Belfast Monthly Magazine

Annual Report from the Committee Conducting the Dublin Free-SchoolsSource: The Belfast Monthly Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 69 (Apr. 30, 1814), pp. 274-277Published by: Belfast Monthly MagazineStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30075436 .

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274 Annual Report from the Committee (April.

sibly be formed in this sublunary scene; and, no matter what we may do, Wb persuade ourselves that we are actually happy, from the consider. ation of our worldly prosperity, or from having obtained that desidera. turn, which, when we at first set out, was our invariable object; without religion, it will all, in the end, prove aii i le dream ; and we will then peri ceive, but alas! too late, that our time has been miserably mispent.

It may easily be judged, how much happier we should feel, when upon our death-bed, by being able to take the cheering retrospect of a well-spent life, calling to mind with pleasure, the good which we, may have been enabled to do. The thoughts of it would certainly leave us impressed with a more just hope of eternal glory, as the recompence of our conduct; whilst we woulid have it in our power to depart from' this world in peace, not troubled with those melancholy reflec!ions which are too generally the conco- mitants of a death-bed repentance.

I ET E LLUS.

For the Belfast M-Tonthly Magazine.

ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE COM'MI T- TEE CONDUCTING THE DUtTLIN WEEKLY AND DAILY SCHOOLS, HELD AT THf D.UBLIN, ERES SCHOOL- HOUS-D, IN SCHOOL-S-TnIET, NOV. 20,. 1813:

JcOiN DaVID LA TroUCtE, ESQ. IN THE CHIAllt

iN retracing the. progress of the Insthiution duringl the past year,

the Committee t fe happly in report- idg, not only its prosperity and suc- cessi but also the prospect that the Schools will be instrumental in fur- thering the diffusion of education and kn-owledge, more widely through our native land; an object which has ever excited the warmest

feelingg

in the minds of the Governors of this Institution.

The attendance in the Daily Schools has continued to manifest how highly the lower classes in the neighbourhood value the instruction thus afforded; and the progress of the scholars has fully answered the expectations of the Committee, while the habits of good order and regu. larity which have been given to the young mind, have, in some recent instances, qualified the children for the respectable discharge of the du. ties they have undertaken on leaving the School, atnd gives the pleasing prospect of their continuing, useful members of society.

To any mind which duly esti. mates the influence which female manners and principles have, in the lowest as well as in the more exalt. ed ranks of society, and rightly con. siders how the varied circumstances of domestic life

g'ive a correspond.

ing colouring to the human charao. ter; to any who can justly feel, what

an inestimable treasure to a pool man's family, a prudent, attentive and affectionate wile, a tender and judicious mother, must ever prove, it will afford pleasure to hear that the Female Daily School encreases in usefulness, and has already proved its value by the- good conduct of the children, who have, withia the last year, left the school, some of them to superintend or orgadize other schools, and thusspread more widely the blessings which they have receiv. ed in the Institution. On which sub." ject the following satisfactory tes- tinmonials have been rectived :

1st, From one of the governesses of the Clontarf Female School, 27th October, 1813, stating, that she had every reason to be pleased with the whoie of the conduct of one of the female scholars sent them, and that her attention to the school was very

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1814.] conducting the Dublin Free-Schools. 275

great, and received the approbation of all the ladies who were visiting governesses during the time she was organizing that School.

2d, Fromn the Superintendent of the Presentation Colivent, Carlow, 17th November, 1813, returning thanks for one of the female scho. lars sent to organize the school there, and comllmunicating the high approbatilQl of the ladies, of her conduct in every respect, as wt-1 as the esteem which they feel towards the school in School street.

3d, From the Convent, James'- street, 18th November, 1813, stating how well pleased'the Governesses of the School there, were with another girl educated in the Female School, and that no one could have suited them better.

It has been the object of the Com- mitteeto accustom the children to witness in the school, cleanliness, re. gularity, and good order, in the hope that what they have there seen, they. may transplant into the. bfsomn of their farpilies, and in future life, in- to their own domestic arrangements. T''he habits of frugality and int.ds-. try, which they acquire by the re-

gulations of the working depart- nient, cannot fail to be highly use- ful to them hereafter.

