[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPEETATOE."J Stu,—We venture to beg your hospitality for this letter in order that we may acquaint your readers with something. of the history of the Newport Market Army Training School, Westminster, and with its present great need of financial support. The School was founded fifty-two years ago by Mr. NV. E. Gladstone, the Marquess of Salisbury, and Mr. J. G. Shaw Stewart, as an adjunct to the old Newport Market Refuge of St. Mary's, Soho, and was moved in 188# to its present situation in Greencoat Place, Westminster. On the minutes of the first meeting the decision appears " that a school shall be established to provide a suitable home and train- ing for the numerous poor boys of the neighbourhood "; and, although we no longer live amongst the slaughterhouses of Five Dials, that original minute is still our charter, with the exception that the boys come from all over the country. "Orphans and destitute"; "Father out of work, seven other children"; "Father killed. in action, five young children "—such are random quotations from the current Report of boys now in the School. There seems to be no better means of providing for the boys than by training them for the Army or the Navy, and so we specialize in the teaching of regimental music, and about ninety per cent. of the boys are enlisted in Army bands.
And now we are compelled to appeal for support to- enable us to continue this good work. Until recently seventy-five per cent. of the boys were entirely free cases, and although we are for the present unable to take any but paying cases, yet the average payment of eaeh boy is 410 per annum. The cost of maintenance per head is at least 430 a year; and so it will readily be seen that we depend entirely for our existence upon subscriptions and donations. We talk much today about the nation's man-power, but we should not forget the nation's 'boy-power, nor lose sight of the fact that England's boy-power of. to-day is England's man-power of to- morrow. During the last fifty years over two thousand boys have joined the Army from this School; there are about five hundred old boys- new- at the front, and most of those now in the School have lost their fathers in this war. We can therefore claim to lib training England's boys of the day to be England's men—in every sense of the word—of the morrow. To continue this work we must have- further donations now, and at least 4500 in new yearly subscriptions; and we address our appeal, not only to those who love their country, but also to those who love the poor and friend-1 less. We believe that we shall not do so in vain, for we are convinced that there can be no finer work, either for Church or State, than the training of the waifs and strays of our streets and cities to become upright and clean-living soldieraof the King.
In conclusion, we would draw your attention to the words written by our President, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, when he subscribed to the Special Fund: "His Royal Highness sincerely hopes the public will generously support an institution that has for so many years quietly and unobtrusively furnished a Christian home and education to poor and outcast lads, and has supplied the Army with so many good and gallant soldiers." All donations and inquiries should be addressed to the Rev. H. A. Wilson, 20-Great Peter Street, Westminster, S.W. 1.—We are, Sir, &c., V. DAWSON, Major-General (Chairman of Committee). C. P. D. MACLAGAN, HERBERT A. Wresost, Hon. SOC3.
Newport Market. Army. Training School, 28-39 Greencoat Place, Westminster, S.W. 1.
Previous page
