A Heir aspect and a Prospect. 7 



behind. He had often thought how long must they wait until 

 Belfast got a decent system of national education. 



Mr. W. Swanston seconded the resolution. 



Mr. Mann Harbison said, at the meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation in Belfast, two years ago, they heard a great deal about 

 the co-ordination of education, but they had seen nothing of it 

 yet. With regard to students being properly prepared for entering 

 the Technical Institute, he believed that was quite practicable if 

 it were set about in the proper way. The National Board should 

 look after the matter through their Inspectors, and see that a 

 class of boys in every school was properly prepared in the pro- 

 gramme that would be necessary. They might also have co- 

 ordination at the top as well as at the bottom ; and if diplomas 

 were given to the technical students, perhaps the Universities 

 might accept from these students one examination, in order to 

 obtain the B.Sc. degree. 



Mr. D. B. Elliott said it was admitted that the national system 

 of education was very far from perfect. There was overlapping of 

 Boards, and until the whole system, or series of systems, were 

 swept away, and some national system introduced, they would 

 never have proper education in Ireland. Primary education was 

 most in need of reform. Mr. Forth had justly complained of the 

 want of preparation, but that was not the fault of the teachers. 

 It was the fault of the system. 



Mr. William Gray spoke of the necessity of correlation, and 

 advocated the desirability of correlating the Municipal Library, 

 Art Gallery, and Museum, and also the Elementary or National 

 Schools with the other educational agencies embraced by the 

 Municipal Educational Scheme, the ultimate success of which 

 must depend very much upon the efficiency of the Elementary 

 Schools, as the stability of a superstruction depends upon the 

 efficiency of its foundation. 



Mr. F. Curley said the success which had attended technical 

 education under the Belfast Corporation was largely due to the 

 course Mr. Forth had pursued from the time he was appointed 

 Principal. 



