Needlework.-In most schools needlework is fairly taught, and with Proficiency satisfactory results.

Appendix D.

of Pupils.

Dr.Conwell.

District 29, Trim; Dr. Conwell.-Reading (including oral spelling and explanation). During the circuit of inspection for results fees for the twelve months ended 28th February last 4,203 pupils were examined in reading, and of these 3,983 passed as being up to the required standards in their respective classes, showing that 94.7 per cent. of those examined had attained the desired proficiency.

Out of the same numbers examined in spelling 3,522 pupils passed, being a proportion of 83.5 per cent.

Arithmetic. In arithmetic 4,203 pupils were examined for results fees in the different classes, and of these 2,702 passed, being a proportion of 64.2 per cent. This per-centage for the district is an improvement upon that of the previous year which was 61.5 per cent., and, on the whole, must be looked upon as satisfactory, considering the difficulty experienced in making children quick and accurate calculators.

Penmanship. Of the 4,203 pupils examined in writing, 3,791 passed as having reached the desired degrees of proficiency in their respective classes, showing a per-centage of 90.1 per cent. of all examined, as having come up to the requirements of their programmes.

Writing from Dictation.-Judging from the specimens I collected during the circuit of results examinations lately concluded, I am able to say that this important branch continues to receive all due attention; and that these specimens in general are creditable to both teachers and pupils.

Grammar.-In grammar 1,696 pupils were examined, and of these 1,197 passed for results fees, showing a per-centage of 70·5 of all the pupils studying the subject, as having reached the standards required in their respective classes.

Geography. Of 1,696 pupils examined in geography 1,348 passed for results fees, being a proportion of 79.5 per cent. of all those examined.

Agricultural Class Book.-This book has now come into general use by the introduction of a fee for agriculture. Out of 349 pupils examined 328 passed for results fees, being a proportion of 93.9 per cent.

Needlework. This branch continues to be well taught. Out of 1,404 girls examined 1,262, or 89.9 per cent., passed for results fees.

Mr. Gillic.

District 30, Dublin, North; Mr. Gillic.-Reading (including oral spelling and explanation).—I am able to report some progress in reading, but the fault of mispronouncing the terminations of words, noticed last year, still prevails, although to a less extent. One of the members of the late Departmental Commission, who was present at one of my inspections,

was struck with this peculiarity. Some teachers fail to observe it even AppendixD. when it is distinctly pointed out to them.

Proficiency

Oral spelling is well taught, and the pupils exhibit a higher degree of of Pupils. proficiency in this branch than last year.

The pupils are taught synonymes, and meanings of individual words, but when asked to explain the meaning of a passage they generally fail; and it is remarkable how intelligent children will read a sentence with correct emphasis and expression without understanding a word of it.

Arithmetic continues to be successfully taught. I have always been of opinion that a "pass" in this branch should be one of the conditions requisite for promotion.

Penmanship. The pupils have become very expert at transcription, and the character of the writing is improved.

Writing from Dictation.-This branch is well taught.
Grammar.-Proficiency in grammar is satisfactory.

Geography.-Sufficient attention is not paid to the geography of the British Empire. Very little is known in the schools of the circumstances and history of the great colonies peopled by English-speaking races.

Agricultural Class Book. Very little attention is given to the study of agriculture.

Needlework is well taught in most female schools, and in the Convent schools the instruction is of a superior kind.

Mr. Gillic.

District 31, Ballinamore; Mr. Donovan.-Reading (including oral spelling and explanation).-Considerable attention has been paid to this subject during the year. The only suggestion which I think it right to make here is that, in my opinion, the class books would require to be again subdivided to enable the teachers to promote the pupils from class to class with any degree of soundness. The First Book might, I think, remain as it is, but all the other class books should be reduced in amount. Donovan The Second Book might be reduced from 150 to 100 pages, and similar reductions made in the other books, at least in the Third; otherwise the reading of the schools will become slow and hesitating, degenerating by degrees to what I call word-by-word reading.