The Weekly Shboolsstit continue ,to give instruction to many, who, by their daily occupations, are exclud- ed from other means of acquirirng knowledge, wnd only for the provi- sion which this Institution afilbrds, would probably remain in ignorance, and all its attendant evils.

All the profits arising from the work done by the chiklren in the, Daily Female School, is reserved for' them, andithey are permitted to place it, the payment to them as monitors and for cleaning the house, anld any little money they may elsewhere rt,- ceive, in the bapds utof the mistress; the amount, wvhen it accumulates;

BELFAST MAGO. NO. LXIX.

is lkitd ont in any ar.icle of cloth:ng which the child may desire. In consequence of this arrangement, s.222 24. has been distributed in clothges arrmong the children, since the plan was first adopted, without any expense to the Institution.

The statement of' the number of Scholars is as fllows ; viz-

wECMLY. scanOots. Admitted since the commencement i

January, 1786, to, 29th September, 1813.-Males a,89-!-.Females 10,758, Total 23,649.

Admitted last year, ending 29th Septem. her, 1815.-Males 489.--E males 435. Total 924.

On the Books, 29th September, 1813.- Males

,591.--Females 542. Total 753,

DAILY SCHOOLS;

Admitted since the commencement in March, 1808, to 29th September, 1813. Males 3978.-Females 3097. Total 7075.

Admitted last year, ending 29th Septem. her, 1813.--Males 654,--Females 474. Total .1128.

On the -Books, 19th September, 1813-- Males 494.-Females 405. Total 899.

The Committee feel satisfaction in stating, that the funds of the In- stitution continue to prosper abut-

dabitlv, which mnanifests the confi- dence of the publie won by the nu- nierous benefits resulting froam these S hools.

Gratifying as the Committee feel these statements romust prove, tile e- vents of' the past year have- opened a wider proopect of success, a mnre extended view of furtherit that :no- ble object, the Education of the Poor of Jr ItNd.

In Mairch last, the Society for pro- moting the Ediuctrt;ion of the Poor of Ireland, imade an applica!ion to your Committee for the use if one of

the. apartmniens of the ?lale

Scho(ol, and its Sdholaws, fit the pur-

pose of a per'fect ador,!tion of late

improvenments in instruction, under the direction of a competent per.

N 11

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276 Annual Report fron the Committee Fc. [April.

son, whom they had procured for the purpose, and thus rendering it both a model, by which other schools under the patronage ot the society might be formed, and a se- minary where young men might be instructed to act as School masters, and where they might be procured by Institutions in the country.

As it appeared to your Committee that there could not exist a more eflh fectual means of facilitating the establishment and conduct of Schools through Ireland, as the Governors of these Schools have ever felt a lively interest in the object for which the Society was formed, and as their rules embrace the same liberal sen- timents, which have hitherto so ma- terially contributed to the prosperity of this Institution, your Committee felt no hesitation in complying with their wishes, under regulations re- specting controul and expenditure, which are at present under consider- 'tion.

It now only remains for your Com- mnittee to add the influence of their nxperience to the great cause of edu- cation ; they feel attached to its in- terests, not because they think it may be the future cause of probable good, but because, they have wit- nessed its value in the excellent fruits which this Institution has borne; to these thp report of last year largely alluded, yet it is so gratifying to a benevolent mind to dwell upon the success of exertions to promote hq- Tnan happiness, it has been so de- lightful to witness the progressive improvements of the little ones com- mitted to your care, to trace not on- ly their progress in knowledge and useful branches of learning, but their increasing cleanliness, good order, and good conduct; it has been so gratifying to follow many of them into the world, where respectability of character, and a faithful discharge vnthhe duties oftheirstation, spoke the

