Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888Edward VII, King of Great Britain
History
Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888
Edward VII, King of Great Britain
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1837-1901
This institution maintains and educates the orphans of persons once in
prosperity, from earliest infancy till fourteen or fifteen years of age.
About 60 children are now (1888) annually elected. Nearly the whole of
the income depends on voluntary contributions. Subscribers have votes,
according to the amount of their subscriptions. There are now nearly 600
in the Asylum, which is open to children from all parts of the British
dominions. The Asylum stands in beautifully wooded grounds, at Wanstead,
on the outskirts of Epping Forest.
The Prince, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, presided at the
anniversary festival, on June 28th, 1878. They drove to Wanstead, and
were received at the Asylum by the Bishop of St. Albans, in whose
diocese it is, and by the officers of the institution. They were
conducted to the Examination Room, where, Dagmar Mary Petersen, a little
orphan girl, eight years old, daughter of a Dane, who settled in London
as a commercial clerk, herself admitted just eighteen months ago by the
loyalty of a lady of the Society of Friends, who wished thus to honour
the Princess, commenced the proceedings with a pretty speech which she
had got perfectly by heart and recited very clearly. In her childish
voice she gave those assembled a distinct account of the asylum. "She
had been told that it was the largest of the kind in England. When the
boys, girls, officers, and servants are all there, 700 persons sleep in
the building. The schools are in three divisions, senior, infants, and
nursery children. In the two large senior schools there are about 400
boys and girls. They learn grammar, history, geography, arithmetic,
French, music, and drawing, and the girls learn needlework besides. In
the two infant schools they do not learn quite so much. In the nursery
they learn just a very little and play a good deal. And being little
children they learn about the Bible." The little girl who spoke this
simple address presented a bouquet to the gracious Princess after the
ceremony, and was kissed, praised, and otherwise gratified.
"God bless the Prince of Wales" was excellently sung at the conclusion
of the speech; the children came up to the Princess and took their
prizes from her hands; and marched out of the room, keeping time to
lively music. The Royal party inspected the school-rooms, play-rooms,
and dormitories, cheerful and well-ventilated halls; and the Princess
carried toys to the children in the nursery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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