IRISH TEACHERS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 24, 12 October 1883, Page 25

IRISH TEACHERS.

In the spring of the present year we, Dublin Freeman, published the details of the new Government scheme of Training Colleges for the National School teachers of Ireland. We are glad to notice, by an advertisement appearing in our columns to-day, that the Cardinal Archbishop and the clergy are taking steps to enable the Catholic Teachers to avail themselves of its benefits. We call the attention of all untrained Teachers and of aspirants to the teaching profession to the opening now offered them. Managers of schoolsiwill, we are sure, urge those within their districts to seize the opportunity. St. Patrick 8, Training College for Male Teachers will open in September under his Eminence's immediate management. We are authorised to announce that the Reverand Principal at St. Joseph's, Blackrock, will furnish all the particulars to applicants for information and admission. At this moment 66 per cent, of the National School Teachers of Ireland are untrained. The Mailborough street Training School failed to supply the Catholic want, for while during the period from 1841 to 1851 there were 1,762 Catholics and 459 Protestant* trained in the school, in the last decade there were only 829 Catholics, while there were 1,036 Protestants. The Lord-Lieutenant reminded the deputation from the Elementary Education Committee of the Presbyterian General assembly that waited on him in narrow-minded opposition to the new scheme, that it was a mischievous thing, indeed, that a vote should be given by Parliament for a system under which twothirds of the teachers were insufficiently trained or not trained at all. The nesv scheme is a simple application to Ireland of that system which has long benefited England and Scotland. la England £110, 000 is spent on 42 colleges, which educate 3,150 students. Scotland receives £27,000 a year for educating 851 students at seven colleges. Ireland received only £7,755 for educating 220 students m one college. That was the provision made to meet the requirements of 7,648 schools manned by 10,600 teachers. The Catholic Bishops were so alive to the inequality that they established a training school of their own at Drumcondra, supported by donations from every diocese in Ireland. All that is happily changed now, and under the new system everyone who prefers united education will be able to take the benefit of it at Marlborough- street College or elsewhere, and those who have conscientious objections to it will be enabled under the new system to get a sound education without outraging in any way their conscience. We are delighted to find the Cardinal Archbishop seizing the earliest moment after his return to make preparations for opening the new college on a sound basis, to utilise the assistance, tardy but welcome, now given by the Government. Sir Patrick Keenan's influence and advice have been largely instrumental in obtaining the benefit of the present grateful alteration. The Catholic hierarchy and people had by their firm attitude rendered some sach plan absolutely indispensable. The staff of professors (chosen from amongst the learned body of Vinceutian Fathers) engaged for St. Patrick's Training College will be of the highest efficiency, and we anticipate that the results will be substantially and splendidly useful to those trained, and creditable to the college. In a brief period the at present excessive percentage of untrained teachers will be reduced to a minimum, and Ireland, whose youth have shown, as soon as ever opportunity was afforded them at Royal University or Intermediate Education examinations, how great is their desire, aptitude, _ and ability in learning, will quickly recover herself in the educational race of the peoples of the Three Kingdoms.