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Scoil Gleann an Dùin (Glen school on the hill)

A new Dawn in Education

 

(The great experiment)

 

A hedge School

A hedge School

The Commissioners for National Education (National Education Board) were established in 1831 for the purpose of administering a fund of £30,000 placed at the disposal of the Lord Lieutenant for the education of the poor in Ireland. Their powers were based on a set of instructions drawn up by Chief Secretary Stanley and were not defined in any enactment.

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Granted a charter in 1845, the Commissioners were empowered to make grants to existing schools for the payment of teachers and the provision of equipment and also to provide for the building of new schools, to appoint and pay inspectors and to establish a model school for the training of teachers.

Only one model school was first contemplated, a central model school in Dublin, which was established in 1833. From 1845 on wards, local model schools began to be established; managed by the local inspectors, their teachers were directly appointed by the Board. The Royal Commission on Education (1868-1870) found that the model schools were an unduly expensive method of training teachers and their use for this purpose ceased from about 1883 onwards, the schools continuing to function as ordinary schools.

 
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Schools Manulla and Balla

There is no precise information on the opening of prizon school as a number of schools had existed in and around the area in the 1800’s. records show There were 3 hedge schools, two in Balla and one Rosslee, along with 3 day schools in Minolla (Manulla). The 3 hedge schools are shown to be in decline in attendance by 1836. But there were two, Day Schools which had opened in Minola in 1834. One of which had taught grammar as well as protestant and catholic catechism while the other taught only catholic catechism. The other subjects taught at these schools were: Reading Writing and Arithmetic. No area in Manulla, name of school, or roll book numbers were given to these schools, so no link can be made directly to Prizon school.

Building of prison school took place around 1823 as suggested by letters from. Fr. Nolan seeking funding. Rev. Patrick Nolan with the support of Sir Francis Lynch Blosse helped to build and open schools in the area of Balla and Manulla.In the letters it is mentioned that funding is needed for two schools in Balla one of which is in the half parish of Manulla.

State of religious and other instruction now existing in Ireland: second report

-EPPI

“I am building the school-house in Minola, on the plot Lord Kilmaine gave some years back for building a chapel, there can be no doubt therefore of its permanent use to the public. The dimensions I have already mentioned, 40 feet by 20; the estimate will be in proportion to the grant given. The trustees are John Bourke, Thomas Bourke, Francis Ivers, Patt Ivers, all living in the town of Minola, of course interested in the cause. I myself, the manager. I have already stated the local contribution, which I compute half-crown a house in money and work, among about 200 families.”
— Extract from letters of application

EARLIEST Records
Scoil Gleann an Dúin (Glen school on the hill)

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The earliest record I can find on Prizon School exists in a report from the National Board of Education from 1850. In the report it mentions that Prison School (Minola- Prizon roll-book no. 5937) has a male teacher and received funding of £10 from the Board Of Education that year. There were both boys and girls attending the school with a total amount of pupils from 66 to 56 that year. The school also received additional funding for:

  • Requisites £1 3d.
  • Free stock £6
  • A salary of £7

Slates and chalk were the writing tools. Some books would have been supplied to the school, but it is unclear if the pupils had a book each or if they were shared amongst themselves. There was also a slate in the classroom, which recorded the attendance. One former pupil recalls the number 64 recorded on this.

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The Board had lined out a number of subjects should be taught;

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Spelling
  • Grammar
  • Arithmetic
  • