A GREAT IRISH CHARITY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 17, 21 August 1885, Page 21

A GREAT IRISH CHARITY.

In his latest letter from Ireland Father Bernard O'Reilly gives the *S?^*sS^™ M School a^bed y i g n IV Du£ inexhaustible chanty of the citizens of Dublin, I was not suSed that Lord Spencer had selected this Catholic establishment from among so many as deserving of a visit from the Prince and PrinceS of Wales. Lord Spencer, who expressed a warm admiration Sthl Christian Brothers' educational labours in Cork, does not hesiiate to affirm that the industrial school at Artane has noHts^equal to^ all Europe. This must seem a not exaggerated judgment to anyone .who knows with what inadequate worldly means these good^otbers Wan here their beneficent labours, with what heroic sel^SS their undertaking was carried on, and what wonderful results [hey have achieved Begun fourteen years ago, " without a sinSe shilliS of their own," as the Brother Director expressed V the beauH grounds have been purchased, the vast cent?al buildirg! witt J k shops and schoo son either side, has grown as grows a Sat bee's nesi from a single little cell, until now 900 boys? token^m the SSSiSSi'SSS thoroughly educate l -^ 4S4S Both the Piiuce and Princess showed their warm appreciation of these results and so did the crowd of the titled and th^wSthi who had flocked to Artane to look upon their future King and Queer to whom the sight of this institution with its 900 brigt* inteffin? happy children was a revelation. »"ienigent, Let us bear in mind tha« the Government has never contributed i&fflth!™**? m pU T rC S ase Of or the erection?or furn t ture of the vast pile I have now before me. A small pittance towards the maintenance of each of the boys wu f ranted by tht Treasury when the establishment had overcome X lit difficult es %SXF ci traCtlng \ good deal of P ublic attention. The Kefs from the beginning, had to send some of their number to collect the nee. ssary funds through the streets of Dublin, while others Tof "thS? community were busy with their scholars n doing the work if masons, bricklayers and carpenters, constructing the hive thTnow shelters so many industries and so many happy jovn* toilers And sens of Dublin, whose charity support, an incredible number oE similar institutions Of course, nothing but this charity Tndtfe S^#^ TO^?. t te,?^ heMthemsel ' eil » to e et hw with the pro! duce of the pupilß' skilled labour, could enable the School of Artane to hve a single year. But, thanks especially to this self-sacrificinl devotion of noble men, this school steadily grows aid SS lhesemen,not one of whom is in priest's iSa^Sj^S^ time, the,r whole strength, their whole life, aid with a

