Newnham, St Peter's church Parish Magazine, November 1882

Vol, 1. November 1882, No,11

KALENDAR NOTES
November. 2nd . Mothers Meeting 2.45
November. 3rd . Choir Practice 7.30
November. 6th . Schoolroom Club Annual Day; Tea and Concert 5
November. 6th . Debating Society 8
November. 7th . Juv: Temp: Meeting 6.30.
November. 8th . Foresters' Court, Schoolroom
November. 9th . Mothers Meeting 2.45. . Missionary Working Party 4.30
November 10th . Choir Practice 7.30
November 11th . Second Saturday Popular Entertainment 7.30
November 13th . Juv: Temp: Meeting 6.30. Mens Meeting 8.
November 16th . Anniversary of Church Re-opening, 1881 and Re-opening of Organ
November 17th . Choir Practice 7.30
November 20th . Schoolroom Club
November 21st . Juv: Temp: Meeting 6.30.
November 23rd . Mothers Meeting 2.45. . Missionary Working Party 4.30
November 24th . Choir Practice 7.30
November 25th . Third Saturday Popular Entertainment 7.30
November 27th . Meeting of the Society for the Propogation of the Gospel [in foreign Parts, Schoolroom, 7.30.]
November 28th . Juv: Temp: Meeting 6.30. Mens meeting 8.
November 30th . Mothers Meeting 2.45

WEEKLY OFFERTORIES
" UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK LET EVERY ONE OF YOU LAY BY HIM IN STORE AS GOD HATH PROSPERED HIM"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£. s. d
SS. Michael and All Angels . . . . . . . 8. 0
17th Sunday after Trinity . . . . . . 3. 9. 3½
Harvest Festival, October 4th . . . . 7.18. 9
18th Sunday after Trinity . . . . . . 3.16. 1½
19th Sunday after Trinity . . . . . . 2. 3. 1½
S Luke's Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. 0
20th Sunday after Trinity . . . . . . 3. 3. 3
SS Simon and Jude's day . . . . . . . . .3. 2
21st Sunday after Trinity . . . . . . 9. 5. 0

The Offertories on October 4th were given to the Church Restoration Fund, and on the 21st Sunday after Trinity to the Missions to Seamen Society.

BAPTISMS
" ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM"
Mabel (Privately) . . .Daughter of John Hankins and Georgiana Route Morse
Edward (Privately). . .Son of William and Priscilla Ferris.

MARRIAGE
" THOSE WHOM GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER"
September 30th . .
Holy Matrimony was solemnised between
Edward Arthur Pryer and Harriet Elizabeth Wood, both of this parish.

BURIALS
" BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD"
William Greening, . . .October 17th, . . . Aged 92 years
Mary Ann Blanton, . . .October 19th, . . . Aged 42 years
Edward Ferris,. . . . .October 31st, . . . Aged 11 days.

PAROCHIALIA
Favoured with a beautiful day, the Harvest Festival on the 4th of October was happy and succcessful. There was an early celebration of Holy Communion at 7.30., and Matins were said at 11.
In the afternoon, at 4.30., about 200 parishioners sat down to tea in the Town Hall; the tables being supplied by the kindness of Mrs. Carleton, Mrs Carter, Mrs Henry Crawshay, Mrs Edwin Crawshay, Mrs Headdon, Mrs E O Jones, Mrs Russell Kerr, Mrs Maule, Mrs Smithyman, Mrs Arnold Thomas, and Mrs Weight. After tea there was a concert, when the Vicar presided. Songs and glees - all heartily applauded - were sung by Miss Barling, Miss A Barling, Henry Morse and Mr Pickford. The Arlingham Hand-bellringers, the Messrs. Hayward, played two sets of changes and a tune on hand-bells - much to the delight of the audience. The Vicar gave a short address, referring to the objects of the Festival, and inviting all who were present to meet in the Church at the Evening Service of Thanksgiving. At 7.30 there was a large congregation, the Rev. W J Evans intoned the prayers; the lessons were read by the Vicar and by the Rev. W Homeyer; and the sermon was preached by the Rev. J Mayne. The choir did their part well, and the congregation joined most heartily in the singing. The Church was bright with flowers and corn; and the bells pealed forth joyfully during the day. The offertories amounted to £7.18s.9d., and were given to the Church Restoration Fund.

