76 



REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH COMMISSION 



that secondary education should be a preparation for the after- 

 work of most of the scholars on the farms in Ireland. But how 

 was the Department to get hold of the youth of Ireland at 13^ 

 when they leave the elementary school, and keep hold of them till 

 17, when their secondary education might be complete. That was 

 a problem very difficult of solution. The Department seems to 

 have solved it in a satisfactory way. It provides evening classes 

 in the secondary schools of the country during the winter months, 

 when work is slack on the farm, where elementary science i& 

 taught. The young lads of Ireland are thus able, during their 

 spare time, to prosecute their studies. Agricultural schools or 

 classes are carried on by the Department and the County Com- 



ALBEBT AGRICCLTaRAL COLLEGE, GLASNEVIN 



mittees in different parts of the country. These schools are winter 

 schools. Boys of 16, who have taken advantage of the science 

 instruction in the secondary schools, have an opportunity of con- 

 tinuing their education at these winter schools, where the science 

 they learned at the secondary school is applied to agriculture. At 

 17 years of age, the pupil thus trained should have a fair know- 

 ledge of agriculture, and be able to hold his own against the sons 

 of peasant farmers anywhere. 



Agricultural Stations 



, The Department have started three agricultural stations : one 

 at Athenry, County Galway ; one at Ballyhaise, County Cavan ; and 

 one at Clonakilty, County Cork. They are stations in connection 

 with the agricultural schemes of the Department. But they are 



