VIII. Aids to Schools previously established.

1.

1. The aid granted to Schools previously established is limited to Salary and Books.

2. Before such aid can be granted, the Commissioners must be satisfied that the case is deserving of assistance; that there is reason to expect that the School will be efficiently and permanently supported; that some local provision will be made in aid of the Teacher's Salary, either by School-fees or otherwise; that the School-house is in good repair, and provided with a sufficient quantity of suitable Furniture; that a competent Teacher has been appointed; that the School is in operation; and that there is a sufficient daily average attendance of Children.

3. Before the Commissioners consider any application for aid, they require, from the Inspector of the District, a report upon all the circumstances of the case.

4. To entitle a School to a continuance of aid, the House and Furniture must be kept in sufficient repair by means of local contributions; the School conducted, in all respects, in a satisfactory manner, and in accordance with the regulations of the Commissioners; and it must appear, from the Register of the School, that there is a sufficient daily average attendance of Pupils.

2.-WORKHOUSE SCHOOLS.

Extract from the Act for the more effectual Relief of the Destitute Poor of Ireland, 1st and 2nd Vict. ch. 56, sec. 49 :—

"And be it enacted, That no order of the Commissioners, nor any "by-law, shall oblige any inmate of any workhouse to attend or be "present at any religious service which may be celebrated in a mode "contrary to the religious principles of such inmate, nor shall "authorize the education of any child in such workhouse in any

religious creed other than that professed by the parents or surviving "parent of such child, and to which such parents or parent shall "object, or, in the case of an orphan, to which the guardian or "guardians, godfather or godmother of such orphan, shall object: "Provided also, that it shall be lawful for any regular minister of the "religious persuasion of any inmate of such workhouse at all times "in the day, on the request of such inmate, to visit such workhouse, "for the purpose of affording religious assistance to such inmate, "and also for the purpose of instructing his child or children in the "principles of his religion."

Such Schools are received into connexion, and grants of Books made thereto, on condition that they shall be subject to inspection by the Commissioners, or their Officers, and that the provisions of the above enactment, in reference to Religious Instruction, shall be faithfully observed.

The Commissioners have resolved, with the concurrence of the Poor Law Commissioners, to award annual gratuities to a certain number (twenty Males and twenty Females) of the Teachers of the Workhouse Schools, in connexion with the National Board, who shall be recommended by the District Inspectors. The gratuities are divided into two classes :

3.-SCHOOLS ATTACHED TO PRISONS. Such Schools are received into connexion, upon the same general principles as the Workhouse Schools, and grants of Books are made thereto.

IX.-1. As applications for aid have frequently been made in respect of expenses incurred previously to any communication with the Commissioners, they desire it to be distinctly understood, that they will not hold themselves bound to grant assistance in any case, unless application shall have been made to them in the first instance, unless such application shall have been approved of, and unless they shall have funds at their disposal when they come to decide upon the case, to enable them to grant the required aid. Applicants are therefore recommended not to incur any expense towards the payment of which they expect the Commissioners to contribute, until the decision of the Board shall have been communicated to them.

2. Applicants for assistance are not to understand that the Commissioners are bound to grant the full amount of aid, as set forth in the foregoing Regulations, in every case; nor can they grant any unless they have sufficient funds for the purpose, which depends upon the amount placed at their disposal by Parliament.

3. Persons desirous of obtaining assistance from the Commissioners of National Education, under any of the foregoing heads, will, upon intimating to the Secretaries the nature of the aid required, be furnished with the Forms, upon which their application must be laid before the Commissioners.

4. All communications in reference to National Schools should be made by the Manager or Correspondent. The Commissioners do not correspond with Teachers.

5. All letters should be directed as under. No communications are received which are not prepaid, except those containing Documents sent from this office, and which are required to be returned.

The Commissioners having found it difficult to get full and satisfactory answers to the Queries which have been heretofore sent to Applicants for aid towards building Schoolhouses, or towards paying Salaries to Teachers of Schools already established, have for some years abandoned that practice, and obtain the necessary information through the Inspectors of the District, who report on the Forms XI. XII. and XIII.

XI. FORM OF DISTRICT INSPECTOR'S REPORT, upon Application for Aid towards BUILDING a SCHOOL-HOUSE in the County of Name of Proposed School. Name of Patron or Correspondent. Posttown

1. Where is the site of the proposed School-house? In what Townland? In what Parish? In what Barony?

2. State the extent of the site and its dimensions.

3. Is it in a healthy situation?

4. Is it to be enclosed, and how?

5. Is there any, and what extent of ground for agricultural purposes?

6. Is it a portion of Church, Chapel, or Meeting-house Yard? 7. Is it in connexion with any Religious Establishment?

8. If so, has inquiry been made to procure any other site, and what has been the result of the inquiry?

9. What is the name and distance of the nearest Post-town? and in what direction?

10. State the Christian and Surname and Residence of the person making a Lease of the Site, and what title he has to the ground. 11. For what length of time does the Grantor agree to give the Lease?