Arithmetic. This subject has also received considerable attention. The only practical difficulty which I experienced was to fix the limit of time to be allowed to each question, expertness, as well as rapidity, being, in my opinion, fairly to be expected from the pupils. In the first and second classes there was some difficulty in preventing the pupils from either counting on their fingers, or, what is equivalent, the intervening numbers between the figures to be added. I rejected all who could not add audibly.

The only alteration I would suggest as regards the programme would be to throw out vulgar and decimal fractions from the fifth class, and introduce interest. I would keep fractions for the sixth class, as properly including a knowledge of the theory of arithmetic.

Mr.

Appendix D.

Mr. Donovan

Penmanship. This subject has also received considerable attention. Proficiency The only suggestions which I would make as modifications of the proof Pupils. gramme would be these:-I would fix the numbers that ought to be taught in the different classes, using Foster's series; Nos. 1 and 2 might be fixed for the second class; Nos. 3 and 4 for the third class; Nos. 5 and 6 for the fourth class; Nos. 6 and 7 for the fifth class, and Nos. 7 and 8, or higher, for sixth class. I would further make the preservation of the copies a sine qua non in every instance. It is at once a proof of the care taken by the teacher, and a check on the bona fide character of the attendance.

Writing from Dictation. This subject also received considerable attention. I experienced in some instances the same practical difficulty as in the case of the arithmetic-namely, what limit of time to allow to transcription and dictation. The only modification of the present programme that I would propose as regards this subject would be to limit the transcription in the case of the first class to half the book—the earlier half. This would, in my opinion, tend to improve the writing. In case the class-books should be reduced in size, I would limit the passages for dictation to the books for each class. At present the fourth book is used by no class, which is an anomaly.

Grammar. This subject has not been well attended to, nor will it while the programme remains as it is. The modifications I would propose would be these:-I would throw out grammar from the third class the intelligence of the pupils at this part of their course is not sufficiently developed. I would make the fourth class merely have parts of speech, and leave the fee as at present, 1s. It will then be attended to, and properly taught.

Geography. This subject received moderate attention. The outlines, Map of Ireland, and the leading features of England and Scotland were fairly attended to. I have no suggestions to make in regard to any modification of the programme in reference to this subject.

Agricultural Class Book.-This subject received very little attention this year; the truth is, the teachers had quite enough to do to make the pupils learn all the other subjects, and, I might add, that the Inspectors had very little spare time to examine in it. I would postpone this subject until the fifth class; it then would not interfere with the teaching of the other subjects of the school.

Needlework-This subject was generally well attended to, with the exception of cutting out. This was comparatively neglected, and will continue to be so until the programme fixes definitely what are the simple articles which the pupils of the fifth class are expected to cut out, and marks some treatise, or chapters of the present treatise, which the teachers are expected to instruct the pupils in. It is impossible for an Inspector practically to test the knowledge of pupils on an examination day in their general skill in cutting out; he is himself generally very ignorant of the subject.

Mr.

The only modification which I would make in the present programme AppendixD. is to require the pupils to learn something of geometry before com- Proficiency mencing mensuration. It is the merest parrot work to commit a few of Pupils. rules of mensuration to memory without understanding one atom of the principles on which they depend; it never can be of any use. pupils ever want practically to apply the rules of mensuration they will use the tables to be found in every treatise, on the other hand even an elementary knowledge of geometry is very useful for all.

If the Donovan.

Mr.

District 32, Tuam; Mr. M'Sweeny.-Reading is fair, as well as spelling and explanation. The practice of reciting the select poetry has M'Sweeny. done much to improve both the style of reading and the manners of the pupils.

Arithmetic.-Slate and mental arithmetic begin now with the first class, and the attention paid this branch under the system of results has given the public great satisfaction. I believe the pupils themselves progress more successfully in this branch than in any other of the prescribed course.

