ely one of the ordinary schools had the necessary fittings Organizapoliances, and in the great majority of cases, as there was manual and one school-room, the cookery class could not have been practical ed on without much disturbance to other school work. nual instruction and elementary science had not even the tage of popularity. The general feeling in the country ather one of vague curiosity than of practical interest. ssion to the earlier classes was eagerly sought, but few attended them went away with sufficient grasp of the t to become enthusiastic pioneers of the reform; the ity were lukewarm, and no immediate provision could be by supplying the necessary apparatus, to have instrucommenced by these teachers immediately on returning to schools.

ruction in cookery suffered even more than instruction nual training and science, for while liberal equipment for these two subjects were ultimately made, no assistould be given to provide pots and pans or any other n utensils.

as only natural, therefore, that these subjects should not hown the striking progress seen in the case of vocal

progress made, and the benefit derived from the organimay now be considered in the case of each subject.

re 1900 needlework was a compulsory subject in all Needlework attended by girls in which a mistress was employed. e revised programme the subject was to be taught from 's entry to the school as an "infant," so that the course ead over a greater number of years. The requirements e highest classes were reduced a little. From these it was hoped that more thorough teaching would even though the time to be devoted to needlework was

Hitherto the teaching had been almost exclusively al teaching, but now, to economize time, the directress ework and her assistants, prepared a scheme of coleaching to be carried out in the organization which was ced in September, 1900. This system was explained eachers at Saturday conferences, and illustrated by nizers in their actual teaching of classes in the schools ther days of the week. The system, which is theoperfect, is greatly hampered, in the case of needlework is of other subjects, by the irregular attendance of teacher gives a new lesson on, say, patching to threea class (the average attendance), but has to repeat it lly to the other two-fifths as the girls drop in on sublays. Still the system has been beneficial, and it is admitted that needlework instruction has improved re educational.

,500 teachers attended the Saturday conferences. The

Seventy-first Report of the Commission

a second time), so that much useful work ha There still remain 2,000 schools to be organize visits to schools already organized will be of muc In 1899 needlework was taught in about 5,80 in 1904 in 6,200.

The organization in singing also began in Sep The sub-organizers held evening classes for tea the daytime visited schools and taught the c helping the teachers to start the subject, as well the proper method of teaching it. This mixed ganizing, aided by the popularity of the subjec rapid introduction of vocal music into the schools

The Commissioners' Report for 1899 gave sing in 1,475 schools, and the number of pupils exami 85,000. To these should be added infants' schoc others in which singing by ear was taught; but eve additions the number was relatively very small, a missioners had to report :-"It is to be regretted the case of vocal music and drawing a very larg instances occur in which teachers qualified to branches fail to do so."

The number of schools in which singing is ta creased from 1,475 in 1899, to 6,683 in 1904.

This is an excellent record of work done by the nization under Mr. Goodman's supervision. Th completeness with which he organized his clas general enthusiasm which he and his assistants. the teachers, deserve the warmest recognition.

In all 168 teachers' classes have been held, about 6,400 teachers, nearly equally distributed of of Ireland.

Another proof of the gratifying advance in th afforded by the number of candidates for the Kin ship examination who take singing. In 1897 the only about 260; it is now about 2,000. Very scholars now leave the Training colleges without vocal music. It seems safe to prophesy that in the singing will be an ordinary school subject in at cent. of the National schools.

The same success cannot be noted in cookery a work. Before the organization began cookery was branch taught in 125 schools, chiefly Convent scho 2,900 girls; and laundry-work-another "extra"in 11 schools to 191 girls. Four itinerant teache employed in conducting classes in cookery. This s effective so far as it went, could never spread know subject over the whole country. To do so, it wa to train the teachers. This was the course adopte sub-organizers (since reduced to ten) were assign FitzGerald, and in October, 1900, they began th

. These classes were very successful, but also very ive, so that, as the sum allowed by the Treasury was uate, it became imperative to reduce their number in lowing years, and to allow the sub-organizers to spend their time at school-work.

injurious to the organization than want of funds for the s' classes was the want of money to supply apparatus to ools, owing to which comparatively few teachers, except rent schools, took up the subject. Still, the number of taking it had increased from 263 in 1900, to 727 in On the issue of the new programme, the subject begain optional and was generally dropped-the number ols teaching it fell to 362 in 1904, of which 220 were t schools.