efficacy of the instructions which they had received, while the peace and love which reigned among the scho- lars, their attachment to the Institu- tion, and their gratitude, warm and lively, to the active members of the Committee, has been so frequent- ly and so strongly marked, that the Committee feel they cannot too ur- gently recommend the estabiishment of similar Institutions. on similar prin. ciples, through Ireland, as they feel confident of their tendency to pro- mote those two great objects of in- dividual happiness anid public utili- ty : if we counsider how much mise- ry unbridled 'passions, and vicious and idle habits, entail upon man, embittering his domestic relations, and urging him often to seek in the noisy revelry of the alehouse, that happiness to which he is a stranger Mt home; cati we toQ highly value that early discipline which restrains ther unhealthy luxuriance of passion, and makes the habits the allies of in. dustry and virtue; which provides a thirst for useful knowledge, as an an-- tidote to the allurements of profligate sdciety, and by judicious culture trains up the man to be a blessing to himself, his family, and his country ? For the influence of education is not restricted to home; it follows its pu- pil through all the relations of social and civil life; while it opens his understanding, it expands his heart in sympathy for his equals, in grati- tude to his superiors.

Happy the country whose peasan- try shall be early trained to submit to lawful authority, and to whose minds the recollection of early kind- ness endear'the higher classes of so. cietv. Ireland will be thus blessed, if those whom Providence has gift. ed with influence and wealth, shall employ these talents in the promo. tion of this great cause, which will hot only abundantly reward them, by beholding in the happiness of

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1814.] Ramble of an Inquisitive Traveller. 277

their neighbourhood, the result of their labour, the sweetest remunera- tion which a benevolent heart can receive, but will also tend to preserve secure their persons and their pro. perties.

Man cannot be wholly restrained from evil by the mere outward co- ercion of legal penalties; it is from the heart that the issues of life pro- ceed, and it is by instiiling into it early principles of religion and vir- tue, it is by uniting the acquirements of useful knowledge with the whole- some discipline of well conducted schools, that we shall permanently contribute to the peace and security of our social interests. Whether, then, we rtely on the calculations of worldly policy, the decisions of the understanding, or the best feelings of the heart, alA unite, imperatively to urge us to train up the rising ge- neration amongst us.in the way they thould go, that wihen they are old, they shail not depart from it.

For the Beifast Monthly MXagazine.

RAMBLE ?OF AA INQUtSITIVE 7RAVEL- LER; TAKEN JULY, 1813.

AN author justly

celebrated for the excellent journey he has

given to the world, among hs list of travellers notices the inaqisitiyp one; and' conceiving myself to be- lonto ty'hpt ttss, I hakpy takei' the

aame, leaving .'he r~ader tojudAt what pretensions I may have to the appjllation. .

On a . lbpb.4t

morniung in july, after walliii4rfiom LartT, I entered tbe small vtiliage of Ballycarry, a-

bovt five muils from the- former place. This villager consists of a- boAt fi1ty j(idi'Eerent houses,- and Contains according to a return just made to govrnment, 2Q9 pfr9L4s,

who are chiefly employed in agri- culture. The village and adjoining country is the property of R. G. Ker, Esq. who resides here at a beautiful seat called Red-Hall, which; with the surrounding lands, he pur- chased from Archibald Edmunstone, Esq. who formerly resided here. The Edmunstone's were formerly a fami. ly of considerable note; the first of whom we have any stotice in this country was Sir William, Laird of Duntreah, who settled at Comber, in the County of Down, in 1603, har- ing obtained lands from the noble family of Montgomery, which he sold, and obtained a grant of the lands of Braid-Island, then called Templecoran, in 1609, from Captain John Dalway, of Bellahill. Sir Wil- liam resided at Red-Hall, a house then rendered very remarkable from its being covered with slates, Itis worthy of record that it was tere Lady Lovet resided, both before and for several years after the execution of her husband, Simon, Lord Lovet; she having separated from him oasg prior to his end, in 1.746, in conse, quence of his having attempted to destroy her by poison, from the ef% fects of which she never properly re-, covered. Her memory is still much respected in this neighbourhood, from her having been the "1 Lady Bounti- fal" of the place, and treating ama with that mild affability which never fails to. attract' the regard of even the most illitecate.

Near the centre of this viliage is a meeting'house belonging' to Dissenters, of that sect called the (Md Lig/a ; their present minister is the Rev. William Glendy. .It wa here the first Dissenting congregai tion met in Ireland, after their arri- val from Scotland iM to-lt; their first pastor was the R~v. Mr. Brice; and their preent one is only thw fourth si.nu

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