842 REPORT— 1902. 



earnestly desirous of developing a sound policy. The Irish people have rich powers 

 of imagination such as no other section of the nation possesses : it is only necessary 

 that these powers be trained to considered and balanced action to make the Irish 

 capable of deeds before which the splendid achievements of the past will appear as 

 nothing. Of course the development of a true policy must come about slowly, 

 and we must not be too impatient of results, but give every encouragement and all 

 possible support to those engaged iu the worli. It is before all things necessary to 

 remember that the school is a preparation for life, not for the inspector's visit ; in the 

 future the inspector will act more as adviser and friend, let us hope, than as mentor. 

 Turning to my own subject, the programmes laid down for primary and 

 intermediate schools appear tome to be well thought out and full of promise, 

 the only fault that I might be inclined to find being that perhaps they are some- 

 what too ambitious. But very able men are directing the worli who should be 

 able to see that thoroughness is aimed at before all things. Nothing could be 

 more gratifying than Mr. Heller's statement in the lleport for 1900, ' that 

 the Irish teachers as a whale seem to possess a great natural taste and aptitude 

 for science and the method of experimental inquiry.' May they seek to set 

 the example which is sorely needed to teachers in other parts of the Kingdom. 

 I fear there has been a good deal of hand-to-mouth teaching in the past ; to 

 avoid this, the teacher should not only have a carefully drawn-up scheme 

 of work, but should keep a diary in which the work accomplished each 

 week is carefully recorded. In this way the weaker teachers will check any 

 tendency they may have to relax their eilbrts, and inspectors will be in the posi- 

 tion to understand at once what progress is being made. Education, unfortu- 

 nately, is subject to booms as the money market is ; just now the ' Nature study ' 

 boom is on. We must be very careful not to let this carry us away ; whatever is 

 done must be by way of real Nature study, and must have very simple beginjungs. 

 In most of the work that is being boomed the presence of the eternal book is only 

 too evident, and such teaching must be worthless. Let the teachers remember 

 that the great object in view is to acquire the art of experimenting and observing 

 with a clearly defined and logical purpose. If they once learn to experiment 

 properly all else will follow. The inspectors must give constructive help to the 

 work ; they too must be students and labourers in the cause of progress, not mere 

 commentators. And there will be a great opportunity for experts to assist who 

 can be helpful to schools. Every school should be provided with a workshop, 

 simply equipped with flat-topped tables, iu which all the subjects which are 

 taught practically can be taken. Elaborately fitted laboratories are not only 

 unnecessary but undesirable ; the work should be done under conditions such as 

 obtain in ordinary life. A due proportion of the school time must be devoted to 

 experimental studies: no difficulty will arise when it is seen that so much else is 

 taught incidentally ; and that this is the case must be carefully borne in mind in 

 arranging the curriculum — otherwise there will be much overlapping and waste of 

 time._ Lastly, every effort must be made to keep down the size of the classes. I trust 

 that in Ireland the girls will receive as much attention as the boys. Experimental 

 teaching is of even greater value to them than to boys, as boys have more oppor- 

 tunities of doing work which is akin to it in the world. The work done by girls 

 should of course bear directly on their domestic occupations. 



If we are to improve our schools the teachers must be trained to teach 

 properly — or rather, Jet me say, must be put in the right way to teach, because 

 practice and experience alone can give proficiency. This is the most difficult of 

 all the problems to be faced in providing for the future. It is the one of all others 

 to be thought out with the greatest care ; in solving it the help of all who can 

 help must be secured. No amount of didactic teaching will make teachers ; the 

 ti-aining must be practical. To graft on the ordinary training a course of lectures 

 on the theory and practice of teaching plus a certain amount of practice in a 

 school is not enough. How can we attempt to teach the theory and practice of 

 teaching when we are agreed that we do not know how to teach most subjects ? 



