The Model Schools

continued.

on religious grounds. A demand was made for denominational education, principally on the part of the Roman Catholics, and Roman Catholic parents were urged not to allow their children to go to the model schools, and Roman Catholic chaplains were forbidden to visit them for the purposes of religious instruction. The natural result followed. The attendance at many of the model schools dwindled, while the attendance at the ordinary national schools in their vicinity increased to a corresponding degree.

How to deal with the model schools in these altered circumstances was a question that long occupied the attention of the Board, and many steps were taken to reduce expenditure by closing unnecessary departments, &c. On the introduction of the revised programme and new scales of salaries in 1900, we had an opportunity of bringing the model schools into line with Salaries of ordinary national schools. The teachers were placed on the same scale of salaries, and subjected to the same conditions in regard to emoluments, in the case of future appointments, as the teachers of ordinary national schools. By this arrangement, eventually, the teachers of model schools will be placed under precisely the same conditions of payment from the State as the teachers of ordinary national schools.

Teachers of
Model
Schools.

Expendi-
ture in
Model
Schools.

The comparison that has been instituted between model schools and ordinary national schools in regard to expenditure is in one respect, at least, not fair to the former. The model schools are few in number, and their circumstances are exceptional, but they are contrasted with the general body of national schools, many of which are not comparable to them in regard to housing, equipment, proficiency, or attendance; or they are compared with community schools, which are aided under a different system. Besides, it is generally forgotten that there is a considerable number of small denominational national schools where the rate per pupil is at least as great as in model schools. Again, the comparison of the staffs of the model schools with the staffs of ordinary national schools has been made on an unfair basis. For instance, Mr. Dale in paragraph 10 of the appendix to his report says that in Cork model girls' school the staff consists of seven persons for an average attendance of 93; but as four of the seven are pupil teachers and monitors, who are not members of the school staff as pupil teachers are in England, it will be seen that the staff of one principal and two assistants is practically what is laid down for an ordinary national school with a similar attendance. Indeed, the staff is less adequate than that of an ordinary national school, because, in addition to their ordinary duties, the teachers have charge of the education and superintendence of the pupil teachers, most of whom reside at the school. Similar observations may be made in regard to Londonderry and Athy model schools, in which Mr. Dale also describes the staff as excessive.

continued.

We recognise that owing to the development of the national The Modal system, and the opening of superior primary schools in the Schoolsvicinity of the model schools, the special purposes for which the latter were founded are now fulfilled to a large extent by other agencies. The model schools are still amongst the best schools in the country, and so far are "models,' but there are others which are equally good examples of what primary schools ought to be, and therefore the special endowment of a class of schools as "models " is not now required. The model schools are at present, except in respect of management, almost in the same condition as ordinary national schools which are vested in the Commissioners. Both sets of schools are maintained at the cost of the State by the Board of Works, and the teachers are paid at the same rates. The great difference between ordinary national schools vested in the Commissioners and model schools is the recognition of pupil teachers in the latter; and the greater cost of the model schools as compared with that of the best class of ordinary national schools is mainly due to this cause. We submit to Your Excellency Scheme for below (page 13) a scheme for the employment of a class of nou resident pupil teachers and monitors in best of the ordinary national national schools, and we are pre- ordinary pared to assimilate the system of pupil teachers employed in national the model schools to that scheme. This alteration would effect schools.

new pupil the and

teachers

a large saving in the annual cost of the model schools and would bring them on a level in all respects, so far as State aid is concerned, with the best ordinary national schools which are vested in the Commissioners.

In view of the fact that we submit below (page 17) for consideration a scheme for higher grade schools, which if approved may lead to an expansion of our system, we are unable to consider any proposal which would make radical changes in the constitution and management of the model schools, or would discontinue any of them, until the Government has given its decision on that scheme.

monitors in

We wish to direct particular attention to the many measures Recent that have been taken during the past four years to improve our measure to system.

The results system of payments to teachers, with its attendant cast-iron rules, has been abolished in favour of a system of payment of salaries to teachers with periodic awards of increments.

improve system.

teachers.

In the earlier years of the administration of the national system Salaries of the remuneration of the teachers by the State was very meagre, as it was expected that the State aid towards the payment of the teachers' salaries would be largely supplemented from local sources. This expectation was not, however, realised. With the exception of contributions under the National School Teachers (Ireland)

teachers.

Act, 1875, and under the Local Taxation Act, 1890, all the increases to the incomes of the teachers have practically been derived from Imperial taxation.

The existing scale of payments needs amendment in certain respects, which we have had under consideration, but such modifications will be contingent on the provision of funds by the Treasury. The position of principal teachers in large and important schools has been particularly a matter of concern. It is intended to introduce a special scheme of remuneration for these teachers by a system of higher initial or supplemental salaries if the necessary financial supplies are placed in the hands of the Board.

Incomes of There has, however, been a striking improvement in the remuneration and condition of Elementary teachers, especially during the past twenty-five years. In 1877 the average incomes from State sources of principals were-men £52, women £43. In 1903, the corresponding figures were-men £100, women £85. In 1884 the average incomes of assistants were-men £46, women £37. In 1903 the corresponding figures were £70 and £57. The teachers also had the benefit of a pension scheme, under the Act of 1879, many years before the teachers in England had any corresponding provision for retirement. Though the Irish pensions rules are not as satisfactory as we could wish in many respects, yet they are, on the whole, more favourable to the teachers than the English rules. To any person familiar with the national system for a series of years, the improvement in the personnel of the teaching staffs is one of the most striking facts observable, and their social condition has been improved to a corresponding degree.

