On Friday, the 5th of January, 1855, the Second Annual Meeting of the Birmingham Reformatory Institution was held at Dee's Hotel, Birmingham, the Right Hon. Sir John Pakington, Bart. M.P. in the Chair. Of this excellent Institution the Right Hon. Lord Calthorpe is President, Mr. Recorder Hill fills the Vice-Chair, and W. Morgan, and C. Ratelife, Esqrs. are the Honorary Secretaries. The Committee consists of 31 members, amongst whom are that indefatigable advocate of Reformatory Schools-C. B. Adderley, Esq. M.P.; Dr. Jephson; Lord Lyttelton; Lord Leigh; the Rev. Chancellor Low; Joseph Sturge, Esq., and the Hon. and Rev. G. M. Yorke.

At the meeting, Subscriptions to the amount of £43 : 10s., and Donations amounting to £361 were announced. Amongst the Donors were the following :-Sir John Pakington, £10; Lord Leigh, for Saltley Reformatory, £52:10s. Lord Leigh for Girls' School, £52: 10s. Dr. Jephson, for Saltley Reformatory £50; Dr. Jephson, for Girls' Reformatory, £50. J. C. Bacchus, Esq., for Girls' Reformatory, £20; Miss Burdett Coutts, for Girls' Reformatory, £100.

It was moved by Mr. Recorder Hill, seconded by Lord Lyttelton, and supported by Mr. Adderley, that the Report, and Treasurer's account be received and adopted, and that the same be printed and circulated under the direction of the Committee. Great praise was given to the Hon. SecretaryMr. Charles Ratcliffe; and to the Hon. Surgeon of Saltley, Mr. Tarleton, a special vote of thanks was voted, moved by R. Spooner, Esq., M.P. and seconded by Rev. W. H.

Bellairs.

things as Reformatories yet in Englaud, except those supported by voluntary efforts, and under the management of subscribers. I tried in vain to get Lord Palmerston to introduce a bill to make Public Reformatories. All the Youthful Offenders' Act of last session does, to enable Government to inspect private Reformatories, and, if approved, to give them a certificate; after which, Magistrates, Recorders, Judges, &c., may commit any criminal boy or girl, under sixteen, to them for several years' education (after fourteen days' imprisonment); and the cost of maintaining such children is inflicted on the parents or guardians up to five shillings a week; the rest to be paid by the Treasury. The Institution remains private, and in the hands of the subscribers, just as much as before. Saltley, for boys, and 45, Camden-street for girls, are both certified by Government, and may, therefore, be so used by any Mag.strates or Judges, with the consent of the subscribers. Money aid is much wanted; for though I gave the land-five acres-and built the house, yet a debt is incurred by increased buildings, and by the salaries of masters, tailor, shoemaker, schoolmaster, and matron."

The Report is as follows, and we insert it in this Record, uncurtailed, as it is in itself a very comprehensive, ably drawn, and useful record.

"At the close of the second year of the operations of this Society, your Committee have to lay before the subscribers the results of their efforts to redeem young children from criminal and disreputable ways of life. Mr. Ellis has had the superintendence of sixty-one boys since he came to Birmingham, of whom twenty-three are now in the Institution, seven have been sent to other Institutions for which they appeared more suitable subjects, twenty-five have left with the prospect of being respectably established in life, of whom seventeen are known to be at work, and the remaining six have returned to criminal habits of life.

The Superintendent has had the assistance of the Matron, Schoolmaster, Farm Instructor, Tailor, and Shoemaker, besides the Visitors appointed by the Committee.

