Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-21

The subject of education in Ireland is one
which presents singular history, and one
which, although vigorously agitated, seems far
from solution even at the present time. The
subject has gone through various phases, has
caused bitter opposition and Strifes, and more
than once has been the object of pre-emlnent
interest in the British parliament. The contest
has been marked by great injustice to the
Catholics, by tardy and meagre concession of
rights to them, and finally by demand on their
part for much more than it seems consistent with
the civilization Of the age to grant. The whole
contest is an important phase of that moment
| ous question, whether the government should
| support UNCONVENTIONAL schools, on the one
hand, or, on the other, should give its aid only
| to secular ones
In view Of these circumstances it may not be
| arniss to-cudeavor TO throw some light upon the
| present. condition Of the problem. And in order
10 do this it is necessary to say that for IL long
Iiule previously ana up 10 the beginning Of the
present century no Roman Catholic could
teach a school and no Roman Catholic children
could receive any education except in schools
taught by Protestauts. Even up 10 1880, the
principal public or common schools of the
country were under the care and SUPER
intendence of the rector of the parish,
who belonged to the church of England
These schools are almost exclusively de-
voted TO teaching the dogmas, doctrines,
and catechism Of that church, very little, il
any attention being given to secular instruc-
ton. The idea in the minds of those who were
in authority seemed to be, that all that it was
necessary to teach the children of the working
| classes was "to read their Bible, and to
| say their catechism, and to follow the PRAYERS
| of our beautiful liturgy on Sundays" In 1929
| however, Catholic emancipation" was granted
and IN the following year the present system of
| irish national education was established. This
system may be briefly described as follows:
There is in Dublin a national board, which is
entirely unpaid and honorary, but which, how
ever, manages the entire system and regulates
all the schools of Ireland This board at pres
ent consists of twenty members, ten Roman
Catholics and ten PrOteStants of all denOmina-
tons. The present Protestant archbishop of
Armagh, and the prmate of Ireland in what is
now the disestablished church, is one of the
members OF this board, having Joined it last
| November, and Lord 0Hagan, the present
| Roman Catholic lord chancellor of Ireland, has
been member of the body for number of
| years. And the various other religious denom-
| nations in the country, MethodisTs PFesbyte-
| rians, &C., are represented in the organization.
The syStemof instruction which has been de-
| veloped under this management is best illustrat
| ed perhaps in what are termed the "AIodel
| Schools" The working of these schools is thus
| described by writer in recent number of the
| Christian Union "In the Model schools the
hours for daily instruction are from o'clock A.
| NJ. until O'Clock P. N. There is no dinner
hour as in England and America. The teach
ing is continuous for the six hours, except one
half hour for play in the school grounds. The
|
part, '-one third of the scholars are in desks
one-thrd IN semi-cireular classes on the floor
and one-third in galleries off the school room
The lessons are halfhour lessons throughout
the entire day. The scholars in the desks, gal
| leries, and on the floor change places with each
other every half hour. The teachers generally
contine themselves, like professor in a college
to one or two subjects, and each teacher has a
new class each half hour for the same subject
From O'Clock until 10 o'clock Combined seem
| ig rfa1 a1gE
of all religious denominations, receive secular
instruction together;i so with the females: so
! with the infants. At 10 o'clock, on the ringing
Of the teachers school bells, all the pupils pour
I out OF the schools into the yard. In the Dublin
Model Schools there are about 5000 seholars.
These all throng the yard at 10 O'Clock and
! then in an instant all the Roman Cathu-
lics,-male and female, teachers and pupils
return to the female school; all the church OF
, England 10 the male school; all the Presbyteri-
ans to large lecture hall; all the Methodists to
smaller school room on the premises; all the
} | the COngregatiOnalists Is one of the galleries
e and TINS separated they each receive separate
: religious instruction from ten to half past ten
; O'Clock each day. Each denomination may
> ieach what IT pleases in this half hour. The
: roman Catholics may have holy water beads
|" pictures, images, and whatsoever they desire
y during this half hour. So with ali ofhcr 10
u nominations. Every peculiarly and 4pecialty
e OF Their religion may be INDUCED i'm Ia thcit
q hearts content. On one day in each week
y Tuesday, in Dublin separate religious instrI,c
/ tion rs rom ten TO twelve O'Clock; and for thes,
two hours clergyman Of each religion ma,
visit the children Of his own creed and catecbi. 4
7. and instruct them. All churches and denoni
@ nations have awaited themselves of This priyIcg,
&c until Cardinal Cullen forbid any priest to WISH
e the schools; and now the Roman Catholic chill
d dren have only their Roman Catholic teachers al
E. | religious instruction.
l. When the half hour or the two hours deyot.
n ed to religious instruction expires, the children
= an t9rn OUT INTO the yard again, and thence
Ie march into their respective sehoos,-nale f.
N male, and infant ,--lor combined secular in
ID structiOn' until three O'clock During secuia,
re instruction no alluson whatever Is allowed ID
10 he made TO any religious topics, d0gmas, doc
IN trines, or books. The children are keDt eiosel,
ne TO the hall-hour lessons on secular subjects
lt The same writer affirms also that, 'fThe edn
= cation impaired IN the national schools of Ire
N land Is superior to that Of any other eiyilizet
stale in the " Orld not eXcepting eitbe. prnasi,
or America. In the male schools the pupils nr
IS taught reading5 writing, arithmetis, grammar
D. | geography, geometry algebra trigonOmetry
II mensuration, drawing, vocal music, chemistry
le electricity, mechanics, acoustics, hydrosiatics
G. | etc The females are not taught The highcs
v, branches Of mathematics, nor the natural sci
ID ences; but they are taught instead plain am
" fancy sewing and knitting; the use Of the sew
le ing machine; and instrumental music. Frencl
Y, is taught as an extra for five shngs tS1.25
70 "A quarter"
le This SYSTEM whose results are so excellent
sr was at tirst-in f830--receiyed with great Joy b,
10 the Roman Catholics, and with dsfayor ant
re even denunciation by the Protestants, since b!
'r II they lost their supremacy At present
n this state Of things is reversed. Tie Roman
y Catholics, al least those in authority, denounc
II the system as a goddess one and demand school
rs that shall be under their own control; while tn
Protestants, gratihed At the excellent working
Of the system aud seeing that the establishment
" Of UNCONVENTIONAL schools would In reality en-
ID dow Roman Catholic schools all over the ooun