Kindness to Animals.—­Mainly by the influence and efforts of Miss Julia Goddard, in 1875, a plan was started of giving prizes among the scholars and pupil teachers of the Board Schools for the best written papers tending to promote kindness to animals.  As many as 3,000 pupils and 60 teachers send papers in every year, and the distribution of 500 prizes is annually looked forward to with interest.  Among the prizes are several silver medals—­one (the champion) being given in memory of Mr. Charles Darwin, another in memory of Mr. E.F.  Flower, a third (given by Mr. J.H.  Chamberlain) in memory of Mr. George Dawson, and a fourth given by the Mayor.

Ladies’ Useful Work Association.—­Established in 1877 for the inculcating habits of thrift and the improvement of domestic life among mothers of families and young people commencing married life.  A start was made (Oct. 4) in the shape of a series of “Cookery Lessons,” which were exceedingly well attended.  Series of useful lectures and lessons have followed since, all bearing on home life, and as it has been shown that nearly one-half of the annual number of deaths in Birmingham are those of children under 5 years of age, it is to be hoped that the “useful work” the ladies of the Association have undertaken may be resultive in at least decreasing such infantile mortality.  Office, No. 1, Broad Street Corner.  In March, 1883, the ladies had a balance in hand of L88.

Needlework Guild,—­Another Ladies’ Association of a similar character to the above was established April 30, 1883.

Negroes’ Friends.—­When slavery was as much a British as American institution it was not surprising that a number of lady residents should form themselves, in 1825, into a Negroes’ Friend Society.  The funds now collected, nearly L170 a year, are given in grants to schools on the West Coast of Africa and the West Indies, and in donations to the Freedmen’s Aid Society, the Anti-Slavery Society, &c.

Old Folks’ Tea Party.—­In 1857, a few old people were given a treat just prior to Christmas, and the good folks who got it up determined to repeat it.  The next gatherings were assembled at the Priory Rooms, but in a few years it became needful to engage the Town Hall, and there these treats, which are given biennially, are periodically held.  At the last gathering there attended over 700, not one of whom was under sixty years of age, while some were long past their three-score and ten, and a few bordered on ninety.  The funds are raised by the sale of tickets (to be given by the purchasers to such old people they think deserve it), and by subscriptions, the recipients of the treat not only having that enjoyment, but also take home with them warm clothing and other usefuls suited to their time of life.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.—­Birmingham Society for this purpose was established in 1852, and its officers have frequently been the means of punishing inhuman brutes who cruelly treated the animals entrusted to their care.  Cases of this kind should be reported to Mr. B. Scott, the Society’s Secretary, 31, Bennett’s Hill.  In 1882, 125 persons were summoned, and 107 of them convicted, the year’s expenditure being L344.