166 SCIENCE TEACHING. 



Technical Instruction of the Department, visited Birmingham, Manchester, 

 Bohon, Long-ton, and Bursleni. A Cork deputation was formed at a later date 

 to visit centres in England and Scotland. 



The results of these visits were very satisfactory, and it was decided to 

 organise other visits of inspection on similar lines. In April four deputations, 

 each accompanied by an officer of the Department, visited centres in England 

 and Scotland. One deputation consisted of seven members of the Rathmines 

 Technical Instruction Committee : this deputation visited schools — chiefly 

 Schools of Commerce — in Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, and London. The 

 second deputation consisted of fourteen members of Technical Instruction 

 Committees from Pembroke, Kingstown and Blackrock : technical schools in 

 Longton, Leek, Radcliffe and Heywood were visited. The third deputation 

 consisted of nine members of Technical Instruction Committees from Bally- 

 mena, Coleraine, and Lurgan : the members of this deputation visited technical 

 schools in Glasgow, Leith, Paisley, and Dunfermline. The fourth deputation, 

 consisting of seven members of Technical Instruction Committees from 

 Dundalk and Wexford, visited technical schools in Bath, Swindon, Worcester, 

 and Birmingham. 



As to the actual schemes of technical instruction formulated by the urban 

 centres and considered by the Department, those of Wexford, Armagh, 

 Ballina, Ballymena, Blackrock, Coleraine, Kingstown, Lurgan, Rathmines, 

 Tipperary (including the rural district) have been approved. In each case 

 there were several conferences with the officers of the Department, resulting in 

 a discussion of their reports on the local circumstances and needs, and a 

 decision as to the types of schools, and the appointment of head instructors 

 and organisers. 



As the Wexford scheme was the first of those approved of, the outlines 

 may be given here as illustrating the method followed of adapting schemes of 

 technical instruction where local industries exist to the needs of these industries. 



The central idea of the scheme is a small School of Engineering. Wexford 

 has a population of about 12,000 inhabitants, and is the centre of much indus 

 trial activity. The manufacture of agricultural implements, building, and 

 repairing-engineering, and coach-building, are the most important industries. 

 The well-known works of Messrs. Pierce and Co., William Doyle, Thompson 

 Brothers, R. & R. Allen, and those of the Wexford Engineering Company 

 (which are about to be transferred to the town of Wexford), and Cooper's 

 Cement Works at Drinagh, employ about 1,000 hands, and of these a good 

 proportion are men whose work demands skill and experience with engineering 

 tools. It is proposed to build, at a cost of ;^2,ooo, a new school, which, it is 

 hoped, may be open in September or October, 1902. The subjects to be taught 

 in the school would include Workshop Mathematics, Drawing (not only of a 

 special character for artisans, but such as would be of use to ordinary students), 

 Practical Geometry, Physics, Manual Instruction, Mechanical Engineering, 

 Coach-building, and, from time to time, as occasion may desire, other subjects 

 of a more important character. Instruction in technical subjects was 

 commenced temporarily in the Town Hall in September, igoi. 



The scheme for Athlone is an interesting illustration of how local contribu- 

 tions from other sources than the rates can be utilised in this work. In that 

 town a local manufacturer of public spirit, has supplemented the money in aid 

 of the scheme from the Urban District Council rate by subscribing a capital 

 sumof ;£^^5Co, and an annual sum of ;£^i5o, and the Department have arranged 

 to include this handsome contribution in the finance of the scheme. The 

 scheme includes provision in the existing schools for day and evening instruc- 

 tion in Science, Drawing, and manual work, and for the establishment of a 

 technical school, in connection with the school of the Marist Fathers, in which 



