Appendix D. No. 9.-ANNUAL REPORT upon the ATHY DISTRICT MODEL SCHOOL, for the year ended 31st March, 1874, by JAMES PATTERSON, Esq., Head Inspector. Reports upon District and Minor Model Schools. Athy. April, 1874. GENTLEMEN,-I have the honour to present to the Commissioners of National Education this, my second annual report on the Athy District Model School. I. The Edifice.-In my former report I mentioned that the building— school-rooms, apartments for the resident teachers, study, dormitories, &c., for the pupil-teachers and agricultural boarders-was well adapted for the purpose for which it was erected, and that it was in good repair. I have now to add that the painting, of which it then stood in need, has been executed, greatly improving the internal appearance of the house. II. Teachers. The principal teachers of the three departments have not been changed, nor has the agriculturist; but new assistant teachers in the male and female schools have been appointed in the place of Mr. Morrison, removed to the Belfast Model School, and of Miss Thorne, also removed to another situation. These new teachers are Mr. Alexander Nicholl, E. C., replacing Mr. Morrison, Pres.,† and Miss Annie Lyons, Pres., replacing Miss Thorne, E. C. Mr. Shannessy continued, as a visiting or extern teacher, to instruct the classes in vocal music. All the teachers discharged their duties with commendable zeal as heretofore. III. Pupil-teachers and Monitors. Of the three pupil-teachers in office at the end of 1872, one resigned in April, 1873, and was apprenticed to a druggist. Another of the three, having completed the usual period of two years as pupil-teacher, was summoned to the Board's Central Training Establishment for a further course. The third continues in office, and is now near the termination of his two years' training as pupilteacher. Two youths were appointed in place of those who had resigned, being, like them, the one a Roman Catholic, and the other a Protestant, and another Protestant was also appointed to fill the place which in my former report I mentioned was vacant. At the end of the year therefore, there were in office two Protestant pupil-teachers and two Roman Catholic. Of the seven monitresses on the staff of the establishment, whose period of training as such should be four years, one in the course of the year went out of office, having completed her term, one was summoned to the Central Training Establishment in her fourth year, and one, having completed just three years, got employment as a telegraph clerk. The place of one only of these three girls has been filled as yet. A competitive examination will be held for the other places. The pupilteachers and monitors were examined with the teachers of the ordinary schools in the district, who were candidates for classification, and, with the exception of one girl, acquitted themselves so as to prove that they had been studious, and that their teachers had been careful to instruct them during the year that had passed. With the moral conduct of all, the teachers and the District Inspector and myself have been perfectly satisfied. IV. Annual Examination. The public examination was held on the 6th of June, and was attended by a considerable number of the parents and friends of the children. The preliminary examination at which Mr. Adair, the District Inspector, and I had been engaged for some days previous, had been conducted with the double object of assigning the Board's premiums to the most deserving pupils, and of awarding the results fees to be paid the teachers on the results of their work during the year, *The late Established Church. † Presbyterian. and Minor These results fees amounted in the male school to £22 13s., or about Appendix D. four-fifths of the sum that could have been realized had the proficiency Reports of the pupils been in all respects equal to what might be expected from upon their ages, and from the qualifications of the teachers. In the female District school they amounted to £20 78. 6d., or about six-sevenths of such a Model sum. The general proficiency, then, was very fair, though not so high Schools. as I expect it to be next year and thereafter, when the teachers and the Atly. scholars become more experienced in the results programme, and the pupils have worked their way, as they must do, into classes quite appropriate to their years. The following tables exhibit the numbers of pupils on the rolls at the time of this examination, the numbers examined in the several classes, and the numbers of those who, having attended ninety days or more within the previous twelve months, brought results fees to their teachers by passing the examination :— The results fees awarded averaged, per pupil eligible for examination for results, for each boy, 108. 1d.; for each girl, 10s. 5d.; for each child in the infant school, 48. 11d. Besides what are called the ordinary branches (reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, agriculture, and needlework), the pupils of the third and fourth classes were taught singing and drawing with fair results-better in drawing than in singing. V. Ages of the Pupils present at Examination.—Of the 137 children examined, there were: VI. Average Attendance of Pupils.-The average number of pupils on the rolls, and also the average daily attendance for the year ended 31st March, 1874, were somewhat less than the corresponding averages for the previous year, but the average attendance was a little larger than that for 1871: Average No. Average Daily Average No. Average Daily Average No. Average Daily Attendance. 40 on Rolls. Attendance. 38 ATTITTY 56 57 Girls, Infants, 59 40 57 44 56 43 53 33 44 34 43 30 Total 168 108 161 118 Appendix D. Reports upon District and Minor Model VII. Religious Denominations of the Pupils.-On the 31st of March, 1874, there were 149 pupils on the rolls, viz. : Enniscorthy. IX. Arrangements for Religious Instruction.-The Rev. H. F. M'Donald and the Rev. Thomas White continued during the year to direct the religious instruction of pupils belonging to the (late) Established Church and the Presbyterian Church. To suit the convenience of these clergymen the time for imparting religious instruction was changed from the close of the day to the beginning of it; but the amount of time devoted to it continued the same. The teachers, as heretofore, also took part in this duty-the Protestant teachers instructing the Protestant children, and the Roman Catholic teachers the Roman Catholic children. I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your obedient servant, The Secretaries, Education Office. No. 10.