A DRAWING Examination was held in the National School on the 24th July, under the direction of the Science and Art Department, South Kensington. 68 exercises were sent in - consisting of Freehand, Geometry, and Model Drawing copies. Of these 48 were marked 'Fair';7 were marked 'Good'; and gained certificates, viz:- the drawings of Alfred Charles Beard, William Chiswell, Francis Henry Harris, Martha Elizabeth Jones, Ernest Long, William Shapcott, and Charles Workman. and Walter Purnell obtained the mark 'Excellent' and received a prize. There were only 12 failures.

The annual Sermons in aid of the Missions to Seamen were preached on Sunday October 29th, by the Rev. James Burkitt, Superintendent of the Society. The offertories were very good, and amounted to £9.5s. The following sum has been transferred to the Secretary of the Society as the yearly contribution from this parish:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£. s. d
Offertories. . . . . . . . . . . . . .9. 5. 0
Boxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.15. 0
Subscriptions and Donations. . . . . 14.11. 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .---------
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£27.11. 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .---------

A DEBATING Society has been formed, in accordance with the intention expressed in out last number, and the first meeting is fixed for Monday, November 6th, at 8 o'clock. Mr C A Goold has kindly placed the Good Templars' Hall at the disposal of the Society for its fortnightly meetings. Rules have been drawn up, after much discussion, by some of the original members in conclave assembled; and the following officers have been elected for the first Session:- President: The Vicar; Vice-President: Mr. C A Goold; Treasurer: Mr J L Whatley; Secretary: Mr S
W Hadingham; members of the Standing Committee: Messrs Jones, Morgan, Arnold Thomas and Carpenter.
The Officers have received a large number of names of candidates for membership, and these will be proposed at a private business meeting to be held on Friday November, 3rd. Others are invited to send in their names to the Secretary, and it is hoped that there will be a full attendance of members on the first night of the Session. The subscription is only 1s for the whole Session, to be paid this year on election. We confidently hope that the Society may prove a real source of interest, amustment, and instruction, during the Winter months.

No. 7 battery Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteer Brigade concluded their gun practice for this year on Saturday October 23rd. In consequence of the gale which was blowing, it was found impossible to erect the usual target, and flagstaffs with coloured flags were used instead. The practice was very good: one of the staffs being struck at a range of 1500 yards. The officers present were Captain and Adjutant Graham, Captain and Hon. Major Carter, Lieutenant Goold, Acting-Surgeon Carleton and Lieutenant Frowde of No. 8 Battery.

The Annual Meeting on behalf of the Society for the Propogation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts will be held at the Schoolroom on Monday, November 27th, at 7.30pm. The Archdeacon of Grafton and Armidale will address the meeting - as representative of the Society. We earnestly hope that there will be a full and hearty attendance. The Archdeacon will also preach twice in the Church on Sunday the 26th, and the offertories will be given to the Society.

It is proposed to hold a ladies Missionary Working Party fortnightly, during the Winter, at the Vicarage, beginning on Thursday November 9th, at 4.30 pm. The articles of clothing made during the meetings are to be sold for the benefit of some distinct branch of Home Mission work. Details of the mission for which the work is intended, and interesting stories of missionary work, will be given during the meetings by the Vicar - who will preside.

