The "Industrial Class" continues to be well attended, and to APPENDIX D. work most satisfactorily. The pupils in this class are more II. Appendix regular in attendance, and make greater progress in literary to Dr. Kirkand agricultural studies than any other boys attending the patrick'sReport. school.

Larne

In September last I was ordered by the Commissioners to Model Farm. proceed to Edinburgh with three of my pupils, to have them examined before a meeting convened by the "Education Committee of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland," for the purpose of showing practically that much valuable information on agricultural subjects could be imparted to the pupils attending elementary schools without interfering injuriously with their literary studies.

Mr. Donaghy, the superintendent of the Glasnevin Model Farm, was then in Edinburgh lecturing on Agricultural Education. A report of the proceedings appeared in the Edinburgh papers, from which I take the following extract:

After referring to Mr. Donaghy's lectures on the system of Agricultural Education carried out in Ireland, in connexion with the National Schools, and to the great interest with which they were listened to by a numerous and respectable audience, it proceeds

"Previous to the lecture, three pupils, from the Larne Agricultural School, underwent a most searching examination by the Rev. Dr. Cook, Professor Pillans, Rev. Mr. Dawson, and other gentlemen, in general knowledge; and by Mr. MacDonnell, Mr. Donaghy, and Mr. Milne, on agricultural subjects, in all of which they displayed great aptitude and proficiency."

The young men who were examined on the occasion, were Thomas W. Smyth, Robert Hunter, and Arthur M'Cafferly; aged, respectively, twelve, fourteen, and sixteen years.

I annex returns of the statistics and cropping of the farm; also the valuations taken at commencement and close of the ycar, and the "balance sheet" of the year's accounts.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your faithful Servant,

Thomas Kirkpatrick, Esq., M.D.

J. MACDONNELL.

P.S. Since the above Report was forwarded, I have seen the valuable and interesting Report of Professor Hitchcock, President of Amherst College, America, on Agricultural Education and Agricultural Schools. The following gratifying remarks are made on the Larne school, which he visited in the summer of 1850:

"Of the smaller Model Schools, I visited twenty miles north of Belfast, on the coast.

that at Larne, about
This school has long

II. Appendix

to Dr. Kirk

APPENDIX D. been in successful operation. . . . only a part of the pupils of the school, which is a National one, attend to agriculture. The present Head Master is Mr. MacDonnell, who seemed to me, like his prepatrick's Report. decessor, Mr. Donaghy, now at Glasnevin, well qualified to unite the duties of a Literary Teacher, with those of a Practical Agricultural Instructor. The crops growing this year, which Mr. Model Farm. MacDonnell showed me, appeared unusually fine.

Larne

"Although it was out of the school hours when I visited the establishment, Mr. MacDonnell offered to give me a sample of the proficiency of the pupils, and called in a few of them for this purpose. Although quite young-not so old as fifteen-they passed a very creditable examination upon agriculture, and some of the sciences; and the impression was strong upon my mind, that if large numbers of the youth of Ireland were thus instructed, from a'l classes in society, it must exert a great influence upon the agriculture of the country; especially when we know that they see the principles which they learn fully and successfully carried out into practice, upon the farms connected with the schools."

In my Report for 1850, I stated that the pupils had been examined several times during the year, in the presence of distinguished visitors from different parts of the empire, and also before one of the most eminent scholars of America; and that they expressed most flattering opinions, with regard to the proficiency of the pupils, and the manner in which the combined system of literary and agricultural teaching was carried out.

Larne, 21st February, 1852.

J. M'D.

[A LIST OF AGRICULTURAL PUPILS.

A LIST of AGRICULTURAL PUPILS who were in Training on the LARNE MODEL FARM, during the Year 1851.

of National Education in Ireland.

INVENTORY and VALUATION taken on 31st December, 1850.

Turnips after Flax,

Cabbages in field,

Profit and Loss (being Gain),

Period of
Sowing

0 1 2

11th April,

February,

May,

2 K 2

CHAS. WARD, Manager.