Abstract
The education of teachers was one of the main objects of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland (CNEI) from their establishment in 1831. Both of the previous parliamentary reports on the state of education in Ireland, that of the Commissioners of the Board of Education in 1812 and that of the Commissioners of Irish Education Inquiry in 1825, had emphasised the urgent need for a supply of trained schoolteachers to lead a system of national education. Both these reports had recommended the setting up of a government board of education, which would aid the building of schools, supervise the content of the curriculum and provide the training of ‘well-qualified’ teachers. Therefore, the Stanley Letter of 1831, which established the national school system, listed teacher training as one of its chief objects and stated that the National Board would be responsible for ‘establishing and maintaining a model school in Dublin, and the training of teachers for country schools’. The appointment of teachers was to be the responsibility of the local school manager subject to the following ‘restrictions and regulations’: (1) He (or she) shall be liable to be fined, suspended, or removed altogether, by the authority of the Commissioners, who shall, however, record their reasons; (2) He shall have received previous instruction in a model school in Dublin, sanctioned by the Board. (It was recognised that there were ‘many teachers already working in schools and that the Board would only be able to train a limited number of teachers in its early years, so a proviso was added to the effect that ‘N.B. It is not intended that this regulation should apply to prevent the admission of masters or mistresses of schools already established, who may be approved by the Commissioners), and (3) He shall have received testimonials of good conduct, and general fitness for the situation, from the Board.’
A more essential service could not be rendered to the State than by carrying into effect a practical mode of supplying a succession of well-qualified instructors for the children of the lower classes (Fourteenth report of the Commissioners of the Board of Education, 1812, HC 1812–1813 [21.] v.).
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Notes
- 1.
Reports from the Commissioners of the Board of Education, in Ireland, pursuant to Act 43, Geo 3, c. 122; HC 1809 (142.) vii; 1810 (174.) x; 1810–11 (107) vi; 1812 (218.); Fourteen Reports from 1809-1813-14 reprinted, HC 1813–14 (47.) v.; Reports of the Commissioners of Irish Education Inquiry; HC 1825 (400.) xii; 1826–27 (12.) xii;1826–27 (13.) xiii.
- 2.
Letter from the Secretary for Ireland to His Grace the Duke of Leinster, on the formation of a Board of Commissioners of Education in Ireland, October 1831; HC 1831–2 (196.) xxix. D.H. Akenson, The Irish Education experiment—The National System of Education in the Nineteenth Century (London, 1970).
- 3.
Stanley Letter, 1831.
- 4.
David Salmon (Ed.), The practical parts of Lancaster’s ‘Improvements” and Bell’s ‘Experiments’ (Cambridge, 1932); P.W. Joyce, A Handbook of School Management (Dublin, 1863); R.R. Rich, The Training of Teachers in England and Wales in the nineteenth century (Cambridge, 1993).
- 5.
It can be argued that the flexibility of the Stanley Letter of 1831 as opposed to a formal education act allowed the Commissioners to develop a system that could adapt itself to educational needs on the ground. Also the local managerial structure gave the denominational churches the opportunity to establish separate schools. See Akenson, The Irish Education Experiment, 157–224.
- 6.
S. Farren, ‘Irish Model Schools, 1833–1870’ in History of Education, Vol. 24, No 1, (1995), 45–60; S. M. Parkes,‘Teacher-Training in Ireland, 1811–1870’, unpublished M.Litt. thesis, Trinity College, Dublin, 1970.
- 7.
J. Coolahan, Irish Education: History and Structure (Dublin, 1981).
- 8.
The non-denominational Stranmillis Training College was opened in 1922 in Belfast. S. Farren, The Politics of Irish Education, 1920–65 (Belfast, 1995); R. Marshall, Stranmillis College, Belfast 1922–72 (Belfast, 1972).
- 9.
2nd Report of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland (CNEI) for the year ending March, 1835, HC 1835 (300.) xxxv.
- 10.
2nd Report of CNEI, 1835.
- 11.
2nd Report of CNEI, 1835.
- 12.
2nd Report of CNEI, 1835.
- 13.
2nd Report of CNEI, 1835.
- 14.