The first of the series of Saturday Popular Entertainments was held at the Schoolroom on Saturday October 28th. There was a good attendance, and the programme seemed to meet with much approbation. Miss Agnes Barling, Miss Morgan, Gwynneth Morgan, Mr Henry Morse and Mr J Morgan - were all heartily applauded for their songs. Frank Beard and Frank Jennings, with other members of the choir as a chorus, gave much pleasure by their sweet Christy's song. Mr Arnold Thomas' reading - The Piper of Hamelin' was listened to with marked attention and loudly applauded. The Newnham Band kindly attended, and played two pieces with much ability and precision. The Rev James Burkitt - about to preach on the morrow for the Missions to Seamen - gave a short and interesting address on the subject which he has at heart; and the National Anthem, by the Band, brought the entertainment to a close about 9.15. The Vicar presided, and at the beginning of the evening said a few words as to the object of these entertainments. No doubt Saturday evening is not a time when mothers of families can conveniently leave their homes - it would not be right to neglect the care of the children, or the preparations for Sunday, which Saturday night brings. These Entertainments were specially intended for men; fathers and elder brothers of families, who might be glad of some pleasant and interesting recreation, while the Saturday evening's work is going on at home; and these we would special invite to the Schoolroom. It was arranged that the entertainments should close early - that they might return to their homes at 9 o'clock, and find supper ready, and the children in bed, and so husbands and wives and elder brothers and sisters might spend the last hours of the week together, in peaceful fireside happiness, and quiet thoughts of the blessings of Sunday. The next entertainment is fixed for Saturday, November 11th.

In our last number we said that it was intended to re-build the organ in the same chamber as before, whereas, on Sunday, no doubt, many readers of the Parish Magazine saw that its position had been altered. The removal seemed inevitable; and for the next few months at least, the organ will stand under the East window of the South Aisle. Packed up in the corner of the Church, there was danger of injury to the delicate machinery of the instrument, and it seemed too great a risk to re-build it in the same chamber as before - altered and improved though it has been - until its capability of resisting damp has been proved through the winter. No other position then seemed better than that which the organ now occupies; but we still trust that at some future time it may be possible and safe to restore it to its original place in the Church, though not actually to the same position as before.

CHURCH RESTORATION FUND
DONATIONS AND COLLECTIONS (continued).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£. s. d
Trotter, Mrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. 0. 0
Waddington, Horace, Esq.,. . . . . . . . . . .1. 0. 0
Dredge, per Mrs W J (previously omitted) . 14.11. 1
Friend, A, per Miss Jones. . . . . . . . . . .1. 5. 0
Humphreys, per Mr W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. 3
Marshall, Mrs (for Organ). . . . . . . . . . .1. 0. 0
Offertory, October 4th . . . . . . . . . . . .7.18. 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .---------
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£12.18. 0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .---------

UNDER the New Education Code, for 1882, some alterations have been made that are very important; and the Managers of the National School would call the attention of parents of school children to the following points:-
A fixed number of attendances is no longer necessary to entitle a scholar to be examined at the annual inspection. Every scholar whose name has, at the end of the school year, been on he register for the last 22 weeks that the school has been open, must be presented to the Inspector for examination. Regular attendance is more necessary than before. Every child is bound to attend whenever the school is open, unless he be excused on some reasonable ground by the Managers or Master. The New Code aims at a more thorough and intelligent education than ever. Home lessons are dwelt upon as an important and special point. Parents are requested therefore to see that their children have proper home-lesson books for Geography and Grammar, and to take care that they devote some time to their lessons out of school hours. It is also necessary that copy-books be provided for each child in every Standard.
The repetition of a certain number of lines of poetry, by each child is now required by Government. It would help the children if parents would hear them repeat their lines, occasionally, at home.
A grant of so much a head for each child - called a Merit Grant - is made to the School, which will depend not only on the attainments of the children, but on their intelligent answers - their discipline - good manners - cleanliness and neat appearance.
The total grant, made to the School, will be calculated upon the average attendance of the children during the year.
On the whole the New Code requires rather more work and much more regular attendance, than before, on the part of the children; and greater interest and co-operation with the Managers and Teachers on the part of the parents. Much might be done if parents would examine the children's attendance Cards weekly, and strive to assist then in correcting the points in which they generally fail to obtain marks. Punctuality in attendance - being early at school - in good time for prayers - is a very important point; by this means the Scripture lesson would not be interrupted by late comers; children would avoid a 'late' mark on their cards; and would gain habits of regularity and order which would cleeve to them through life.