-ANNUAL REPORT upon the ENNISCORTHY DISTRICT GENTLEMEN,-I have the honour to submit for the information of the I. The Edifice.-In my last report I mentioned that repairs to the roof, and provision for rapidly carrying off surface water that, after heavy rains flooded the basement story, were required. The necessary works have been at least partially executed by the Board of Works, the state of the building being thereby improved, if not made perfectly good. No other change has been effected or required. The house and premises have been kept in a clean and otherwise creditable state during the year. II. Teachers.-I regret to have to record the death of the infant school teacher, Mrs. Kelly, formerly Miss M'Allister. Appointed to this school in 1862, Miss M'Allister proved herself a devoted and skilful teacher. Her subsequent marriage to the head master seemed, I thought, rather to impair her usefulness as a teacher. Early in the year to which this report refers she fell into bad health-so bad that she was advised to apply for a retiring allowance, which was granted by the Board, but which she did not live long to enjoy. During her illness and after her resignation, the school was conducted by a substitute pending the appointment of her permanent successor. No other change in the staff of teachers has taken place. Those com- Appendix D. posing it on the 31st March, 1874, were the following, whose religious Reports denominations are indicated by the letters after their names: upon District and Minor Model Schools. Ennis III. Monitors. As there have been no pupil-teachers in this estab corthy. lishment for several years, the only assistants to the teachers are the two female monitors, appointed each for a term of four years, who have been in office now, the one for over three years, the other for over two. The admirable training that these girls receive from Miss Hunt, the principal teacher, promises to result in making them excellent teachers. To this Mrs. Kelly, while her health was good, fairly contributed. It is to be expected that her successor will perform this part of a principal teacher's duty with equal efficiency. IV. Annual Examination.-The public examination was held on the 14th May, 1873. Previously, Mr. Fitzgerald, the District Inspector, and I had, as usual, carefully examined all the pupils and assigned the premiums, which were distributed on the public day, to the amount of £5, granted by the Commissioners. The answering of the boys was, on the whole, good; but there being no pupil more than thirteen years of age, there were, of course, no advanced scholars. The girls acquitted themselves in all respects most creditably; and the infants gave evidence of being carefully instructed. The examination was conducted on the same plan as the ordinary examinations for payment by results. The average fee that would have accrued to the teachers for each boy examined would have been 78. 11d.; for each girl, 9s. 11d.; and for each infant (including infants examined in the programme for the first and second classes), 38. 3d. V. Ages of the Pupils present at Examination.-Of the 25 boys, 31 girls, and 29 infants examined: 27 were under seven years of age. 31 were seven, but under twelve years. 4 were fifteen years of age, or more. 85 VI. Average Attendance of Pupils.-The attendance of boys and of infants was somewhat less during the year ended 31st March, 1873, than it had been the previous year. That of girls somewhat greater. The average numbers on rolls, and the average daily attendance were these: VII. Religious Denominations of the Pupils.-The number of individual children of each of the religious denominations who attended any time within the year, was as follows :- Appendix D. The numbers on the rolls on the 31st March, 1874, were these: Reports upon District and Minor Model Schools. Ennis corthy. VIII. The Rates of Payment at which these children were admitted were these:: Cork. IX. Religious Instruction.-No change has been made in the arrangements for the religious instruction of the children since the date of my last report. Twenty minutes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and one hour on Saturday are devoted to it, Miss Hunt and the monitresses instructing the Protestant pupils, and Mr. Kelly and the teacher of the infant school the Roman Catholics. I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your obedient servant, The Secretaries, Education Office. No. 11.-ANNUAL REPORT upon the CORK DISTRICT MODEL Cork, May, 1874. GENTLEMEN, I have the honour to submit, for the information of the Commissioners, the following report on the Cork Model School, for the year ended the 31st March, 1874. The school buildings and premises are in a very fair state as regards repair, order, and cleanliness. One of the playgrounds, however, requires additional drainage to carry off the water which lodges in the lower part of it after rainy weather or heavy showers, and the blinds in some of the school-rooms and class-rooms require to be repaired or removed. The teaching staff has undergone several changes since my last report. The head mistress of the infant department resigned, and was succeeded by the head mistress of another Model School. One of the assistants in the same department, who was in delicate health, effected an exchange with an assistant in another Model School. Five pupil teachers (three male and two female), and four monitresses left after the completion of their training; and six pupil teachers (male), and five paid monitors (one male and four female), were appointed within the fifteen months ended the 31st March last. Of the nine that left four became head teachers or assistants in National schools, four joined the training class, in Dublin, and one (male pupil teacher), commenced to study for an appointment in the Civil Service. Six pupil teachers (male) attended the written examination of male teachers last year, and answered 77 per cent. each on the average; and five of them were present at the oral examination, and answered 70-8 per cent. Three pupil teachers (female), and three monitresses attended the written examination of female teachers, and answered 71.5 per cent. |