2nd Report of CNEI, 1835. The salary proposed for the head teacher of a Model School was 100 pounds per year with two assistants each paid 50 pounds per year. The salary for a teacher in a primary school was to be 25 pounds per year with a possible bonus of not more than 5 pounds dependent on an inspector’s report.
- 15.
The first seven model schools opened in 1849 were Ballymena, Newry, Coleraine, Trim, Clonmel, Bailiboro and Dunmanway. The expenditure on these schools exceeded the proposed budget—the 16th report of the CNEI for 1849 stated: ‘The cost of erecting and furnishing of the District Model Schools has larger than we had at first anticipated. Including every expense the sum will be nearly £5000 for each.…Taking into account therefore, all the difficulties incident to a new undertaking of great extent, and considering that our District Model Schools are institutions of great national importance, we are of opinion that a large expenditure, in their erection upon a suitable scale, was necessary, in order to render them in all respects complete.’ The overall expenditure of the National Board in 1849 was nearly £140. In addition, the West Dublin Model School was opened in 1849 in School Street in the inner city.
- 16.
Report from the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Progress and Operation of the New Plan of Education; HC 1837 (485.), ix; Report from Select Committee of the House of Lords on the Plan of Education in Ireland, with minutes of evidence; HC 1837 (543,II) viii, part i, ii. Select Committees were composed of members of parliament only. These two reports in the 1830s were mainly concerned with the nondenominational ‘mixed education’ structure of the national system and, in particular, with reported incidents of proselytism.
- 17.
Report of the Select Commons Committee, 1837, 68.
- 18.
S. M. Parkes, Kildare Place—the history of the Church of Ireland Training College and College of Education, 1811–1969 (Dublin, 1984), 17–36. The Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in Ireland (Kildare Place Society) was founded in 1811 and it supported schools, established model schools in Dublin, trained teachers, published textbooks and introduced an inspectorate. It lost its parliamentary grant in 1831 but many of its practices had a long-term influence on the new national system.
- 19.
Analysis of the Schoolbooks published by the authority of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, (Dublin, 1853).
- 20.
Analysis of Schoolbooks, 6–7.
- 21.
Select Lords’ Committee, 1837, 310.
- 22.
Select Lords Committee, 1837, 304.
- 23.
Select Lords Committee, 1837, 299.
- 24.
G.O’ Tuathaigh (1978) Thomas Drummond and the Government of Ireland, 1835–41, (Dublin: National University of Ireland).
- 25.
C. Ridgeway (Ed.), The Morpeth Roll—Ireland Indentified in 1841 (Dublin, 2005).
- 26.
O’ Tuathaigh, Thomas Drummond, 4–6.
- 27.
8th report of the CNEI for the year 1841, HC 1842 (398) xxiii.
- 28.
4th report of the CNEI for the year 1837, HC 1837–38 (110) xxviii.
- 29.
5th Report of the CNEI for the year 1838, 5–6; HC 1839 (160) xvi.
- 30.
5th Report of CNEI, 1838, 6.
- 31.
M. O’Connor, The Development of Infant Education in Ireland, 1838–1948 (Oxford, 2010), 51–74: W.P. McCann & F. Young, Samuel Wilderspin and the Infant School Movement (London, 1982), 237–53.
- 32.
E. O Heideáin, OP, National School Inspection in Ireland: the beginnings (Dublin, 1967).
- 33.
K. Silber, Pestalozzi: the man and his work (London, 1973).
- 34.
7th Report of the CNEI for the year 1840, HC 1842 (353), 104. Richard Whately was Anglican archbishop of Dublin and a member of the National Board. He endowed the Whately chair of political economy at Trinity College, Dublin. D. H. Akenson, A Protestant in Purgatory; Richard Whately, Archbishop of Dublin (Hampden, CT, 1981).
- 35.
Royal Irish Academy, Dictionary of Irish Biography (Cambridge, 2009).
- 36.
Report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords appointed to inquire into the Practical Working of the system of National Education in Ireland, HC 1854 (525) xv.
- 37.
Select Committee report, 1854, Sullivan’s evidence, 377–394.
- 38.
