61.-Two Charity-Schools in Irish Cities.

[Pamphlet in King's Inns Library, Dublin. Methods of Erecting....Charity Schools, with an account of the Charity-Schools in Ireland." Third Edition : Dublin, 1721.]

(a) Cork. Parish of St. Mary Shandon, North Liberties. Two CharitySchools Erected here in 1716, one of 50 Boys, and another of 50 Girls; half the number of each Clothed, and 30 of them the Children of Soldiers who died in the Service. They all go to School in a large and commodious House, built for that purpose, on a piece of ground belonging to the Incumbent, and joining to the Church-Yard; which (besides the Schools) contains Lodging for 18 poor decayed House-Keepers, Appartments for the School-Master, and Mistress, Rooms for Spinning, Weaving, &c, and a spacious Chamber for a Parochial Library; to which, upon its first opening, were given several useful Books, and many more since, by the further Bounty of other generous persons. The Boys are taught to Read, Write, and Cast Accompts; the Girls to Read, Sew, Knit, Mark, &c. and both are carefully instructed in the Protestant Religion as by Law Established; (several of them being Children of Papists) repairing daily to Divine-Service in Church; where they are examined in the Catechism, which they repeat with great exactness ;....

Nor has their progress in Industry come short of that in Learning. For by the Encouragement of the Honourable Trustees for the Linnen Manufacture, most of the Girls are employed in Spinning Flax and Hemp, afterwards wrought into Cloth in Looms set up in the House, attended by a Master-Weaver, and several of the Boys, who thereby grow versed in that Art.... But several of them are to be otherwise disposed of as their Genius leads them, either to the Sea-Faring Way, Husbandry, Trades and Services.....

(b) Dublin. St. Patrick's Liberties. A Charity-School was set up in the Cathedral Liberties in 1704, consisting of 40 or 50 boys, mostly of Popish Parents, partly clothed, but thoroughly instructed in Reading, Writing, Arithmetick, and Religion. These were supported for several years by the private Contributions of a few charitable persons, till some of them removing from the neighbourhood, the Subscriptions sunk, and the School dwindled. From hence took their rise

A Charity-School of Boys, belonging to the Cathedral, hitherto clothed out of a Collection at a Charity-Sermon, preached in 1716, by the Dean of St. Patrick's. The Master is allowed 12 pounds 10 shillings per annum, of which 10 pounds are given him by the Dean and Chapter out of the

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Economy-money, and the ordinary Collections in the Church...There are but 12 Boys in this school at present, but 'tis hoped it will soon be further encreased, by means of Subscriptions from several worthy Persons in the Liberties.

Two other Charity-Schools, one of 20 Boys, the other of 10 Girls, all the Children of Papists. They were both Erected in 1712, and since Maintained by a private Charity, under the conduct of Ald. Matthew Pearson, and Mr. Knight. By whom the Children are furnished with Cloths, Books, and Schooling, and, when qualified, put out to Protestant Masters and Mistresses, with an allowance of 3 pounds 5 shillings each in Money; besides a new suit of Clothes, a Bible, Common-Prayer-Book, and Whole Duty of Man. 20 so put out from the beginning.

The Children of these and the preceding School constantly attend the daily Service in the Cathedral, and are carefully instructed in the Church Catechism, &c.

A.D. 1721.

62.-Aims and Organisation of Charity-Schools in Ireland.

[Pamphlet in King's Inns Library, Dublin. "Methods of Erecting, Supporting, and Governing Charity-Schools, with an account of the Charity-Schools in Ireland, and some Observations thereon." Third Edition: Dublin, 1721.]

.....It hath been judged of the greatest consequence, by Persons eminent for their learning and piety, that Charity-Schools should be erected in these Kingdoms; whereby the Children of the Poor might be decently clothed and usefully Educated, being taught to Read, Write, and Cast-Accompts, and instructed in the Knowledge and Practice of the Christian Religion, as professed and taught by the Established Church, and from whence they might be Apprenticed to useful Trades and Callings.

Considering also, that, by the Laws of this Realm, no Papist can teach School, and a succession of the Romish-Clergy is likewise Prohibited, ....it has been judged a farther reason for Erecting Charity Schools in this kingdom, wherein the Children of the Popish Natives....may be so won by our affectionate endeavours, that the whole Nation may become Protestant and English, and all such Rebellions as have heretofore arisen from the Difference between Us, in Religion, Language, and Interest, for the future be prevented....

ΙΟΟ

UNIV. OF
CALIFORNIA

A.D. 1721.

