A remarkable tablet was unveiled on Thursday by the Duke
of Fife in a classroom in the schools of the parish of All Saints, Mile End New Town, commemorating the purchase of the free- hold of the schools erected by the efforts of the Rev. J. Basil Rust, the vicar, in that very poor neighbourhood. The efforts made by the poor inhabitants themselves had been something quite marvellous, a poor widow, for instance, contributing a penny a week out of a weekly wage of not more than four shillings towards the purchase, and almost all the members of the poor congregation contributing in like fashion. In this way almost the whole of 23,200 requisite to repair the church and enlarge the schools has been raised, excepting that £1,000 had been contributed by rich friends. 21,900 had been raised chiefly in the poor parish itself. Mr. Rust has indeed the right to be proud of the result of his efforts. Nothing can prove more effectually the hold he must have gained over the hearts of his parishioners than the unanimity with which the very poor have laboured to clear the church and schools of debt. These are the kind of voluntary schools for which the friends of the Government are so anxious to gain the cordial support of the State.
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