19. The estimated value of the books given as grants of free stock, during the year 1848, was £3,583 98. Od. We have decided upon making a considerable addition to the free grant of books to every new school, and also upon renewing the free stock grant to each National School every third, instead of every fourth year, as has been our practice heretofore. These arrangements will add considerably to our expenditure under this head; but we conceive that the funds placed at our disposal could not be more beneficially employed.

20. The demand in England and Scotland for our National School books materially increased in 1848. We have made arrangements with the Committee of Council on Education, and the Poor Law Commissioners in England, for supplying their Schools with National School books, at a moderate rate, but which leaves a small profit* over all the expenses incurred in their publication. From the orders already received, we have every reason to expect that the Committees of Schools and the local Guardians of Poor Law Unions in Great Britain, will avail themselves, to a considerable extent of the advantages thus afforded. Our sales to the Committee of Council on Education, from the date of this arrangement up to the present time, have averaged about £300 each month.

21. We have, heretofore, supplied our books at reduced prices to many schools for the poor, in Great Britain and Ireland, not receiving aid either from the Committee of Council on Education, or from this Board. The sum received in 1848 for books thus supplied was £716 3s. 11d. In future, we shall sell books to these schools, at lower prices than heretofore, being at the same rate as to the Committee of Council on Education.

22. The sales of books made by our agents in 1848 amounted to £2,109 13s. 1d. These books are extensively used in various other schools for the poor, as well as by the public generally. From the 1st of August next, a small reduction will be made in the price of several of the books sold to the public.

23. Our sale of books to Poor Schools in the Colonies, though not quite so large in amount as in the year 1847, was in 1848, £1,296 3s. 2d.

V.-24. With a view of encouraging improved habits amongst our teachers, we have, for the last two years, allo

To prevent misconception, we deem it right to state that we have never sold our books, at a loss, except to our own schools. Upon the sale of our books to all other schools, and to the public generally, we have a moderate profit after paying all expenses.

cated a sum of £10 to each of our thirty-four school districts, and distributed it in premiums, varying in amount from £1 to £3, to such of the Masters and Mistresses as were most distinguished by the order, neatness and cleanliness, observable in themselves, their pupils, and schoolhouses. The results of this arrangement have been in all respects so satisfactory, that we have resolved to increase the number of these premiums, from six to nine in each district. The following is the scale :

Making a total amount to each district of £14 10s. The expense incurred under this head in 1848 was £316 10s. In this year it will amount to £493.

VI.-25. The number of pupils on the rolls of our Model Schools, upon the 30th September, 1848, was, of males, 708; of females, 455; of infants, 320-making a total of 1,483. The daily average attendance has, at various times, in the course of the year 1848, considerably exceeded 1,000.

26. The experiment announced in our Fourteenth Report, of the introduction into our schools, in Marlborough-street, of the system of Drawing from Models, under a Master of experience, has been eminently successful. We hope gradually to train a class of teachers qualified to communicate a limited knowledge, both of drawing and vocal music, to the children attending our larger schools, throughout Ireland.

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27. We deem it expedient to republish the statement made in former Reports regarding the arrangement for giving religious instruction to the pupils of the Model Schools, and the teachers in training, which is as follows:The arrangements for the separate religious instruction of the children of all persuasions attending these schools, and also of the teachers in training, continue to be carried into effect every Tuesday, under their respective clergymen. Previously to the arrival of the clergymen, each of the teachers in training is employed in giving catechetical and other religious instruction to a small class of children belonging to his own communion. These teachers attend their respective places of worship on Sundays; and every facility is given, both before and after Divine Service, as well as at other times, for their spiritual improvement, under the directions of their clergy.'

VII.-28. We trained, during the year, and supported at the public expense, 267 National Teachers, of whom 177

were males, and 90 were females. We also trained 33 teachers not connected with National Schools, who maintained themselves during their attendance at the Model Schools, making the total number of teachers trained in 1848, 300. Of the 267 teachers of National Schools, trained during the year, 11 were of the Established Church, 37 Presbyterians, and 219 Roman Catholics. The total number of male and female teachers trained, from the commencement of our proceedings to the 31st of December, 1848, is 2,311. We do not include in this latter number those teachers who, at the time of their training, were unconnected with National schools.

VIII.-29. The management of the Model Farm, by the agriculturist, during the year, has given us satisfaction. Having decided, as stated in our last Report, upon providing adequate accommodation for boarding, lodging, and training at least 50 Agricultural Teachers and Pupils, which is double the former number, we have enlarged our farm to upwards of 100 acres. By this arrangement, we shall be enabled not only to employ an increased number of Agricultural Teachers and Pupils, but also to give them a more varied and useful course of agricultural instruction than we could do when the farm was smaller.

