Training College trials which we are told they have surmounted by unwearied exertions and exemplary disregard of personal feeling. These trials have been twofold. First, the condition on which inspection of the College was accepted, and in accordance with which it has been carried out, from its institution until this year, was that it should be visited and examined orally by Catholic inspectors only, who were appointed in concurrence with the Poor School Committee.' Under the Education Act, this arrangement necessarily ceased, and the College was this year for the first time visited by the general inspector of female training schools. Secondly, in consequence of the great and sudden demand for certificated teachers, the College has, at inconvenience, increased its numbers of students by eighteen-the numbers in residence now being 88, viz., 33 of second year, and 55 of first year.1

Such sacrifices on the part of Religious are amply repaid by the great advantages, accruing from Government aid and inspection, in which Catholic schools are thus enabled to participate, along with the other public elementary and training schools of the country.

'Report of the Catholic Poor School Committee for 1871,' p. 22. London, 1872.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

IRISH PRIMARY EDUCATION OF THE PAST.

THROUGH a mistaken policy, strongly condemned by all classes and creeds at the present day, apostacy was the price of education in Ireland for nearly three hundred years, at least as far as the great majority of the inhabitants were concerned.

In an early chapter we have seen what were the pains and penalties formerly enacted against all Catholic education.' The avowed object was to convert the ignorant Irish papists' to Protestantism. Considerable private endowments, royal grants of estates, large sums of public money annually voted by Parliament, for a long series of years, great zeal and untiring exertions, especially on the part of the clergy of the Establishment, and an appalling amount of legalized oppression and injustice, were all combined for the furtherance of this object. History tells, with what results.

In the year 1537, the Irish Parliament passed a Parish Schools Act, similar to that of England. By this Act, it was provided that every one taking orders should have an oath administered to him (by the archbishop, or bishop, or other authority conferring the order of priesthood, deacon, or subdeacon) that he would endeavour to learn the English language, and move, endoctrine and teach all other being under his order rule and governance to accomplish and performe the same,' and bid the beades in the English tongue, and preach the word of God in English, if he can preach,' and also would keep or cause to be kept within his parish, a schole for to p. 12.

1 See

2 28th Henry VIII., chap. 15. Irish Statutes, vol. i. p. 125.

learne English, if any children of his paroch come to him for to learne the same, taking for the keeping of the said schole, such convenient stipend or salarie, as in the said land is accustomably used to be taken.'1

For conferring orders, without administering this oath, ' archbishops, bishops, suffragans, or others' were liable to a fine of 31. 68. 8d.; one half to go to the king, and one half to the person or persons suing for the same."

The non-observance of the oath was punishable by a fine of 68. 8d. for the first offence; of 20s. for the second; and by deprivation of the dignity, benefice, office, or promotion spiritual, for the third.3

In many an instance, the incumbents appear to have taken very little trouble about these parish schools. Possibly, they felt that if schools were opened they would not be availed of by those for whose use they were intended. In most cases, where the experiment was tried, the parish clerks were appointed schoolmasters, and to them was made over the very small stipend or salarie accustomably used to be taken.'

In 1539, the report of a commission for the suppression of abbeys, caused a recommendation to be made that six of the religious houses should be preserved, for the reason that- In them young men and children, both gentlemen children and other, both of mankind and womankind, be brought up in virtue, learning, and in the English tongue and behaviour, to the great charge of the said houses; that is to say, the womenkind of the whole Englishry of this land, for the one part, in the said nunnery; and the mankind in the other said houses.' It is scarcely necessary to add that this recommendation was unheeded, and the houses were suppressed.*

The suppression of religious houses, which in several parts of the country had, for centuries, effected so much for the

2 Ibid.

1 28th Henry VIII., chap. 15, sec. 9. 3 Sec. 10. 4 Endowed Schools, Ireland, Commission, Report, 1858,' p. 6, and State Papers, vol. iii. part iii. p. 130.

education of rich and poor, created a great want of schools, which the Government, through many successive reigns, vainly endeavoured to supply.

Six years after the passing of the Parish Schools Act, we find the Lord Deputy, Sir Anthony St. Leger, proposing to the King that Christ's Church should be converted into a free school, whereof there is a great lack in this land, having never a one within the same.' 1

6

As Henry had introduced the Reformation into Ireland immediately before the passing of this Act, it followed, as a matter of course, that all children frequenting the parish schools were educated in the Protestant faith. This circumstance alone would account for the complete failure of the Act.

Thirty-three years later, was passed Queen Elizabeth's Act for the erection of Diocesan Free Schools in Ireland. By this statute, it was ordered that a free school should be established in every diocese. The master was to be of English birth. The archbishops of Armagh and Dublin, and the bishops of Meath and Kildare, were to appoint the masters, each in his own diocese; and the Lord Deputy was to appoint in all the other dioceses. The school house was to be built in the principal shire town, at the cost of the whole diocese. The overseers were to be the ordinaries of the diocese, the vicars general, and the sheriff of the shire. The Lord Deputy, with the advice of the majority of the council, was to appoint the schoolmaster's salary-one third of the same to be paid by the ordinary, and the remaining two-thirds by the clergy of the diocese.

We learn from the several Reports of the Royal Commissions on Education in Ireland, that these Diocesan schools were never

1 Letter of 27th August, 1543. State Papers, vol. iii., part iii., p. 468, quoted by the Endowed Schools' Commissioners.

2 The Reformation was established in Ireland by the 28th Henry VIII., chapter 13, A.D. 1537. Irish Statutes, vol. i., p. 104.

12th Elizabeth, chapter i. A.D. 1570. Irish Statutes, vol. i., p. 361.

2

a successful institution. In 1789-91, the thirty-four dioceses had only twenty diocesan schoolmasters; and even of these some were sinecurists, as they had no school-houses in which to teach. In 1809, there were only thirteen schools, with 380 scholars. Of the eighteen schools reported on in 1827, six were vacant, being without masters; two were without scholars; four numbered less than eleven boys; and in six only was there a good attendance. The commissioners pronounce it 'extremely doubtful whether any attempt to establish permanent schoolhouses will be found ultimately successful. It has been seen that every endeavour hitherto made for that purpose, from the reign of Elizabeth, has failed, and that, in fact, there never were so few either of schools or scholars as at the present moment.' 3

5

In 1858, the Endowed School Commission reported that fifteen Diocesan schools only were numbered by the thirty-four dioceses. Of these twelve were in actual operation-three existing only in name. Of the twelve, only eight had suitable school-houses; and of six only could they report favourably, as to the state of instruction. In the twelve schools, there was schoolroom accommodation for 604, and dormitories for 183 pupils. The number on the rolls was 304, and the average attendance 240. Those on the rolls were divided thus, as to religious denominations-Protestants 232, Roman Catholics 38, Presbyterians 22, others 12. There were only 25 free pupils. The charges to boarders varied from 30l. a year up to 471. 58.; and to day scholars, from 17. up to 10l. 10s. The estimated annual value of school premises was 653l. 68. 8d.; and the net annual income from land, 1,388l. 168. 3d., and

1 Doc. Ev., vol. ii., p. 344.

2 Commissioners of Education, Ireland, 4th Report, 1809, pp. 113, 114. 3 Commissioners of Education Inquiry, Ireland, 5th Report, 1827, pp. 19, 20.

Carlow, Naas, Mullingar, Wexford, Cork, Rosscarbery, Limerick, Ballymena, Downpatrick, Londonderry, Monaghan, and Elphin. 5.Wicklow, Mallow, and Tuam.