M. Mulvihill, Ingenious Ireland- a county-by-county exploration of Irish mysteries and marvels (Dublin, 2002), 290–1; Patrick Corish, Maynooth College, 1795–1995 (Dublin, 1995), 113–4. Callan experimented with electricity and invented an induction coil and a dynamo.
- 39.
7th report of the CNEI for the year 1842, Appendix, 105.
- 40.
The method of John Hullah (1812–1884) for teaching singing was popular in English schools—it was based on the method of Wilhelm, a French music teacher, using a ‘fixed doh’. J. Hullah, Wilhelm‘s Method of Teaching Singing, (1842, reprinted Kilkenny, 1983). It later was replaced by the tonic-solfa method of John Curwen, The Teacher’s Manual of the Tonic-Solfa (1875, reprinted Kilkenny, 1986) that used a ‘moveable doh’ and became very popular for school choirs.
- 41.
The National Board founded Albert College, Glasnevin, in 1838 as a model farm to encourage national schoolteachers to teach agriculture. In addition, the Board built 20 model agricultural schools around the country.
- 42.
Parkes, Kildare Place, 35–36.
- 43.
22nd report of CNEI for 1855; HC 1856 (2142–1) xxvii, pt ii, Appendix G.
- 44.
P. McCann & F. A. Young, Samuel Wilderspin and the Infant School Movement, (London/Sydney, 1982), 237–254. M. O’Connor, The development of Infant Education in Ireland, 1838–1948, 51–77. The infant school building with its clock tower is still in use in Marlborough Street.
- 45.
T. Urry Young, The Teacher’s Manual for Infant Schools (Dublin, 1852).
- 46.
W. Cooke Taylor, Notes on a visit to the Model schools in Dublin. (Dublin, 1847).
- 47.
22nd Report of the CNEI for the year 1855, Vol. II, Appendix G, 153. By 1855, 4275 teachers had been trained, but one third of these had been lost to the teaching profession, either by promotion to other professions, or emigration or death. Of the 5042 teachers employed, only 2006 had been trained.
- 48.
McGauley’s report was published in the 22nd report of the CNEI for the year 1855, VoI II, Appendix G.
- 49.
Minutes of the proceedings of the Board of National Education with reference to the resignation of the Rev, J.W. McGauley, and correspondence; HC 1857 (297. Sess 2.), xlii. McGauley later married the lady student, Miss Cahill, and emigrated to Canada, (RIA, Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009).
- 50.
Butler was an able mathematician, and by 1870 he had become joint head of the Institution.
- 51.
The cost of building of the first four model schools was £16,000 out of an annual budget of £145,000. 16th Report of CNEI for the year 1849; HC 1850 (1231–11) xxv.
- 52.
2nd Report of the CNEI, 1835, 6.
- 53.
D. Akenson, The Irish Education Experiment, 157–224.
- 54.
Morpeth had approved the model schools plan in January 1837 but regretted that funding was not yet available. Akenson, Irish Education Experiment, 147.
- 55.
S.J. Curtis, History of Education in Great Britain (London, 1961), 23–44.
- 56.
Frederick Darley was architect of the first phase of model schools and followed by James H. Owen, Office of Public Works. Darley’s style was ‘Jacobean Revival’ while Owen’s was a mix of ‘Romanesque and free style Early English’. See R. Wylie, Ulster Model Schools (Belfast, 1997).
- 57.
16th Report of CNEI for the year 1849, Appendix xxxiv, 235.
- 58.
Two other model schools were opened in Dublin—the West Dublin Model School, School Street (1849) and the Inchicore Model Railway School (1852) for employees of the Great Southern Railway.
- 59.
24th Report of the CNEI for the year 1857, Appendix, report on the Belfast Model School, 48–96, HC 1859 (2456) vii. For details of the opening of the first model schools see 16th Report of CNEI for the year 1849, Appendix, 184–302.
- 60.
18th Report of CNEI for the 1851, Appendix,; HC 1852–1853 (1582.) xliii.
- 61.
24th Report of CNEI for 1857, 28–96, HC 1859 (2456–1) vii. Keenan (1826–94) had been headmaster of the Central Model Schools and later an inspector. From 1871–1894, he served as the Resident Commissioner of National Education and was rewarded by a knighthood. See F. S. O’Dubhtaigh, ‘A Review of the contribution of Sir Patrick Keenan to Irish and British colonial education (1826–1894),’ unpublished MEd thesis, Trinity College, Dublin, 1974.