IX.-30. Of the seven District Model Schools referred to in our last Report, those in Newry, Ballymena, and Clonmel, are now ready to be opened; and those in Dunmanway, Bailieborough, Coleraine, and Trim, are nearly finished, and will be in operation in the course of this year. In our next Report, we shall give a detailed account of the regulations upon which they are conducted, and lithographed plans of the houses, with a statement of the expense incurred in their erection and management. We entertain sanguine hopes that these schools will receive the cordial support of all denominations.

X.-31. Of the 131 Poor Law Unions in Ireland, 104 had placed their schools in connexion with our Board, up to the 31st of December, 1847. At the close of the year 1848, the number of Workhouse Schools had increased to 109, of which 28 are in Ulster, 35 in Munster, 27 in Leinster, and 19 in Connaught. With reference to this statement, we cannot refrain from observing, as we did in the former Reports, "that the Boards of Guardians of the different Unions comprise Protestant and Roman Catholics, and have amongst them men of the highest rank and station; that the schools are attended by Protestants and Roman Catholics indiscriminately; and that the duty of giving religious instruction to

those of each creed belongs to a chaplain of their own communion. That here, therefore, we see the National system carried into complete effect; that here we see how peculiarly adapted it is to the circumstances of Ireland; and that here, too, we see how decidedly it carries the opinion of the country with it."

32. The suggestions contained in our Report for 1846 for the improvement of the Workhouse Schools, have been, in many instances, carried into effect by the Poor Law Commissioners, so far as relates to a more liberal remuneration of the teachers; and we have, consequently, been enabled to provide those Schools, during the year, with a number of our first and second class masters and mistresses. With reference to other suggestions, not yet acted upon, we trust that the Poor Law Commissioners and Local Guardians will, as favorable opportunities occur, use their utmost exertions to carry them into operation. Our plan of awarding annual gratuities to the most deserving of the teachers of Workhouse Schools, has been attended with beneficial results. The total amount of these gratuities, in 1848, was £266 10s.

XI.-33. In 1847, we had 17 Model Agricultural Schools, and 12 ordinary Agricultural Schools. During the year 1848 we made grants towards the erection of 14 Model Agricultural Schools, amounting to £4,600, and we awarded the usual grants of salary to 10 ordinary Agricultural Schools. We have struck off the roll, during the year, 3 Agricultural Schools. The total number of Agricultural Schools, in con. nexion with us, on the 31st of December, 1848, was therefore

Of the Model Agricultural Schools only 8 are at present in operation. The following Table shows the provinces in which these schools are situated, and the numbers in each:

34. The result of our limited experience has convinced us, that the establishment of Model Agricultural Schools will be attended with far greater expense than was at first anticipated, either by ourselves, or by the local applicants. We

are at present engaged in making inquiries upon this important subject, and we have submitted plans for building this description of schools to persons of practical knowledge and experience. In our next Report, we shall give the plans of such school-houses, farm buildings, and residences for teachers and agricultural pupils; an estimate of the cost; the amount of our grant, and of the required local contribution, together with a statement of the general regulations upon which such schools are to be conducted. The amount of the liabilities we have already incurred, towards the erection of 29 Model Agricultural Schools, is £8,458 148. 1d.

35. In order to carry out more effectually our object in establishing the Model Agricultural School, at Kyle Park, in the County of Tipperary, which is the only one conducted under our exclusive management, we have deemed it expedient to increase the size of the farm, and to appoint separate teachers, one to conduct the Agricultural, and the other the Literary Department.

36. In accordance with the intention announced in our last Report, we appointed an Agricultural Inspector in August, 1848. We selected for this purpose from a great number of highly-qualified candidates, Thomas Kirkpatrick, Esq., M.D., who had been one of the founders, and for many years one of the most active supporters, of the Larne Model Agricultural School. Immediately after his appointment, he visited the principal institutions for agricultural instruction in England, and has since been employed in inspecting the various Agricultural Schools in Ireland, in connexion with our Board.

XII.-37. In 1847 we had 5 Schools of Industry, which have been satisfactorily conducted during the year. To this number 4 have been added in the course of 1848. The greater number of these schools is attended, principally, by females, who are instructed in various branches of domestic industry. We have given directions to the Inspectors to pay particular attention to the management of these schools, and to make special reports, at stated periods, on their condition, and on the results which they have produced.

XIII. 38. Considerable progress has been made in the selection of suitable books for School Libraries; and our arrangements for establishing them, in schools where the local Managers approve of their introduction, will be completed in the course of the year. We shall commence with our District Model Schools, which we shall also supply with a series of works for the use of the teachers, assistants, and paid monitors.