Associated with the church are superior schools—­one for infants, in the unchristened street near the church, and two others for boys and girls, in Lancaster-road.  The average day attendance is—­boys, 250; girls, 220; infants, 240.  The average attendance on the Sunday is—­ boys, 250; girls, 320.  The day schools are in a good state of efficiency, and are of great service to the district.  They are well managed, and with respect to some of their departments Government reports speak most encouragingly.  Worn old grievances with ex-churchwardens are duly squared, when a greater amount of what is called “fixity of tenure” exists in respect to the officials, and when Mr. Sheppard drops his little dogma as to personal immaculacy, and allows other people a trifle more freedom, his flock will be fatter, woollier, and quieter than ever they have been since he came.

CROFT-STREET WESLEYANS AND PARKER-STREET UNITED METHODISTS.

In 1827, a little school was opened in a building at the corner of Gildow-street, abutting upon Marsh-lane, in this town.  It was established in the Wesleyan Methodist interest, and one of its chief supporters was Mr. T. C. Hincksman, a gentleman still living, who has for a long period been a warm friend of the general cause of Methodism.  Although begun tentatively, the school soon progressed; in time there was a good attendance at it; ultimately it was considered too small; and the result was a removal to more convenient premises—­to a room connected with the mill of the late Mr. John Furness, in Markland-street:  But the little old building did not change so much in its character after being deserted by the Wesleyan scholars; it was still retained for juvenile purposes—­ still kept open for the edification, if not improvement, of youngsters.  Old-fashioned sweets were sold in it, and the place was long known as “Granny Bird’s toffy shop.”  At the mill in Markland-street, which used to be called “Noggy Tow,” the school was very prosperous; but the accomodation here at length became defective, and in 1832 the scholars retraced their steps to Gildow-street,—­not to the small toffy establishment, where sucklings, if not babes, were cared for, but to a building at the opposite end of the thoroughfare erected specially for them.  In 1840 they withdrew from this edifice and went to a new school made in Croft-street, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Rev. John Bedford, a well-known Wesleyan minister, who at that time was stationed in Preston.  In 1858 two wings for class and other purposes, principally promoted by the late Mr. T. Meek, costing 700 pounds, and opened clear of debt, were attached to the school, and twelve months ago—­scholastic business still proceeding—­the central portion of it was set apart for regular religious services on the Sabbath.