The Irish standard., 1908-07-11
Says Government Pays All Expenses, Pro-
.. viding For the Different
Denominations.
Several Of the Early Kings of France and
Other Countries Were Educated
in the 48Old Land"

(o5ohtS VI 11eHTy VIII. CrOmWeliS gov
ernors were even more severe and
cruel, and the parliaments of 1892 ard
1895 passed penal laws forbidding tho
Catholic children Of the country to hc
educated. either in schools or in pri-
vate houses. Education practically
came to a standstul although many
Irish Protestants all through the coun-
try did great deal in quiet way
to provide instruction for the children
of Catholic friends and neighbors.
The relief act of 1882 allowed Roman
Catholics to open schools of their own
and the present national system, in
augurated in 1881. afforded means Of
education for children Of all denomina-
tions under the supervision Of their
own priests, although members of diff
ferent denominations are required t..
receive religious instruction separately
and interference With the religious
principles of any child is forbidden.
From that tine4sto the, present the
number IF schools has been gradually
extei a-o, their efficiency has been inl-
prov-e and the government appropria-
tions for education have been increas-
ed from year to year.
There are many weak points in the
present system. however, which is al
mitted by everybody. Within the last
few years the dissatisfaction of the
public has been expressed in the re-
ports Of at least three parliamentary
commissions, which have investigated
the several branches of instruction and
have made radical. recommended ,ns
for changes and Improvements. Ore
of them dealt with manual and prac-
! tical instruction in the primary schools.
another on intermediate or secondary
education and the third on the svs-
TENS Of higher education throughout
Ireland. John Dillon, perhaps the alb
lest and most practical Irish politician
of his time, regards the absence of
practical training in the common du-
ties of life as the greatest defect in the
education system of Ireland. A SINH
lar opinion has been expressed in in
terviews I have had with the Earl Of
Aberdeen, Sir Antony MacDonnell, Sir
Horace Plunkett and other thinking
men representing different phases Of
political sentiment in the country.
They all believe that the people need
practical instruction in the line of
work in which they are expected to
make their living and this cannot be
furnished them until body Of compe-
tent teachers can be trained for tt1as
purpose. Hitherto the attention Of the
clergy of all denominations who have
had the supervision of the schools has
been diverted from the practical and
has been absorbed by religious and lit
erary instruction.
The schools of Ireland are now gov
erned by AN act Of parliament passed
in 1892 and DR.. w. M. J. Starkie. ma :
tional commissioner of education, ex-
planned the system to me the other
day.
I'VE have eight grades Of primary
schools" he said, from kindergartens
which receive pupils years Of age. up
to the eighth grade, which corresponds
very nearly to that of the public
schools in America. with pupils IA OF.
Is years Of age. We have a compul
sorry education law. but 1t is limited
according to the local conditions of dit
ferent districts-a sort of local option
which is applied where the people. Of
the counties of the districts desire 1t.
The schools are practically free. BY
the reorganization of 1892 certain
schools were permitted to charge fees.
but no more than 1 per cent of them
do so. and they are all Protestant. No