Advantages

In order to show to what an extent the teachers have benefited by the new system of remuneration, it is sufficient to point out that while the total payment to teachers in 1896-7 was £1,062,797, in 1900-1 it was £1,089,910, and in 1902-3 it was £1,103,664. Thus, while the average attendance of pupils fell from 534,957 in 1896 to 487,098 in 1902, the payments to the teachers were increased by upwards of £40,000 per annum.

The following financial benefits and other advantages are to teachers offered to capable instructors by the new system:

under new

system.

(1.) Efficient teachers are practically secured against serious loss or diminution of income;

(2.) Uniform payment quarterly is secured to all teachers
throughout the year;

(3.) Teachers are rewarded by a capitation grant for main-
taining or increasing the attendance of their pupils;
(4.) Teachers generally can attain to higher average salaries
than formerly, and higher maxima can be reached by
satisfactory service;

(5.) Teachers have a better chance of promotion for good work done in the school;

(6.) Triennial increments of salary are granted for sustained attention to duty (this is a provision that was impossible under the old classification system);

(7.) Teachers in charge of small schools are granted salaries very much higher than were attainable under the former system;

(8.) Teachers are now relieved from the strain of preparation for examinations in order to obtain higher rank;

(9.) Teachers are also free from anxiety about the answering of individual pupils at inspection, as no part of their incomes now depends on the result of the examina tion.

increments.

The important work of granting increments of continued Teachers' good service salary and of promoting teachers, was begun soon after the expiration of the first three years of teachers' service under the new system of payments, namely, on 31st March, 1903, and involved an examination of the claims of all teachers in the Board's service on or before the 1st April, 1900.

The claims for triennial increments were dealt with first. The number of teachers, principals, and assistants serving on the 1st April, 1903, was about 12,000. Excluding teachers who had not served three years, teachers who were obviously ineligible as having been fined or otherwise seriously censured for neglect of duty, teachers already in receipt of salaries at or above the maximum rates attached to their grades, and teachers in whose schools the average attendance of pupils was insufficient for the award of an increment, there remained about 7,000 cases to be dealt with. Out of this number increments of Good Service Salary were granted to over 4,000 teachers, and a total annual increase of about £30,000 under the head of good service salary was thereby involved.

and

Of the 295 convent and monastery capitation schools, 268 Convent had not reached the maximum rate of capitation allowed by the Monastery Board's rules; and of these 216 succeeded in gaining the trien- schools. nial increment, and 52 failed to fulfil all the conditions required for an increased grant.

The aggregate additions sanctioned to these convent and monastery schools represented an annual charge on the Vote of £2,400.

The question of the grade-promotions of teachers was then Grade considered, and the claims of all eligible teachers (in view of promotions. the salaries previously allowed to them) were most carefully scrutinised. Doubtful cases were subjected to special examination, regard being had to the recommendations of the Inspectors of the various circuits. The teachers who could merit grade-promotion

Curriculum

Cookery
and
Laundry
Work.

Example courses of

nstruction.

Staffs of small

schools.

was

annum on the

were naturally less numerous than those who had claims
for increments of continued good service salary. The
number of teachers selected for such promotions
about 750, and the increased charge per
Vote, due to these promotions is over £6,000. The claims of
teachers who though in the service on 1st April, 1900,
were ineligible for various causes for promotion or increment,
are now being considered in connection with the promotions and
award of increments from 1st April, 1904.

The curriculum of the schools has been broadened and made more rational, so as to afford greater freedom for individual effort on the part of teachers, and to make allowance for the special needs of localities. A large number of teachers have been specially trained in Manual Instruction and Drawing, Vocal Music, Elementary Science, Cookery, and Needlework; and the necessity of increased staffs in many of the schools has been provided for by the appointment of manual instructresses, of whom there are now about 600 in the service of the Board.

In November, 1901, we made proposals to the Government for the establishment of centres for the instruction of children in the highest standards of national schools in Cookery, Laundry and other subjects requiring special appliances or equipments, and for the payment of suitable instructors, &c. These proposals were not entertained, and as no funds were available from which grants for equipments could be made, we have handed over the control of these branches to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction. There are many objections to this arrangement, but we had no alternative.

We have recently issued example courses of instruction for different types of schools based on the revised programme of 1900, with such modifications as were found desirable. These programmes are intended as examples of school organisation which the managers are at liberty to adopt or modify according as the circumstances of their schools may render necessary. In connection with these programmes we have also published Notes for Teachers," explanatory of the aim and scope of the various programmes.

66

We have for years been aware of the inadequacy of the staffs of small schools, and have made many representations to the Government on the subject. We are convinced that schools which have an average of 50 pupils should have an assistant teacher, and that a second teacher-possibly a manual instructress -is required in schools where the average attendance is not inore than 35. We have introduced teachers of the latter class into many small mixed schools with the most beneficial results, and we have recommended to the Government an extension of the system.