- 62.
N. McNeilly, Belfast Model Schools, 1857–1957 (Belfast, 1957). The cost of the Belfast building was £ 11,756—it was the most expensive model school built by the National Board.
- 63.
Details of the correspondence relating to the opening of each of the model schools is contained in the Report of the Royal (Powis) Commission on Primary Education (1870) Vol. VII, Returns of the National Board, HC 1870 (C.6vi.) xxviii, part v.
- 64.
27th report of CNEI for the year 1860, HC 1861 (2873) xx, 16. Annual salaries paid to senior monitors were for £5–10 for males and £2–4 for females.
- 65.
Powis Commission, 1870, Vol. 1, General Report, 401–5; Report of the Commissioners’ appointed to inquire into the nature and extent of the Institutions in Ireland for the purpose of Elementary or Primary education; also the practical working of the system of National Education in Ireland, etc-VII; HC 1870 (C.6–6VII) Vol.1–VIII. xxvii–xxviii.
- 66.
5th Report of CNEI for the year 1838, 7.
- 67.
15th Report of CNEI for the year 1848, 96, HC 1849 (1066) xxiii. Teachers had to remain for two years in a specific class before seeking promotion—this also gave teachers time to study the syllabus for the next senior examination. There were qualifications for probationary, 3rd, 2nd and 1st classes and each class had sub-divisions. Salaries of male teachers ranged from £30–15 for from 1st–3rd class and £24–13 for females.
- 68.
Report of the Powis Commission, 1870, Vol. I, General Report, 406–20. The payment-by-results system had been introduced in England in 1862 but in Ireland it was modified to allow teachers to continue to be paid a basic class salary with the addition of a bonus dependent on the pupils’ results. See J. Coolahan and P. F. O’Donovan, A History of Ireland’s School Inspectorate, 1831–2008 (Dublin, 2009).
- 69.
In England the Catholic Poor School Committee had been set up in 1847 and was in receipt of state grants.
- 70.
E.R. Norman, The Catholic Church and Ireland in the Age of Rebellion, 1859–73 (London, 1965); P.J. Corish, A History of Irish Catholicism, 5 vols. (Dublin, 1971); D. Bowen, Cardinal Cullen and the shaping of Irish Catholicism (Dublin, 1983); E. Larkin, The consolidation of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, 1860–70 (Dublin, 1987); J. Doyle, ‘Cardinal Cullen and the system of national education’ in D. Keogh & A. McDonnell, Cardinal Paul Cullen and his World (Dublin, 2010), 190–205.
- 71.
Powis Commission 1870, (C.6VI), Vol. V11, Returns furnished by the National Board, 164–165.
- 72.
In 1883, the first two Catholic denominational national teacher training colleges were St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, and Our Lady of Mercy, Baggot Street (later Carysfort College). In 1884, the Church of Ireland Training College, Kildare Place, entered the scheme. The Marlborough Street College continued until 1922. See J. Kelly (Ed.), St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra—A History (Dublin, 2006). E. Bolster and J. Coolahan, Our Lady of Mercy College, Blackrock, Carysfort College, 1877–1977—Two Centenary Lectures (Dublin, 1981); S. Parkes, Kildare Place, 57–85.
- 73.
A report from the Select Committee of the House of Lords appointed to inquire into the practical workings of the system of National Education in Ireland, 2 parts; HC 1854, (525) xv.
- 74.
J. Kavanagh, Mixed Education—the Catholic Case Stated (London & Dublin, 1859). Kavanagh had been an active national school inspector and had supported setting up the first model schools. Report of the National Board of Education appointed to inquire into the conduct of J.W. Kavanagh, head inspector of national schools; with proceedings of the Board; HC 1857–8 (386.) xlvi. 461; Correspondence between the Commissioners and Mr. Kavanagh; names appointed of members appointed on Special Committees; HC 1859 (254. Sess.1.) xxi. pt. II. 131.
- 75.
Memorial of Roman Catholics prelates relative to national education in Ireland and reply of Chief Secretary for Ireland; HC 1860 (26.) liii. 659.
