A MASTER'S BIRTHDAY, EXETER, 1840.

 "The Pupils of King's Lodge Academy, in this city, on Saturday last, testified their respect for their talented preceptor, on the occasion of the anniversary of his birth, by presenting him with a handsome piece of plate, on which the following sentiments were beautifully engraved: - 'Presented 9th May, 1840, to Mr Quicke, Master of King's Lodge Academy, by his Pupils as a token of their grateful sense of his efforts, in promoting their general education, and as a memento of the sincerity of their affectionate esteem, for his parental attention.'

"Master Wood, eldest son of the Rev. B. Wood, Rector of Inwardleigh, near Oakhampton, was selected to present this tribute of regard, who expressed his feelings and those of his school-fellows in a very appropriate and happy address;  the master, in his reply, excited the liveliest emotions of joy  in the hearts of his youthful friends, and the spirit of harmony and hilarity was continued to the close of the happy day.

"Such a manifestation of juvenile attachment must be highly gratifying to to a tutor and any instance of this nature warmly recommends both the instructor and the instructed."

The boys subscribed, says The Western Times of 16th May, 1840, voluntarily and spontaneously for Mr, Quicke's engraved piece of plate.  Did they have a sincere affection for him? - all of them?   Were they all grateful for his efforts?  Maybe not!   We, however, hear too much about the barbarity of Victorian education and, although there is no doubt that the Dotheboys Halls existed,  it seems to me Mr. Quicke must have been doing something right to earn the boys' respect and the King's Lodge Academy, here, right in the middle of the city, must have been a well-ordered and harmonious school.  

When now, by example, I see the liberated Exeter College 'students' swarm beyond the walls of their place of education  like a plague of locusts let loose on the city,  I allow myself to wish that their 'lecturers' took a rather more holistic view of education and kept them within bounds and acted with a little more authority and in the spirit of in loco parentis.  like, I imagine, did Mr. Quicke and his son. 

Then perhaps their youthful friends would voluntarily and spontaneously present them with handsome pieces of plate on their birthdays.