67, lay, 229; of schools, 554. Presbyterians, 398; clerical, 247, lay, 151; schools, 670. Protestant Dissenters, 16; clerical, 4, lay, 12; schools, 23. Total, Protestant Managers of all persuasions, 710, and of schools under them, 1,247. Roman Catholics, 1,143; clerical, 957, lay, 186; schools, 3,187. Amongst the Patrons of 175 schools under the joint management of persons of different religious persuasions, 56 were members of the Established Church, of whom 14 were clergymen, and 42 laymen; thus making a total of 81 clergymen, and 271 laymen, who were Managers of National Schools on the 1st of November of the present year. TABLE showing the Number and Religious Denominations of the Managers, Clerical and Lay, of the National Schools; also the Number of Schools under the separate control of Members of the Established Church, Presbyterians, Protestant Dissenters, and Roman Catholics, on the 1st November, 1852. 65. In concluding our Report for 1851, we feel it incumbent upon us to recommend to your Excellency's careful perusal the Tabular Returns contained in it, which state the religious denominations of the Managers of the National Schools, of the pupils attending them, of the Teachers under whose charge they are placed, of the applicants who obtained grants to new *Of these 56 were members of the Established Church, of whom 14 were clergymen and 42 laymen, thus making a total of the Established Church of 81 clergymen and 271 laymen. 45 361 4,795 45 361 4,795 The system of National Edu schools in 1851, and of other parties who applied for similar aid from the 1st January, 1852, to the 1st of last November. We regard the facts embodied in these tables as of the greatest importance, especially in the present position of the Education question.* 66. We have made an analysis of the Returns referred to, from which it appears, that of the Managers of the National Schools considerably more than one-third are Protestants; of the schools considerably more than one-fourth part are under Protestant management; of the children on the rolls, on the 31st of March, 1852, nearly one-seventh part were Protestants; of the Teachers trained in our central establishment, one-fifth, and of the applicants for grants to new schools, during 1851, one-fourth were Protestants. 67. We beg to assure your Excellency, that we have no other object in bringing under your notice these statements, than to prove that the benefits derived from the system of National Education have not been confined almost entirely to the Roman Catholic population (as has been incorrectly stated in various publications), but that it has been found acceptable to a large proportion of the Protestant community. 68. Twenty years have elapsed since the introduction of the system of National Education into Ireland. to the peculiar After a careful review of its progress, and of the difficircumstances culties which it has had to encounter, we are convinced cation adapted of Ireland. that it has taken a deep root in the affections of the people, and that no other plan for the instruction of the poor could have been devised, in the peculiar circumstances of this country, which would have conferred such inestimable blessings on the great majority of the population. Every passing year strengthens our conviction, that the intellectual and moral elevation of the humbler classes in Ireland will be effectually promoted by a firm adherence to the fundamental principles of the system, and by liberal grants from Parliament towards its support. Death of Arch- XIX.-69. During the present year, 1852, we have had bishop Murray and the Lord to lament the death of two of our most valued colleagues. Bishop of Meath. * See paragraphis Nos. 11, 17, 29, 32, 39, 61, 63, 64, 65. The one was Archbishop Murray, who died on the 26th of February. The other was Dr. Townsend, Lord Bishop of Meath, whose death took place on the 16th of September. 70. Archbishop Murray, so long the ornament of his church and country, was one of our original members, and our success has been greatly owing to his constant presence among us, and to the confidence reposed by the members of his church in his great sense, experience, and integrity. He was strongly convinced that our system was one of the greatest blessings ever conferred on the people of Ireland; and one of the last acts which preceded the close of his life was, to assist, at the age of eighty-three years, at a meeting of our Board. 71. Dr. Townsend, Lord Bishop of Meath, who, though but recently appointed a Commissioner, had long been one of our ablest and most zealous supporters. He has been withdrawn from us in the prime of life, and at a time when his attachment to our cause would have been more than ever serviceable to it. Account. X.-72. The account of receipts and expenditure has Financial been made up for nine months to the 31st December, 1851, in the same detailed form as adopted in our last Report. It is intended in future to make up this account from the 1st of January to the 31st December in each year, instead of from the 1st of April to the 31st March, in order that it may agree with the school statistics, and be thus rendered uniform with the Report and Appendices. A statement has been added showing the total sums received and expended during the twelve months ended 31st December, 1851. 73. We submit this as our Report for the past year to your Excellency, and, in testimony thereof, have caused our corporate Seal to be hereunto affixed this third of December, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-two. OF NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND, DECEMBER 3, 1852. 1. His Grace the Archbishop of DUBLIN. 2. The Right Hon. Baron GREENE. 3. The Right Hon. Lord BELLEW. 4. Rev. P. Henry, D.D. President Queen's College, Belfast. 5. Right Hon. ALEXANDER MACDonnell. 6. The Marquess of KILDARE. 7. The Right Hon. MAZIERE BRADY. 8. Sir THOMAS N. REDINGTON, K.C.B. 9. JAMES GIBSON, Esq. 10. ROBERT ANDREWS, Esq., LL.D., Q.C. 11. JAMES O'FARRELL, Esq. 12. The Very Rev. Dean MEYLER, D.D. 13. JEREMIAH J. MURPHY, Esq., Master in Chancery. 14. The Right Hon. the LORD CHANCELLOR. |