152 ART INSTRUCTION. 



exerted themselves to obtain a better list of local prizes, and, as a result of 

 their efforts, a large amount of excellent work was produced. The successes 

 in the national competition rose at a bound from four, in 1897, to fourteen 

 in 1 898 ; showing how readily the School responded to such a stimulus. 



While decorative design, and studies leading thereto, formed the most 

 important section of the School work, other studies were not neglected. In 

 the day classes painting from flowers and still-life, and drawing and painting 

 from life, were largely pursued, in addition to more elementary work ; and 

 in the summer time classes for sketching from nature were held 



A successful Sketching Club, and an Illustration Club, have been main- 

 tained for many years as adjuncts to the general school work. Many 

 teachers have received training which has enabled them to obtain employ- 

 ment, and carry the benefits they have received to other centres. A con- 

 siderable number of school children also have attended the classes ; and the 

 drawing department of Victoria College, the largest ladies' school in the 

 north of Ireland, has been conducted for some twenty-five years as a branch 

 <jf the School of Art. 



On the 31st July, 1901, the Government School of Art ceased to exist, 

 after more than thirty years of successful work. The Technical Instruction 

 Committee of the City Council then undertook the duties of management, in- 

 corporating the School in the new Technical Institute, and reorganising it on 

 an extended basis. A new and greatly strengthened staff was appointed, 

 with Mr. R. A. Dawson, A.R.C.A. (Lond.), as head master ; new premises 

 were acquired, to which the operations of the School were transferred ; and 

 additional appliances were provided with a view of making the teaching 

 more effective. Both teachers and students will now have opportunities such 

 as they have never had before, and we may safely predict that the Belfast 

 School will take a still higher position in relation to other schools than it 

 has hitherto held. The record of the old School in the last year of its 

 existence was a highly creditable one, eclipsing in some respects all previous 

 achievements ; among other honours, three silver medals and nine other 

 awards having been obtained in the National Competition, and no less than 

 six open scholarships gained. These latter include three National Scholar- 

 ships at the Royal College of Art, two Scholarships in the Metropolitan 

 School of Art, Dublin, and one local Scholarship. A Bronze Medal was 

 also awarded to the School at the Paris Exhibition for the high character 

 of the work of its students. 



Over a century ago a number of Cork citizens, associated for scientific 



purposes, founded the Royal Cork Institution, and 



The Crawford obtained a Royal Charter. A School of Art and 



Municipal School Design was started, partly in connection with the in- 



of Art, Cork. stitution, and a report presented to the Board of 



Trade in 1850 stated that there were 118 evening 



students and 72 day students on the register, of whom 38 were admitted 



free. The Royal Cork Institution fell into pecuniary difficulties and 



became practically moribund, and the School of Art, which occupied the 



upper portion of the Institution building, suffered accordingly. The place 



was in such bad repair that at one time the students were obliged to work 



under umbrellas. Mr. James Brenan, R.H.A., the headmaster of the 



School, and Mr. Arthur Hill, R.E., M.R.I.A., and others made repeated 



efforts to re-organise the Institution and the School, but for some time 



