§ Mr. M'GUFFINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can say if the Board of National Education in Ireland have not appointed a successor to the professor of English, resigned, but have instead appointed a lecturer on that important subject; and if this is an indication that English is now delegated to a secondary place and on a level with Irish?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONPrior to last summer the teaching of English in the Marlborough Street Training College was not in charge of a special member of the staff—one professor taking English Composition and Grammar, and another English Literature and History. Certain changes in the staff of the College took place at the close of the last Session, and the Commissioners of National Education, who are fully alive to the importance of giving a good training in English to the students of the College, decided that in the re-arrangement necessitated by the 1317W changes provision should be made by which English in all its branches would in future be in charge of a single professor or teacher. Accordingly, they advertised for a teacher in English Literature, English Grammar and Composition, and History, and a distinguished graduate (M.A.), who specialised in these branches during her University career, has been appointed to this position. The change in title of the officer now responsible for the teaching of these branches does not in any way indicate that English occupies a less important position in the College curriculum than formerly.