The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-22 00:00:00

JOINT REPORT OF THE RECENT EXAMINA-
TION 01? THE NEWRY I)I6TRICT NATIONAL
MODEL .3C1100L.1.

(From the Newry Telegraph.)
We have lately had the pleasure of witnessing the
Annual Examinations of the _Pupils of the Newry
District National Model School, and feel it to be a
duty to place upon record the impressions produced
upon our minds by this gratifying exhibition, as well
as our views upon the system itself, founded upon
a full knowledge and accurate experience of its
working.
These examinations were held in the Model School
on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the 7th,
Btb, and 9th instant, and were conducted by Dr.
Patten and Mr. Butler, in the presence of a large
and respectable audience. The boys were examined
in Mathematics, Algebra, Geography, History, Me-
chanics, Political Economy, Mental Arithmetic,
Recitation, and in singing, according to the Hullah
system, &c. The girls were examined in all
the suitable branches of a plain education ;
whilst they exhibited specimens of plain and faeby
work, which proved their efficiency in those de-
partments of useful instruction more properly
adapted to their sex. The intelligence and eatuest
desire for information which were displayed by the
children, in general, whilst it excited the admiration
of all who were present, at the same time proved that
the system pursued in this school is not merely me-
chanical, but one which brings into exercise and in-
terests all the mental faculties of the pupils, and en-
lists their affections on the side of solid and useful
learning.
On Thursday we had the pleasure of examining the
children of our respective denominations, as to their
proficiency in reiigious knowledge, and the answer-
ing was such as to chew that this pre-eminently im-
portant subject, without a due attention to whiCh
mere secular learning is more likely to be injurious
than useful, occupies its proper place in their regards.
One of the chief advantages, indeed, of the system
adopted in this school is—that it makes proper Pro-
ee the
vision for the religious education of the pupils. Half-
an-hour each day is devoted to religious instruction,
antod atnh e superintendencehourerliagnido
religious
hmonitors, belonging re-
spectivelyhi underlrd
n ;
adlefniosenseitnationts
onofeaticshe
Friday for the clergy and ministers toapgairve, either
personally or by deputy, such more special religious
instruction as they think necessary, to the children
belonging to each. On these occasions we have al-
ways felt it a pleasing duty to attend to give this in-
struction in person, whenever and as often as our
other engagements would admit.
From the impression produced on our minds by
this most interesting examination, as well as from
our almost daily observation, we can bear our
warmest testimony in favour of the salutary effects
of the system of education pursued in this school.
Here children of different denominations are taught to
unlearn those feelings of, hatred and distrust which
have so long been the curse of our country, and to
make the hippy discovery that, whilst they differ in
religious belief, they can nevertheless cultivate and
manifest towards each other those feelings of hal--
mony, kindness, and good-will, which should ever
subsist between fellow-countrymen and fellow-citi-
zens. Here the household virtues of neatness, clean-
liness, and punctuality are admirably inculcated. We
have been frequently struck with the good humour and
cheerfulness that prevail during their hours of play.
We should also remark that there is a greater mix-
ture of children of different grades in society in this
school than in any other with which we are ac-
quainted, the excellence and usefulness of the edu-
cation having attracted children of a higher rank
than might have been expected. And this re-
port would be seriously defective if we failed to
bear our strongest testimony to the character and
exertions of the teachers, Mr. Brady, Miss Gummer-
son, and Miss Fitzgerall A more fortunate selec-
tion could not have been made. They are intimately
acquainted with the system over which they preside,
and have learned the happy art of blending kindness
with decision, so as to have succeeded in uniformly
maintaining proper discipline, and at the same time
gaining that hold over the affections of the children
which is the best means of insuring a ready and will-
ing compliance with the rules and regulations of their
respective schools.

It may be interesting to mention the number of
children of the respective denominations at present on
the rolls of the school, and also the numbers who
have attended the school since its opening in May,
1849. These are as follow :

1.-NUMBER AT PRESENT ON THE ROLLS.
Boys. Girls. Infants.
Established Church . • 3 t 20 20
Roman Catholic
Presbyterian
Methodist 5 0 4

......
Total at present on}
the Rolls 112 102 RO
Or 304 children in all.
u.—NIIIIIIIER ADNITTED SINGE THE OPENING OF THE
SCHOOL.
13,ya-
Ltabiished Church 7B
Roman Catholics .54
Presbyterians
Remonstrant Synod
Methodists

Girls. Infante.
64 67
140 172
52 67
10 4
8 5

Total since the School 1240
opened
0r_929 in all.