Penmanship.-In order to meet the requirements of the programme the senior pupils of the first class are trained to write on paper, so that there may exist no obstruction to their progress in the second and higher classes. I have, however, more to say for the number of copies than for the quality of the penmanship this year, but I hope to have something more flattering to state for the year just setting in.

Writing from Dictation.-All the pupils able to write are instructed in this branch, even the senior first class pupils are not excluded. The result is very satisfactory.

Grammar.-The requirements of the programme in this branch are moderate for pupils classed as high as fourth class, and which constitute the body of our senior pupils; very few failed to pass who were presented.

Geography. The course of geography for the fourth and higher classes is extensive, and there were a great many failures. The study, however, has not lost its usual attraction, and the answering of the pupils is found to be intelligent in the most useful headings of this science.

Agricultural Class Book.-I regret to have to report great want of success in the study of this branch. The text-book is not suited to the intellectual capabilities of children.

Needlework. The proficiency in this branch is very satisfactory. All, or nearly all, the pupils in the girls' schools are instructed in sewing, knitting, and some in cutting out.

District 33, Mullingar; Mr. Simpson.-Reading in itself generally rough but fair. Oral spelling not good. Explanation unsatisfactory. Most of the lower classed teachers are so deficient in knowledge of explanation and subject-matter of lessons, that they cannot instruct in these particulars.

Arithmetic.-Arithmetic is generally taught mechanically. The theory is in most instances quite overlooked. The junior classes are especially backward. The elementary tables are not taught, and there is a

Mr. Simpson.

Proficiency of Pupils.

Appendix D. consequent absence of facility in working. In nearly every instance the junior classes perform their addition and subtraction by means of marks, or counting on the fingers, and this pernicious habit is frequently observable even in the upper classes, rendering their work painfully slow. Mental calculation requires more attention.

Mr.

Simpson.

Penmanship. In too many of the schools the time table requires the teacher to be otherwise engaged when he should be teaching writingthe consequence is that in few of the schools is this important subject successfully taught. A great error is also general, viz.-giving pupils too high numbers in the copy-book series. There is too little attention paid to the materials. Any pen, any ink, and a halfpenny copy-book— and that too, perhaps, No. 6 or 7-may be frequently met with in the hands of a third or even second class pupil. Under such circumstances the child would be better employed in the playground.

Writing from Dictation.-In half of the schools fairly attended to. Grammar is nominally taught to third class and above, but in not more than a dozen schools efficiently.

Geography. The proficiency in this branch is very low. Even maptracing, which might be supposed to interest the pupils, has not been cultivated.

Agricultural Class Book.-The Agricultural Class Book has not been as generally read as it ought to be, and, as with other lesson-books, the subject has made very little impression.

The answering of the pupils presented for examination in this branch during the year was markedly unsatisfactory, and that of the third class teachers and monitors recently examined was little less so.

Needlework.-Needlework is well, or fairly, taught in all the schools where there is a female teacher. I have endeavoured to introduce patching and darning, the rents in the pupils' garments to afford the opportunity.

With regard to the teaching of cutting out, there is one draw-back: the girls are afraid of spoiling materials, and often, even after they leave school, come back to the mistress to avail themselves of her services in that way.

Mr.

Algebra,

Fair.

Do.

District 34, Galway; Mr. Hamilton.-Reading (including oral spellHamilton. ing and explanation).—The reading is usually fair. The higher classes in most schools read with fluency and correctness, though seldom with expression. In a few schools I have noticed a falling off in the quality of the reading, apparently from increased time having been devoted to arithmetic and other subjects in which there had been failures at the results examinations of the previous year. The proficiency in oral spelling is very fair, but in a majority of the schools little is attempted in the way of explanation beyond requiring the pupils to get by rote the meanings of the words arranged in columns at the head of the lessons in the reading books.

The repetition of the pieces of poetry is rarely satisfactory. As a rule, it is hurried and slovenly, the pupils uttering the words, or something that resembles them, as fast as they can, with little regard to the