APPENDIX D.

AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.

MEANS to be adopted for obtaining AID towards the establishment of an AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT in connexion with a NATIONAL SCHOOL where local circumstances may be favourable for the combining of Agricultural with Literary instruction.

As much uncertainty is found to exist as to the proper course to be taken in order to obtain a grant towards the establishment of an agricultural department in connexion with a National School, and as many applications have had to be rejected in consequence of the necessary conditions not being complied with, it is deemed advisable to publish a few plain directions for the future guidance of parties desirous of having agricultural instruction introduced into National Schools under their management :

Wherever a farm of land of not less than three statute acres in extent, and at a distance not exceeding half a mile, is connected with a National School, the agricultural department will receive aid on the following conditions:

1st. That an "Agricultural Class" of at least ten of the more advanced boys shall receive theoretical instruction in the school, and practical instruction on the farm, during a specified time each day.

2nd.

That the farm connected with the school shall be efficiently cultivated, according to some approved and regular system of rotation, so as to serve as a Model to the pupils and the surrounding neighbourhood.

3rd. That the "house-feeding of cattle," and the careful collection and skilful application of manure, form characteristic features in the system of farm management. When it has been determined to make application for aid, the manager should write to the "Secretaries, Education Office," notifying his desire to have agricultural instruction introduced into the school. He will then be furnished with the proper form of application, which he is to fill up and transmit to the Office. Directions will then be given to the Agricultural Inspector to visit at the earliest opportunity; but, in the mean time, active steps should be taken in organizing the agricultural department, for unless it shall be in an efficient state of operation when the Agricultural Inspector visits, his report must be unfavourable, and the application must consequently be rejected. If, on the other hand, an agricultural class has been formed, and is found to be progressing favourably in agricultural knowledge, and that the farm shall appear skilfully and carefully cultivated, the report must be

Agricultural
Schools.

Agricultural
Schools.

APPENDIX D. favourable, and the grant of agricultural salary will date from the first of the month in which the application was received (if up before the 15th), no matter what interval may elapse between the date of its being forwarded and the period of the Agricultural Inspector's visit.

APPENDIX E.

REPORTS OF DISTRICT INSPECTORS ON INDUSTRIAL AND EVENING SCHOOLS, AND REPORT OF J. W. KAVANAGH, ESQ., HEAD INSPECTOR, ON THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF MARITIME SCHOOLS.

I. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS,

II. EVENING SCHOOLS,

III. MARITIME SCHOOLS,

Page . 747

. 805

. 307

I. REPORTS of DISTRICT INSPECTORS ON INDUSTRIAL APPENDIX E.

SCHOOLS.

1. Reports
of District
Inspectors on

No. 1.-REPORT of F. W. NEWELL, Esq., A. M., District Inspector, Industrial on the BALLYMENA INDUSTRIAL NATIONAL SCHOOLS.

Ballymena, 5th January, 1852. GENTLEMEN,-In compliance with your instructions, I beg to submit my Report on the above schools, which I am enabled to carry forward to the month of November last. It may be necessary to explain that, heretofore, the general accounts, exclusive of those in the farming department, were made up to the 1st of May in each year. This year the Committee deemed it advisable that they should be carried forward for six months longer, in order that the farming, with the general accounts, might be closed together in November. I stated, at the end of my last Report, that the Committee contemplated making application to Sir Robert S. Adair, for an addition to their present holdings of land, upon equitable terms. They are desirous to enlarge their little farm to twelve acres, which they propose to till with the adoption of a regular "three-crop rotation."

The Committee, looking forward to a favourable reply to this application, have resigned the contract, which they heretofore held, for the cleansing of the streets of Ballymena. It is, perhaps, worthy of note, that on the resignation of this contract being tendered, the Town Commissioners offered to raise the sum paid for this service, from thirty to fifty pounds, which offer, after mature deliberation, the Committee of the schools decided on refusing, from an assured hope that they could more profitably employ the unpaid labour at their command. How they purpose to do so I have already glanced at, in mentioning the application for land now pending.

The establishment there at present consists of a small holding of three acres, tilled by the boys of the school, under the instruction and management of the male Teacher. A rent of £2 10s. per acre is paid for the land, being at the ordinary rate of rents for town parks here. It was desirable that the farm should not be distant from the school, and the present one is situated on the verge of the town, the schools being in the centre.

The farm accounts are kept according to the form of the book provided by the Commissioners for National Agricultural Schools. They may be described as consisting of "Inventory," "Labour Account," "Cash Account," and "Summary," with "Balance Sheet."

The female department has undergone no change in its plan, or the details of its operation, the staple industrial em

Schools.

Ballymena.