Under the direction and with the co-operation of the different trade instructors, the boys have been occupied throughout the year in learning and in labour, with the following results:-The tailors have made 139 garments, of which 119 have been used by the boys, and twenty by different customers; forty-three garments have been repaired. The value of the work and materials, including the Instructor's salary, has been regularly charged, and this branch of the industrial departinent shows a small profit of 21. 13s. Id. upon the operations of the year. The shoemakers have manufactured thirtysix pairs of boots and shoes for customers, and fifty-five pairs for the Institution, exclusive of 113 pairs of police boots for the Corporation of Birmingham. They have also mended eighty-c -one pairs. Total, 285. The apparent profit on this department is 277. 18s. Id., but as the value of the stock in hand was greater at the close of 1853 than last year, the real profit is somewhat less.-40l. 12s, 3d. have been expended on the land beyond the amount realised by produce, but the Committee consider that it has received such valuable permanent improvement from the labour spent upon it, that a larger result may be expected next year. There are at this time 10,000 cabbages planted out, ready for the market next spring, besides ten bags of potatoes, and six fat pigs in stock. 453 dozen of cabbages were sent to Birmingham market last year, also seventeen pots of potatoes, ten pots of beans, six bushels of wheat, and a quantity of vetches. This is exclusive of twenty-six bags of potatoes, six pots of beans, and 200 dozen of cabbages consumed on the premises.

During the year a considerable number of persons from various parts of the country have visited the Institution, and several prizes have been offered and awarded to the inmates for proficiency in reading, drawing, spelling, geography, horticulture, and writing and composition, as well as for general good conduct. From the numerous testimonies recorded on the Visitors' book your Committee extract only the following:

(From the Recorder.)

'Sunday, Oct. 22, 1854.-I have this day visited the Reformatory,

and observed a great progress made since I was last here in the summer of 1853. The labour of the boys in bringing the garden into cultivation, and in levelling the play-ground, is highly meritorious. Mr. Draper examined the lads as to their understanding of their Scripture lesson for the day. Their answers evinced intelligence, and a knowledge of the Bible beyond my expectation. I desire to give four prizes of half-a-crown each to such four boys as shall be selected by the Boys' Committee as having most distinguished themselves for general good conduct between the present day and the next Quarter Sessions.

M. D. HILL.'

(From six Students of the Diocesan Training College.) 'After nearly twelve months' experience in endeavouring to impart religious instruction to these lads on Sunday afternoons, we were glad to be able to remark that the attentive behaviour of many of them is superior to what we have experienced in many Sunday Schools. It is a pleasing fact that some of these boys manifest an earnest desire to comprehend the truths of Christianity, and appear to possess a wish to act in accordance with its holy precepts. After much intercourse with them we feel bound to record our conviction that, had many of them been brought under more humanizing influences in early life, their intellectual capabilities would have placed them on a level with many of the brightest ornaments of society. Very few of the lads appear to be deficient in religion, but many know nothing whatever of the value of it. We look forward, however, to a time, which we trust is not far distant, when, in addition to religious teaching, of which we have had a considerable amount, a moral and religious influence will be brought to bear upon each one individually.'

From these testimonies it will be apparent that great good has already resulted from the labours of your Committee. One of the inmates who left the Institution during the year has been respectably married, and is established in business as a slater. Another has obtained a situation as an in-door servant at a neighbouring villa, at fair wages, after a trial of three months, during which he gave so much satisfaction that his master has entered into an agreement to employ him for the term of three years. A third has gone to America with every prospect of becoming a respectable man, the cost of his passage having been paid by his father, who some time since emigrated to that country. A fourth has been removed from the Institution by his friends, after receiving the benefit of much valuable counsel and instruction, and is now honourably fulfilling a term of apprenticeship in Birmingham.

To all the boys somewhat severe tests have at different times been applied. On one occasion several coins were placed on the mantel. piece of the common room, and left there for many weeks, avowedly for the purpose of strengthening in the mind of every boy the determination of resistance of temptation. As the room is always open to all the family it would have been easy to steal the money without detection, but the whole of the boys successfully withstood the temptation.

At Christmas they received permission to visit their friends, and for that purpose obtained authority to leave the Institution for dif ferent periods of time, some being absent a few days only, and others a week or more. All of them returned at the stipulated time. The Secretaries thought that this absence at home afforded good opportunity for assertaining how far the boys might be safely entrusted with money, and therefore gave to each of them a card, by which they were authorised to receive contributions to the Patriotic Fund. Each card was endorsed with a request that contributors would state in writing their names and amount of contribution, and as a commencement Mr. Radcliffe gave every boy one shilling towards his subscription list. The money received and collected has been all faithfully accounted for, and three pounds have been thus added to the Patriotic Fund.