261 classes have been held, attended by 3,548 teachers.. t of materials, fuel, &c., was only about £1,300.

e pointed out in our last report, we submitted, some go, for the approval of Your Excellency, a scheme plemental instruction at central schools in cookery, and other subjects requiring special appliances or nt. This scheme was not sanctioned, and since then been in consultation with the Department of Agriand Technical Instruction with a view to arriving at gement by which the instructors of that Department resources at their command might be utilised for the of pupils of National schools so far as instruction in and laundry is concerned. We hope that the Depart1 be able to provide the instruction required, by means es, in the chief towns, and in many rural districts. the majority of the rural schools it has become clear Department cannot make provision; and we have ised that it is not possible to divest ourselves of the ility for these subjects in such schools, and that we tinue the work of organization in cookery and work with our own special staff. It is no less manifest arrangements which have been in force in rural or the last five years will be fruitless unless cookery dry are treated as "specific" subjects for which a be paid. Mr. Dale has reported strongly in favour of has pointed out that in England it has been found to continue such grants for subjects which involve le expenditure on material. The experience of five demonstrated that, without a special fee, the expenthe training of teachers in cookery will be productive esult, except in Convent schools. We, accordingly, d that a fee of 5s. per head be paid for each child in or laundry class, receiving efficient instruction t the school year. With the stimulus thus provided so introduce cookery and laundry instruction, in a voru considerable number of

sole chant time into a

Manual

or Hand

6

Seventy-first Report of the Commissioner

Under the results system drawing was an e instruction, carrying a fee for pupils in the third and higher cl and-Eye work was almost limited to freehand, the designs training and from copies on the same page, or from small cards I Drawing.

each pupil, or sometimes from charts hung up befo but the blackboard was very seldom used for teachi siderable amount of facility was acquired by many in the last year of the system 98,360 pupils wer for fees in 2,146 schools. Under the head of h training would come, also, Kindergarten, which to 50,000 pupils in 450 schools. Besides the ordina Kindergarten included object-lessons (which conn the present science course) and drawing. The taught chiefly on grooved slates, or on chequered included a certain amount of design, sometimes of this respect it resembled the first course of drawing by the new organization-drawing on dotted pape these, handicraft (woodwork) was taught in ten sch boys. Handicraft was taught in two Training kindergarten in those for mistresses, and drawing in

Mr. A. W. Bevis began with a large class of tea were summoned, in July, 1900, to the Central Model a seven-weeks' course. At first it was intended to class to about 180, but the number was subsequently to 366. Mr. Bevis was assisted by Miss Hilda Sel had received her training in Nääs (Sweden); but this help the work was too great for any organizer the teachers failed to gain any connected grasp or of the subject, and as to drawing, not much could b in seven weeks. Only a few select teachers were a the wood-work course.

Four of the teachers were selected by Mr. Bevis his assistants, and after a brief additional training sent to hold teachers' classes in different parts of th Each class was held once a fortnight, the matter tau lesson being supposed to be enough to keep the ployed for two weeks. The subject, however, failed popular, and not even the free grant of equipment su securing for it anything more than a half-hearted we aim was not understood, though Mr. Bevis, in his 1901, gave a very clear summary of it.

Manual instruction as a compulsory subject is n to the lower division of the school.

Drawing now receives more attention than under system, and very satisfactory progress is being addition to freehand the children receive insti design, in geometrical and scale drawing, and also schools, in model drawing. The blackboard is nea used by the teacher, and unquestionably the instruc is much more intelligent and educational than it u

centres were fairly distributed over the country, except West.

pments amounting to £11,240 10s. 5d. were granted to Elementary chools.

entary science was entirely new to the National school s of the present generation, though a few conducted classes or taught pupils for results fees in one or more ecognised branches of science.

Heller began the work of training the teachers in , 1900. The course consisted of two parts, but only a roportion of the teachers have gone through both.

is no doubt the teachers took up the subject with thusiasm, and the zeal and earnestness displayed by organizers are worthy of the highest commendation.

st the progress in elementary science training seemed w, and both teachers and pupils failed to see what aim of the instruction; but more rapid progress has empted, and in a few schools a good foundation for ork has been laid.

equipments amounting in value to £12,488 14s. 2d. to 1,650 schools.

further training of teachers three complete and fully atories remain in Dublin, Belfast, and Cork, where , Mr. Ingold, and Miss Maguire will in future have etive centres.