12. Is the ground liable to any and what Rent?

13. What number of Children may be expected to attend the School, distinguishing Males and Females; and what is the population of the Parish, distinguishing that portion of it likely to need such a School?

14. Is the School to be under the direction of a Committee, and by whom elected?

15. What amount of Local Subscription has been raised, or is likely to be raised, towards the erection of the house ?

16. Does a necessity exist for the building of a new Schoolhouse here?

17. State the Names and circumstances of such National Schools as are in the neighbourhood within a circuit of three miles, the number of Children attending them, and whether vested or not vested, and their respective distances from the proposed site.

18. State the Names of all other Schools for the Poor within similar limits, their general circumstances so far as you can ascertain them. 19. State the precise distance of the site of the proposed School, from the site of any other Applicant School, whether for aid towards Building, or for Salary and Books, distinguishing each.

20. Have you consulted the Clergymen of the different denomitions as to making any arrangement for giving religious instruction in the proposed School?

21. Have you presented to the parties concerned in this application, a Copy of the Lease vesting the Premises in the Commissioners in their Corporate capacity ?

VOL. II.

N

22. Are they willing that such Lease shall be executed? 23. State any other circumstances connected with this application which you may consider material for the information of the Commissioners, and the grounds upon which you recommend that it should be entertained or otherwise.

24. Have you had an interview with the Patron or Correspondent of the School?

25. Have you communicated personally with any other individuals on the subject, and what has been the result of your interview?

26. State the date of your visit.

-District Inspector of National Schools.

XII. FORM OF DISTRICT INSPECTOR'S REPORT upon Application for Aid towards payment of Teacher's Salary and for

Supply of Books, &c.,

SCHOOL, in the County

Patron or Correspondent

1. When was the School established? In what Parish? In what Townland? In what Barony?

2. What is the name and distance of the nearest Post-town, and in what direction?

3. State the names of the National Schools within three miles of this Applicant School.

4. State the distance of each from this Applicant School.

5. State the names of the other Schools for the poor within three miles of this Applicant School.

6. State the distance of each from this Applicant School.

7. State whether the School is, or has been, in connexion with, or derived aid from, any other Society; and if so, the name of the Society, the amount of the aid received, and whether that connexion will be discontinued should a grant be made.

8. Are the Patrons of the School, during its former connexion, aware that application has been now made on its behalf to the Commissioners of Education? If so, is it with their approbation? 9. If they are not aware, or do not approve, state the reasons. 10. State whether the School-house is attached to, or erected upon, Church, Chapel, or Meeting-house ground. Or whether it is in connexion with any Religious Establishment; and, if so, what is the nature of such connexion? Of what materials is it built? Is it thatched or slated? In what state of repair? What are its dimensions? From what funds was it erected? Who pays the rent of it?

11. Is the School-house secured by Lease or otherwise for the purpose of Education ?

12. Are the School-rooms wholly employed for the use of the children; if not, for what other purposes are they used ?

13. What is the number of rooms used as School-rooms? State the length, breadth, and height of each by internal measurement. Are they sufficiently ventilated and warmed?

14. Is any portion of the house occupied by the Teacher as a residence; and, if so, does any inconvenience arise therefrom? If there are any other apartments state their uses.

15. How many desks and seats are there in the School-room or rooms; how many children do they accommodate, and of what does the other furniture consist?

16. State the Christian and Surname of the present Teacher or Teachers, and their ages.

17. Have they received instructions in the art of teaching in any, and what, Model School?

18. What testimonials can they produce of fitness for their office, and have you examined such documents ?

19. Have they been at any time previously employed as Teachers of a National School? If so, state the name of it.

20. State your opinion of the Teachers as to literary acquirements. As to character. As to method of conducting the School. 21. Have the Teachers any other occupation? State the nature and emoluments of it.

22. What is the annual amount of local Funds towards payment of the Teacher's salary and repairs of the School-house?

23. Do the Scholars pay any thing? What are the rates of payment, and by whom regulated?

24. Are any, and what number of children admitted gratuitously, and by whose authority ?

25. If any Teacher die or be removed, will the Patron or Committee take care that such change be reported immediately to the Commissioners?

26. Is it proposed to keep a register in the School, recording the daily attendance of the children, and the average attendance in each week and each quarter?

27. Will the inscription "National School" be put up conspicuously on the School-house?

28. Will the General Lesson be hung up in the School-room; or, if not, will any other, and what, be substituted in its stead? 29. Will the Commissioners, by themselves or their Officers, be allowed to visit and examine the School whenever they think fit? 30. Will the School be bona fide open for Children of all religious denominations?

31. Will access be given to the public of all denominations to visit the School, with liberty to inspect the Registry, witness the mode of Teaching, and see that the regulations of the School are faithfully observed, though not to interfere with the management or to interrupt the business of the School?

32. State the Titles of all such Books as are intended to be used. If those published and issued by the board, state which of them?

33. What arrangements have been made or are proposed to be made, for the Religious Instruction of the Children, either in the School-house or elsewhere?

34. Are they such as not to interfere with or impede the secular business of the School?