The Henson Journals

[61]

Tuesday, December 7th, 1920.

Maish went off for a week before the Ordination. His absence leaves me in a helpless condition, for my knowledge of the diocese is still so limited, that I am very easily imposed upon by self–advertizing humbugs!

Ella and I motored to Sunderland, where we were the guests of Mrs Richardson, the wife of the late Mayor. Alexander went with us as far as Houghton–le–Spring, near which his wife was staying. She had been reported ill with pleurisy, & he desired to ascertain the actual state of affairs. After an early dinner, we went to the Victoria Hall, where the Mayoress distributed prizes to the Girls of the Bede School. And I made a speech. There was a great company of girls, & parents who, with some inflow of the general public filled the Hall. After the prize–giving & speech–making, there was a performance by the girls, very light & pretty. Certainly the lot of children has become much brighter than in former times: & if we can guard against some besetting follies of democracy, this must (one would dare to hope) be telling for good on the general course of society. Whether our method of education is really efficient in the sense of equipping the children for the tasks of their lives, I have my doubts.. Mrs Richardson tells me that the utmost contempt of domestic service prevails among these girls & their parents. Yet many of them do assuredly come from the class which might naturally produce domestic servants, & intrinsically that employment would be more wholesome for them, & more useful for society.

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