The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-07-04
Such IS the Statement of William E. Curtis.
Who Tells Of Progress Made
Under New System.
The Benevolent Object of the Movement
Has Been Promptly Recognized by
Both Men and Women.

tent, it was decided to commence by in
Producing ordinary instruction in the
common schools, and the sum of $275,-
coo has annually been distributed, in
proportion to population, among the
various counties to train children in
the secondary schools OF the rural
towns In trades and in the simple prin.
clples of the cultivation of the soil, tile
breeding of cattle and other practical
duties of farming life. In order to
qualify teachers to give this instruc.
tion summer schools were established
at Dublin, Belfast, Cork and other cen.
tral points, and in the cities evening
schools were provided for those who
could make use of them. Faculties of
experts were employed for all these
schools and inspectors We're sent about
the island inquiring into the methods
and reporting upon the competency OF
the teachers.
The Metropolitan School of Art and
the Royal College of Science, which
have been in existence st Dublin for
many years, were reorgantxed on a
practical basis, inspired with new vital
ity and brought into full activity for
the instruction of young men and wom-
en- in various forms of arts and han,
dicrafts which were practiced by their
ancestors for centuries, but have lony
since been lost sight of or neglected.
The Science and Art Museum on Kil
dare street, which was seldom visited
except by tourists. is now live place
and every morning is filled with young
| men and women eager to learn lace.
making, designing. decorating and 9th.
or arts and industries which have been
| allowed to languish in Ireland.
In connection with these schools in.
strlction is given in domestic economy.
in the chemistry of coking. in nurs-
ing. in dressmaking, millinery, laundry
| work and various other branches of
| domestic economy which have never
before been taught in Ireland. For the
benefit of those who cannot attend
these schools twenty-nine itinerant in.
structors are sent throughout the coun-
try to give instruction to the wives and
daughters of farmers and laborers how
to make the best use of foods and how
to practice other economies in house.
hold administration; how to raise poul.
try and bees, cottage gardening, straw
berry. raspberry and the culture and
the preserving of fruit and other prac.
tical domestic sciences.
This is something entirely new IN
Ireland. and the reports of the timer
ant instructors and of the inspectors
who have followed them to observe
their work have been most encourag-
| ing as regards the interest taken by
the younger women and girls and the
improvement that has already been
made in the conditions of the house.
holds of the working classes in the
country. for these efforts are confined
to the rural districts. There has been
some attempt at reforming the sanitary
conditions Of the tenement houses Ct
Dublin and other cities, but they have
scarcely gone beyond the experimental
stage, for the task is greater than cha
department would dare undertake at
present.
A large staff Of itinerant instructors
who are thoroughly posted and trained
in agricultural science are employed
among. the farmers and especially
! among those who have recently be-
come owners of small farms under the
land act Of 1903. A sense of the re-
sponsibility of proprietorship is being
gradually developed. Heretofore those
who have occupied rented lands have
had no incentive to improve them or
even keep them in good condition, be-
cause they never knew when they
might be evicted. But today one.third
J of the farmers in ireland own the soil