§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEasked the Chief Secretary whether the Commissioners of National Education have sanctioned the exhibition of a picture of the Sacred Heart and similar pictures in national schools during the hours of united instruction; and, if so, whether, as the picture of the Sacred Heart is specially identified with the worship of the Roman Catholic Church, he will explain why the Commissioners have sanctioned a violation of their own rule which states that no emblems or symbols of a denominational nature can be exhibited in the schoolroom during the hours of united instruction?
The HON. MEMBERfurther asked whether, acting on the sanction given by the Commissioners of National Education to the exhibition of the picture of "The Sacred Heart" and similar pictures in schools during the hours of united instruction, a number of managers have introduced statues without the permission of the Board; and, if so, will he explain why, whilst the Commissioners have expressly forbidden the introduction of any further statues of a religious character during the time of secular instruction, they have allowed those already introduced without their permission to remain?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners have on various occasions during the past thirty 749W years sanctioned the exhibition in National schools during the hours of secular instruction of pictures of Scriptural subjects. It was recently brought under their notice, however, that, acting on this sanction, the managers of a few schools had introduced statues of a religious character. The Commissioners decided not to take any action in these cases provided that the statues were not decorated or that lights were not placed in front of them; but they resolved that the introduction of any further statues of a religious character into any National school during the time of secular instruction should be expressly forbidden. The schools in which the pictures and statues referred to in the questions have been introduced are mostly convent National schools, attended solely by Roman Catholic children, save in one or two cases, and in these cases the number of Protestant children on the rolls varies from one to four.
COURSE. — Classical. Modern Literary. Mathematical. Experiment'l Science. Division I. Division II. Senior Grade. First class—Boys, Number … … 4 — 2 5 5 First class—Boys, Value … … £160 — £80 £200 £200 First class—Girls, Number … … 1 — 2 3 1 First class—Girls, Value … … £40 — £80 £120 £40 Second class—Boys, Number … … 3 3 1 8 9 Second class—Boys, Value … … £60 £60 £20 £160 £180 Second class—Girls, Number … … — 4 3 1 2 Second class—Girls, Value … … — £80 £60 £20 £40 Middle Grade. First class—Boys, Number … … 6 3 3 6 6 First class—Boys, Value … … £150 £75 £75 £150 £150 First class Girls, Number … … — — 4 2 1 First class Girls, Value … … — — £100 £50 £25 Second class—Boys, Number … … 8 4 4 8 8 Second class—Boys, Value … … £120 £60 £60 £120 £120 Second class—Girls, Number … … — 3 2 4 1 Second class—Girls, Value … … — £45 £30 £60 £15 Junior Grade. First class—Boys, Number … … 10 5 6 10 10 First class—Boys, Value … … £150 £75 £90 £150 £150 First class Girls, Number … … 2 5 6 5 6 First class Girls, Value … … £30 £75 £90 £75 £90 Second class—Boys, Number … … 14 7 6 14 14 Second class—Boys, Value … … £140 £70 £60 £140 £140 Second class—Girls, Number … … — 10 10 5 7 Second class—Girls, Value … … — £100 £100 £50 £70 The number of students who presented themselves for examination in Irish and German in 1909, were:—
Irish … … Boys, 4,514 … Girls, 1,562 German … … Boys, 380 … Girls, 1,697