In 1719, the [number of schools] was computed at one hundred and thirty, and the [number of children] reckoned to be near three Thousand; and by the information since received, there is an addition of about Thirty new Schools actually opened....In (other places) several of the Wealthier sort pay more than ordinary for Schooling their own Children ; that the Masters or Mistresses may teach the Children of the Poor Gratis, or at a less expence.... In some small Villages, where there has not been a sufficient number of children to make a school, or where they could not be conveniently spared in school-hours, especially in harvest time, Agreements have been made with proper persons, to teach the Poor Children to Read, Write, and Cast-Accompts, by the Great; that is, to give a Master or Mistress two Shillings and Sixpence for each Child, when he can name and distinguish readily all the Letters in the Alphabet, and the like sum when he can Spell; and Five Shillings when he can Read well and Distinctly and say the Church Catechism by Heart; and Fifteen Shillings more, when he can Write, and Cast-Accompts.

Rules to be observed by persons concerned in Charity-Schools:

II. That the Subscribers by a majority elect a Master for the School, with the following Qualifications, Viz :

That he be a member of the Established Church of Ireland; Understand the Grounds and Principles of the Christian Religion; and frequent the Holy Communion.

That he be of known Affection to his Majesty King George, and to the Protestant Succession as by Law established.

That he be a Person of Sobriety, Meekness, and Humility, having his Passions in Subjection, and keeping good Orders in his Family.

That he have a good method of Teaching, Write a fair Hand, and Understand Arithmetick.

That he be approved by the Minister, and Licensed by the Ordinary. III. That where the subscribers appoint Mistresses for the Schools, they choose such as can Teach the Girls to Knit, Sew, Spin, etc, and have as many of the foregoing qualifications, required of Masters, as are proper for them.

IX. That when any of the Children are put out, the Treasurer shall bind them Apprentices....taking care in the Indenture of Apprenticeship, to oblige the Masters of such Apprentices to cause them to frequent the Service of the Established Church of Ireland, on all Sundays, at the least, and not to repair to any other Place of Publick Worship whatever.

Orders to be observed by Masters and Mistresses of Charity Schools.

1. That they constantly attend the Schools, from the Hours of Seven to Eleven in the Morning, and from One to Five in the Evening, from Lady Day to Michaelmas; And from Eight to Eleven, and One to Four, the rest of the Year.

2. That upon their first coming to School every Morning and Afternoon, they call over the Children's names, and mark such as are absent or tardy without good cause, in order for Correction.

3. That they teach the Children the true Spelling of Words, make them mind their stops; and bring them to read slowly and distinctly.

4. That afterwards they teach the Children to Write a fair Legible Hand, with the Grounds of Arithmetick, and employ them Alternately in such work as the Trustees shall severally appoint them, such as Spinning, Knitting, Sewing, Marking, for the Girls especially.

A.D. 1730-36.

63.-Primate Boulter on his own Charter Schools.'

[Letters written by his Excellency, Hugh Boulter, D.D., Lord Primate of Ireland, to several Ministers of State in England, and some others. Dublin, 1770. Vol. II., pp. (a) 8; (b) 157-8.]

(a). May 5, 1730.

To the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the Bishop of London.

The great number of papists in this kingdom, and the obstinacy with which they adhere to their own religion, occasions our trying what may be done with their children to bring them over to our church: and the good success the corporation established in Scotland for the instruction of the ignorant and barbarous part of that nation has met with, encouraged us to hope...that we likewise might have some success in our attempts to teach the children of the papists the English tongue, and the principles of the Christian religion....

(b). February 19, 1736.

To Sir William Chapman.

I am sure that what our charter society are labouring after, is the most rational push that has been made for establishing the protestant religion more universally in this kingdom...If we are once able to set on foot about 20 working schools, in the several distant parts of the kingdom, and put them into a right method, we shall meet with support and encouragement here from the legislature.

64.-Inquiry into Illegal Popish Schools by House of Lords. Diocesan, Urban, Parochial Returns and Comments.

[Reports, P.R.O., Ireland. (1) Printed. Lot 50; No. 5: (2) MS. Lot 72; Nos. 90, 91, 100, 105, 113, 131, 132, 133, 136, 160, 161, 162, 163, 170, 171, 181, 209, 211, 212, 226.]

Report made by His Grace the Lord Primate [Hugh Boulter, Abp. of Armagh] from the Lords' Committee appointed to Enquire into the Present state of Popery in this KINGDOM, and to prepare such Heads of Bills as they shall think proper for Explaining and Amending the Acts to prevent the growth of Popery, and to secure this Kingdom from any dangers from the great Number of Papists in this Nation......

The Lords Committees are humbly of opinion that the Disproportion between.... Popish and Protestant Schools is so great as to give your Lordships just and reasonable Apprehensions of the Continuance and Increase of the Popish Interest in Ireland....

[Extracts from the detailed returns-diocesan, urban, parochial-to the Lords Committee, in execution of Order dated November 6, 1731.]

I. PROVINCE OF ARMAGH.

(a) Bishop of Derry. There are not any Popish Schools: Sometimes a straggling Schoolemaster sets up in some of ye mountainous