APPENDIX TO THE SEVENTY-SECOND REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF NATIONAL EDUCATION SCHOOL YEAR 1905-6. SECTION I-GENERAL REPORTS on the STATE of NATIONAL EDUCATION in 1905, by INSPECTORS and OTHERS. The Commissioners desire it to be distinctly understood that they do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions expressed in these Reports, nor do they feel called upon to adopt any suggestions they may contain. GENERAL REPORT ON THE TRAINING COLLEGES, 1904-5. Messrs. The following table shows the number of students present HYNES. in the several Training colleges at the commencement of the session in September, 1904 : *Includes 44 students, received in October, 1904, paid for out of Irish Development Grant. The failures on the part of the men were again very numerous, due largely to inferior candidates having to be admitted. The students were arranged in three classes, according to their marks. Of those in their final year there Messrs. PURSER AND Of those at the end of the first of the two years' course there were: The number of students that left the colleges fully trained was 499, a number which will no doubt be slightly increased by the passing, on further trial, of some of those who failed at the July examination. The successful students at the end of the first year numbered 514. Many King's scholars, on leaving the Training colleges, continue to find employment in Great Britain, so that the Irish colleges help to make good the deficiency of trained teachers across the channel. Of the men who completed their course of training 50 were certificated teachers, 27 had been pupil-teachers in the Board's Model schools, 73 had been monitors, and 27 pupils in National schools, and 12 pupils in other schools. In the case of the women the corresponding numbers were 54, 41, 139, 57 and 16; there were also 3 who had been manual instructresses. Of these men, 18 obtained the mark "good" or very good" for their teaching, and of the women 71 reached the same standard. An additional year's training, with correspondingly higher "grading" for successful students, might be advantageously allowed to King's scholars who come out in the first class or division. The Training colleges in general are fulfilling their functions in a very creditable manner. Much excellent work is being done in them. It is desirable, however, that more time and attention should be paid to the training of the King's scholars in the art of teaching. They take part regularly in criticism lessons and have very fair opportunities of profiting by model lessons, but an increase in the time actually spent by them in teaching in the Practising schools might be advantageous. This, unfortunately, at present seems difficult of attainment. The comparative smallness of the Practising schools presents a difficulty in some cases; but the most serious obstacle is, that, owing to the rather low standard of attainments of the King's scholars at entrance, it is impossible to spare more time for their purely professional work without encroaching on the time required for general culture. Every effort is being made to attract better qualified candidates and to raise the standard of proficiency on admission. The remuneration of monitors and pupil teachers (from |