Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/135

116 ambulance certificates. We give these particulars as shewing the value of the work done at this period.

Similarly valuable instruction has been given in later years, but, with diminished funds available, and classes smaller, owing doubtless to the exhaustion in some degree of the stream of candidates for instruction, compared with its flush at the outset of the school's existence, fewer lectures on these extra subjects have been given; and instruction has been confined to more ordinary, but not less useful, work, in drawing, geometric and from models; modelling in clay, painting in water colours and oils, book-keeping, arithmetic, shorthand, French, and so forth.

To show that the school has continued to do good work, we may state that on January 25, 1906, a meeting was held for the annual prize giving, when close upon 70 pupils, of both sexes (69), received rewards, several of them for success in four or five different subjects. For the year 1905-6 the school received a grant of £100 from the County Council, £25 from the Horncastle Urban Council, and the fees of pupils paid about half the expenses.

We now give a brief account of the more important of the work carried on during the same period in the country parishes. In March, 1892, the first "pioneer" lecture was given at Woodhall Spa, on Horticulture, by Mr. Horace Huntly, lately in charge of the Duke of Bedford's gardens at Woburn Abbey, Beds. This was well attended, and the instruction given was most useful, for the better cultivation of cottagers' gardens. This was followed by a course of three lectures on the same subject, in March of the succeeding year. In April of the same year (1892), a series of six lectures were given at Stixwould and Horsington, by Miss Kenealy, of the National Health Society, on the subject of home nursing, and treatment in cases of accident, fevers, &c. These also proved so instructive that she was engaged to repeat them in the summer of the following year; and they were given in eight different parishes, beginning with Langton on June 5th; the attendances being very large, in one case 70 being present.

Mr. Robert Jalland, Surgeon, of Horncastle, also gave a lecture at Kirkby-on-Bain, in April of the same year, on the subject: "How to secure healthy homes," which was very instructive and well attended, over 40 being present. In the autumn of that year a series of five lectures on Cookery were given by Mrs. Pierce, of the National Health Society, at four centres, Roughton, Thimbleby, Horsington, and Minting, beginning on Oct. 10th, and continued weekly. These were considered so instructive that the Secretary, having made notes of them, was requested to have 500 copies printed, for free distribution, which was done.

In January of 1893 lectures on butter-making, with practical demonstrations, were given by Miss Carter, a professional teacher with certificate of the B.D.F.A., in nine parishes, from Jan. 12th to 24th. Lessons in sheep shearing were given in May, at eight centres, Roughton, Kirkstead, Woodhall, Langton, Wispington, Stixwould, Bucknall, and Thimbleby, the teachers being Mr. S. Leggett of Moorhouses, Boston, and Mr. R. Sharpe of Horsington; prizes of £1 and 10/- being given to the most proficient pupils.

In 1894 lessons were given in hedge plashing, on Mr. Gaunt's farm at Waddingworth, in November, the teacher being Mr. H. Butler of Greetham, money prizes being given. Lessons in under-draining were given on Mr. Carter's farm at Bucknall, in December, the teacher being Mr. W. Scott of Hatton, money prizes being also given.

In 1895 lectures on poultry keeping were given in February, by Mr. E.