315

We may here mention that the above numbers bear
a fair proportion to the numbers of the different de-
nominations in the population of this town ; so fleet
the Newry Model School affords one of the best spe-
cimens in Ireland of uni ed education. It is a re-
markable fact that the existence of this school, instead
of diminishing the numbers in attendance at other
schools, hai, on the other hand, tended considerably to
increese them, and by exciting emulation, has led to
a decided improvement in the system of teaching_pur-
sued in other schools in the neighbourhood.
With respect to the National System of Education
in general, we feel it right to take this gpportunity
of expressing our unanimous opinion. We may not,
looking at the question of education merely in the
abstract, deem it to be the best system that could be
devised ; but we do not think this is the point of view
in which this question should be regarded. We
should look at it as practical men, taking due ob-
servation of the peculiar eircurnstences of our country,
of the character of its people, of the number of con-
flicting pplitical parties, nod of different religious de-
nominations it contains ; and, taking all these points
into full consideration, we have no hesitation distinctly
to express our conviction that the present National
System is the best practicable system of education
that has been as yet devised; and that, in fact, if the
question of National Education for Ireland were to
be again discussed, ab initio, the alternative would lie,
not between the present system and one which we
may deem the best in the abstract, but between the
present National System, and no System of National
Education at all. We, whose names are subscribed
to this report, belong to different religious denomina-
tions, and are rigidly and devotedly attached to our
own respective systems, yet we do not feel that there
is any compromise of our several opinions.in co-ope-
rating in the support of a System of Education,
which is based upon the principle of non-interference
with the peculiar creeds of the children attending its
schools—which secures perfect freedom of conecience
for all—which takes care that the children of one de-
gn
ioomu
si niantsi ot
rnu st
ihoanl 1 h
pnoont
the b s
pcompelledetfo a
Lir eect
he ievre
frreeltni -
iwnhitchhethpeeyerconmsachientthioeuselaymdeisrsiegnilt—t re
which cognizes
never
man, of directin
been denied to the rich
the religious education of his own child-----whicg
egfivdesiffefurellntopdpeonrotumniintaytietons tthhe
iClerympartarnedl
igmioiunsisters
in-
struction to Foe children of their respective flocks--
and which tends to unite all our exertions to promote
the moral, intellectual, social, and national improve-
ment of our country. We therefore, wish the Na-
tional System every success, and so long as it is based
upon the principles to which we have referred, We
shall feel it to be our highest gratification, as well as
our bounden duty, to continue to extend to it our
humble but zealous countenance and co-operatioa.
DANIEL BAGOT, 8.D,, Dean of Dromore,
Vicar-General of Newry and Morrie, and
Vicar of Newry.
D D
1-MICHAEL BLAKE, • .9 Roman Catholic
Bishop.
JOHN DODD, Presbyterian Minister.
HENRY ALEXANDER, - Presbyterian
P Minister.
A. L. DOBBIN, Methodist Preacher.
Newry, Oct. 10, 1841.

RurroßD POACHING AFFRAY.—The Coroner has
held two inquiries, and adjourned to next Monday. Nothing.
as yet, has been brought home to any parties, though seve-
ral are in prison suspected of being concerned. The Earl of
Scarbororgh has published a reward.
DISPATCHES FOR TIIE CAPE BY THE SHANCRIAI.
—lmmediately on the intelligence reaching London of the
arrival of her Majesty's steam-vessel Birkenhead, with im-
portant news from the Cape, the Peninsular and Oriental
Company sent telegraph orders to Southampton to detitin
their screw-ship the Shanghai from proceeding en route t•
Calcutta and China until they had communicated with the
Government. Having proffered the use of that ship for the
conveyance of any orders to the Cape, the Colonial-office at
once accepted the generous offer, and last night dispatches
were sent off to Southampton, with which the Shanghai will
leave this day for her destination. but for the arrival
of the Birkenhead, the Shanghai would not have gone out of
Cer route to touch at the Cape; but would have made the
best of her way to Calcutta.
THE GREAT THEWLES CASE: We understand
that a new claimant, with superior rights, has appeared in
the person of Mr. James Thewles, after an athosepoee of forty
county
years from his native land, to assert his title vast
..pro-
perty left by the late Edmund Kelly, -1-t:111 of aarrom-
sor
11orsec,oimn
mtheen,ciistytoof
wDiullb
endeavourlin,
e the decree
lately pronounced by the Court of Delegates i 4 the cause .of
" Ttiewles v. andi
tkows°eria'sa the