Mr. Collins, one of the pupil teachers at the Diocesan Training School at Saltley, has satisfactorily officiated as Schoolmaster devoting two hours on each week evening to that duty. His recent, removal from the College on the completion of his term of study has rendered a fresh arrangement necessary, and your Committee have measures now in progress for the purpose of supplying the

vacancy.

In constructing a yard for live stock, your Committee have considered it necessary to erect a strong boundary wall, with the double object of sheltering the animals, and affording protection against persons of bad character who formerly resorted to the neighbourhood. Within the yard, pigsties, coal-shed, and tool-house have been built, and a playground formed.

As an encouragement to the boys, a quantity of land has been appropriated to each of them for garden ground, with the intention of their cultivating produce, which may be purchased by the Com mittee for the use of the house. These gardens are highly prized, and the state of perfection into which they were brought in July last, when the first anniversary of the opening of the School took place, was highly commendable.

At the last annual meeting your Committee made reference to the earnest desire which has been manifested for a Reformatory for Girls, and they were instructed to make such arrangements as would enable them to open a Girls' School with the least possible delay. Their attention has accordingly been unceasingly directed to this object, and the long delay has been at length rewarded by success in securing the services of a suitable Matron and Governess, who will seek to unite wholesome discipline with the genial influence of home.

A lease of the house No. 45, Camden-street, has been taken for a term of seven years at the reduced annual rental of 35l., and the establishment has been opened since the 6th of November last. The thanks of the Society are due to many friends for acceptable gifts to the Saltley Reformatory, which are enumerated in the appendix to this Report.

Both these establishments are now duly certified according to law for the reception of youthful offenders, so that Magistrates and

Judges may commit children to them after fourteen days' imprisonment, and order payment by the parent or guardian of each child of a portion of the cost of maintenance.

This legal recognition of parental responsibility is a direct result of the operations of your Society. Its formation two years ago in Birmingham encouraged the friends of Reformatory Schools to hold a Conference in this town last winter, and a Committee was then appointed to urge legislative action upon the Government. At the opening of the session of Parliament the Cominittee waited upon Lord Palmerston, and received great encouragement to expect the speedy introduction of a measure by which Reformatories might be established all over the kingdom. Great delay, however, ensued; but towards the close of the session their unwearied importunity obtained from Government the Youthful Offenders' bill.

This measure states that it is expedient that more extensive use be made of Reformatories established by voluntary contributions, and provides for their inspection by a Government officer. Any person under sixteen years of age convicted or summarily sentenced to at least fourteen days' imprisonment, may, by direction of the convicting Judge or Magistrate, be sent, at the expiration of the sentence, to a Reformatory School for any period not less than two nor more than five years; and power is given to the Treasury to contribute towards the cost of maintenance of any child so ordered to be detained. The Court by which the offender is sent to the Reformatory is further authorised to charge the parent, or stepparent, if of sufficient ability to bear it, with a sum not exceeding 5s. a week for maintenance.

By this Act many important facilities have been given which were greatly needed efficiently to carry out the Reformatory system; and your Committee cannot but congratulate their subscribers upon the evidently extended interest which has been awakened and is now prevalent throughout the country. Of this there can be no better proof than is furnished by the circumstance that an important literary organ (The Irish Quarterly Review) has announced its intention of devoting an article in every number to a record of the progress of the movement.

At a very important and influential meeting of the Magistracy of the West Riding of Yorkshire, held at Wakefield a few weeks since, a general opinion was expressed in favour of the establishment of numerous small Reformatory Institutions, under the superintendence of gentlemen resident in their vicinity; and it is understood that at least one Reformatory for about thirty boys will be immediately opened in that county.

The School at Hardwicke, near Gloucester, has been extended to accommodate thirty boys.

Within the last few months a large house at Bristol, called the “Red Lodge," was purchased by Lady Noel Byron, for the purpose of being employed as a Girls' Reformatory, where there are at the present time, under the care of a suitable Matron, several children received from various parts of the country, the whole under the superintendence of Miss Carpenter.