never wearies or weakens, to the task of lifting np from vice, dejrrada. ion, and misery these hundreds of the children of the poorest oTth7 labouring poor. The Christian Brothers are only one division of the fIZ 5 7 £* ed ?, catorß who are laying deep in the souls of the labouring, the middle, and the wealthy clashes the imperishable foundation of that nationality towards which New Ireland is^mring—a nationality founded not on mere cultivation of the mind, but manhood Dg the l 0 the virtwß o£ trae °h™tiaa While the royal visitors at Artane were admiring and praisinir with such unfeigned satisfaction these 900 boys, so well taught in all necessary book-knowledge and so well trained in the most improve! methods of modern industry and handicraft, neither they nor Lord Spencer, nor the titled ladies and gentlemen who shared their admiration reaected, probably, that the Christian Brothers educate ii Dublin alone 7,000 boys; that, in alt Ireland, they yearly number ZZ WW ™ r £h°i f 3O '° oo 8 5\° lar8 ' Ever * lourteen y^ r8 60,000 young men' ™™™ g £ Prepared to enter successfully on industrial career!, or to SrTfrl>m O thrs?hooli bb ° UU ° Urß "* Pr ° feßßi ° nal dißti * cti ™> *° I have said that twenty and more trades are taught in this school, every one of them under well-selected and well-plid masters chosen from the trades, all superintended by the Brothers. Th" XiL * Beve VT 8 ' boys who manifest special aptitude being n S * 111 , longer to P er£ect themselves still more. To! pupils of this school are already ia great demand in the foremost industrial establishments in the United Kingdom. A wise economy of time allows three hours daily for the school-room, in ihich a» S b S y *W? elements of literary and scientific knowledge v »ew of t helr £atare avooatioaßi The remalnin houtfl Qf th .** t£ belSfgrSs! 16 WOTkßhoP ' meal - tiffie8 ' and heal *f ul Play in OTM ?- Ur * rßfc TPT P ? iaa afc A * taae waf » caused by our entrance into tho great junior school, or workshop, rather, in the main building, where" 150 of the younger boys-from Bto 10 years of age-were fas bust as bees, work.ng m classes in three ranks down thl sides of a vast pSit- y ' well -* ir . e 1 d » well-lighted, and handsomely decorated SX '• we \ 7eK " ?? l . o *\ carvers of ornamental woodwork were wholly intent on their labour ; experienced artisans and mechanicians superintending the little workmen, while foremeo taken froai the more advanced classes stood in front of each group of knitters weavers etc. ready to detect and correct minor mistakes. No one notice o Hr presence as we passed through. Here is made most of the light clothing used in the establishment-sinkings ™V P £nVr en t> antalo ° ns ?Bci jackets, neckties and linen collars', ?£. aQ d woollen coverlets. Several of the boys were moving about dressed from head to foot ia habiliments of their own man* facture. /nd right amart and neat they appeared. The others worn their working suits. For play they put on stronger clothing. somp P SS°?y, ihe ma i? and through a vast and loftf corridor some 300 feet long, which serves on occasion for geoeral musters and exhibitions, we visited, outside the main building, the two ereat piles of workshops and class-rooma. Oa one side are the enliSroom, with the flour mill, bakery, brewery, blacksmith's forge, the iron, brass and tin workers, the carpenters, cabinet-makers shoer.th'p'^ 1 ? 18 ; 8^ 1619 ' P IQ^eT S , anS glaciers. On Se other lSe »nV o W?™ 1 ? cIaS8 t oom8 ' all fifcted with the admirable charw and school furmture of the Christian Brothers ; then come the larger workshops m vmch are the moot improved looms fof weaving the bniMing, are narvels of neatness, order, and cleanliness, formia? vast and lofty balls, lightsome and airy, and commanding a wide prospect over the adjoining historic plain of Clontarf, the Bay of Dublin, the Hill of Howtb, and the Wicklow mountains. Bach dormitory has its lavatory, with a shining waxed floor, two toweS «£2l£S£££<£Z*^ &a freßh aßd ttGW looki^ as if " ™ When Mr.' Gladstone visited the place, some years ago, be in". quired how the Brothers managed to "keep these floors so^tainlSs and shining. «It is all the fruit of penance," the Director replied with a pleasant smile. « Penance ? » exclaimed the Ke MuSS 'Aye, indeed ' said the other. "When any of our boys cominita fault against discipline, they do penance b/ polishing these floors ; and they do not think it a hardship." A statue of the youthfulSt Ipfr > Q °?T ga 1S ia the middle o£ fche Principal lavatory. « Whom does that statue represent?" inquired the Prince of Wales. "St s !» \2SFSR T tb f aa ? wer > " the P atroQ of y° ttth and p««i^ *' Unl replied the other, turning away. J Need I say that everywhere, from the blacksmith's forge, with lads, to the music hall with its admirably trained bands of tbftb^^ i S - a ? d ,v° Calißt8 ' Wesaw ointment, earnestness, and that bright and intelligent alacrity which indicated a consciousiess f n^ZT n V\° nes Btudieß7 There was not a cloudy or moody countenance to be seen, nor any but rosy, happy faces. i mnß in 7fX * « en '" I r if> asked ' "d 0 teach these poor ladfl ?o oiffiJi 1 t &Tt *J MußiC ' both Tocal and instrumental, they f^mf k y ft oh| and moßt siccessfully. They b^ve, besides, aX admirable military band, an orchestra of some forty perfornW Sil i^fi had - h h e pleaßure of heariQ e at the close of cur visit These little musicians of from 9 to 14 years of age blayed two very ?oS°^ ,, CC ° nCert ? d P i ece8 ' the leader beiQ g a lad °* W. namedKeln^ Ztfl n ?°JL already as an ac «omplished musician, and w£> ii Sff.°; the organ, piano, violin, clarinet, etc, Old and &* s "fhl ?J ? dd vu T slcal c^?oisseurs who were with us were loud in praise «tS ft eBS exe< l utlon /> f the pieces. And then a lady present hSSs J°f a SOng) *?* r* had oao of Moore>a melodies mi another n?M-J^ ul song rendered in solo and chorus with a perfection which Dublin audiences applaud with enthusiasm 1 have not said one-tenth of what I purposed saying about this school, and the great school (the O'Oonaell School) On North^Mch"

mond street, and the Deaf Mute Istitution at Cabra — all under the Brothers and equally to be praised and admired. These and such as these are the glory and hope of New Ireland.