THE IRISH QUESTION.
TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—ln reply to your correspondent "Kate Rossbotham"—-Question No. 1: I repeat that I think education in Irclaud should be compulsory j but I believe if it were so it would be made another "grievauce." In the National Model Schools the fees are, or were, nominal; but the inspectors hadthepower, whereadvisahle, of admitting a child for 6d per quarter ! It ought to be borne in miud that the Government sell the books at a considerable loss, which, in the case of a child in the fifth or sixth books, brings the coat of education as low as it is here. I do not think it would be any improvement to have the schools managed by the parents. Question 21 refuse to answer, as I object to satisfy impertinent curiosity ; suffice to say that my position here is no improvement on what it was in Ireland. Question 3 shows without doubt that, in speaking of education in Ireland during the last twenty or twenty-five years, your correspondent is "at sea." The National Model Schools are not Protestant. They are unsectarian—managed by the National Board of Education in Ireland, appointed by Government, the majority of whom are Roman Catholics, as are also the inspectors (head and district) and teachers. It is the Government who say history shall not bo taught. Priests and ministers have no say in the matter. Question -1: The sohool referred to in my last is divided into three—boys, girls, and infants. Each has its staff, consisting of head-master or mistress, assistants, and pupil-teachers. In all there must have been at least twenty. In my time tho first and second assistant in the boys' school, the head-mistress in the girls' school, and many of the pupil-teachers were Roman Catholics. In addition to this school there were six others—this in a town not as large as Dunedin. I cannot speak of salaries, except to say that the head-mistress had LIOO per annum. I believe the head-master had L2OO, residence, fire, and light. There is religious instruction daily, between 10 and 10,30 a.m., each denomination going to different rooms, to which the ministers and priests had free access. During my timo I have seen many ministers there, but priests were conspicuous by their absence. In this and other model schools the physical science room was well supplied with apparatus, and minor schools wishing to purchase apparatus could do so at half-price, the Government paying the other half. The room for drawing was fitted up with every necessary, and drawing boards, etc., supplied to tho pupilß,—l am, etc, Irishman. Duncdin, August 15.
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THE IRISH QUESTION., Evening Star, Issue 7987, 16 August 1889
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435THE IRISH QUESTION. Evening Star, Issue 7987, 16 August 1889
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