ART INSTRUCTION. 147 



and modelling. In this year the School was converted into a so-called 

 School of Design, under .the Board of Trade. Mr. Henry M'Manus was 

 appointed headjnaster, and the gallery was handed over for the use of the 

 school ; it has since remained in its occupation. An evening school for males 

 was now for the first time established, also day classes for female students 

 Up to this period the instruction given was gratuitous, and the School 

 appears to have been attended by a daily average of lOO students. Durmg 

 the session 1849-50 the School was attended by /43 students, being 

 apparently the largest number on record attending during any one session. 

 In the year i860 the Society accepted the Taylor trust for the promotion of 

 Art in Ireland. From this time onward the School was in connection with 

 the Department of Science and Art, although not directly administered by 

 it ; but in the year 1879, after a Royal Commission had been held to inquire 

 into the advisability of establishing a separate Science and Art Department 

 for Ireland, the School was, along with other institutions such as the Botanic 

 Gardens, National Library, etc., formally taken over by the Government. 

 On the 1st April, 1900, the School, along with the other science and art 

 institutions in Ireland, passed under the control of the new Department of 

 Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. 



The Reports of the School from the year when it was taken over by the 

 Government bear testimony to the fact that the work done has been of a 

 high order. Some years ago the feeling throughout the country generally 

 was to the effect that sufficient attention to what may be called the industrial 

 side of art education was not given by the Science and Art Department. It 

 was said that too many students were being educated as mediocre artistsy 

 that the question of design was being lost sight of ; and in response to this 

 feeling as expressed in many quarters, the Department made such changes 

 in the arrangements for its examinations and competitions as favoured the 

 direction towards the study of applied design m the Schools of Art. The 

 Metropolitan School of Art was not slow m responding to the changed con- 

 ditions, and an examination of the Reports for the past ten years or so will 

 afford an index to the work of the School in various directions. After the 

 Cork Exhibition of 1883, a great impetus to lace-making and the improve- 

 ment of lace design took place in Ireland. In 1890 a special class for the 

 study of lace design was formed in the School, and this has increased to an 

 extent which renders more room for this class desirable. A reference to 

 the prize lists since 1890 will show that many medals and prizes have been 

 gained in the national competition for lace designs. In 1890, five prizes for 

 lace design were won ; in 1891, eight prizes, including two silver medals for 

 lace ; in 1 898, one gold medal, one silver medal, and seven book prizes for 

 lace. The Hungarian Government, it may be mentioned, purchased two of 

 the lace designs this year. In 1 900, thirteen prizes and medals were gained 

 for lace design. But it is not alone these prizes gained in the national com- 

 petition which evidence the success of the School in this direction, but the 

 fact that the demand for lace designs from the various centres throughout 

 the country has been considerable. 



The principle which governs the instruction given in lace designing is, 

 that while the students cire taught to study the construction of the patterns 

 in the antique laces of the best periods, and are encouraged to make them- 

 selves acquainted with the technical requirements of the fabric by learning 

 to make it, yet they must go to nature for the " motifs " which furnish the 

 body of the design. Care is taken that the individuality of the student 