- 76.
Report of the Board of National Education on the subject of Convent Schools in Ireland by Inspector Sheridan; and letter from Baggot Street Convent School, Dublin, applying for payment for training of teachers, and answers; HC 1864 (179.) xlvi. i.
- 77.
Correspondence between the Chief Secretary and the Chief Commissioner of National Education, relative to the recent alternation in the rules of the Board; HC 1864 (181.) xlvi. 379; Resolutions of the Education Committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, relative to the changes introduced into the National system of education; HC 1864 (285.) xlvi. 411.
- 78.
Convent versus Model Schools, (Belfast, 1864).
- 79.
Memorials by the Roman Catholic prelates in Ireland, on the subject of university and national education in Ireland, and correspondence relating thereto; HC 1866 (84.) lv, 243.
- 80.
Correspondence between the Government and the Commissioners of National Education on the subject of the organisation and government of training and model schools; HC 1866 (456.) lv. 213.
- 81.
Statement issued by the Elementary Education Committee of the General Assembly, relative to the organization and government of model schools; HC 1867 (226.) lv. 741; Copy of a memorandum presented by P.J. Keenan, Esq., Chief of Inspection, on a statement issued by the Elementary Education Committee of the General Assembly; HC 1867 (225) lv. 750.
- 82.
Report of Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the state of popular education in England (Newcastle); HC 1861 (2794-1–VI), Parts 1–VI; Report of Royal Commission appointed to inquire into Schools in Scotland (Argyll); HC 1865 (3483) xvii, 1867 (3858) xxv, 1867 (3845-1-IV) xxv, 1867 (3845-V) xxvi, 1867–1868 (4011–1) xxix.
- 83.
Report of the Powis Commissioners appointed to inquire into the nature and extent of the instruction afforded by the several institutions in Ireland for the purpose of Elementary or Primary education; also into the practical working of the system of national education in Ireland; Pts 1–5, 8 Volumes, HC 1870 (C.6 – 6VII) xxvii–viii.
- 84.
Special Reports on Model Schools (district and minor), and the Central Training Institution Dublin, etc; HC 1870 (C.6A) xxviii, Vol. 1, Part ii.
- 85.
Powis Commission, 1870, Vol. I, part ii, Special report on the Central Training Institution, 217.
- 86.
P.W. Joyce (1827–1914) was an Irish scholar and author of well-known books including The Origins and History of Irish Place Names (1897) and A Child’s History of Ireland (1869).
- 87.
Powis Commission, Special Report on the Training Institution, Vo l., pt. ii, 219.
- 88.
Powis Commission, Report of the Commissioners, Vol. 1, pt, i, Recommendations, 522–34. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation was founded in 1868 as the professional union to demand increased salaries and improved working conditions for teachers. T. J. O’Connell, History of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, 1868–1968 (Dublin, 1968).
- 89.
40th report of CNEI for the year 1873, HC 1874 (c.965) xix.
- 90.
Copy of a letter of November 1874, of the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant to the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, and their reply to the same; HC 1875, (70.) lix. 489.
- 91.
Correspondence between the Irish Government and CNEI on the subject of Training Schools; HC 1883 (144.) liii, 471. The Presbyterian Church once again protested about the ‘surrender’ to denominational demands. Copy of Memorial from the Elementary Education Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland on Training Schools; HC 1883, (181) liii. 471.
- 92.
J. A. McIvor, Popular Education in the Presbyterian Church (Dublin, 1969), 149–57. In the years 1905–1906, the numbers attending the Marlborough Street College were 135 Presbyterians, 62 Church of Ireland, 52 Catholics.
- 93.
J.A. Foley, Coláiste Caoimhín, 1908–1988 (Dublin, 1988). In 1938 the building in Glasnevin became the Finance Branch of the Department of Defence.
- 94.
R. Marshall, Stranmillis College, Belfast, 1922–72; J. Kelly (Ed.), St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, a History.
- 95.
S. Parkes, Kildare Place, 140–5.
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Parkes, S.M. (2016). ‘An Essential Service’: The National Board and Teacher Education, 1831–1870. In: Walsh, B. (eds) Essays in the History of Irish Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51482-0_3
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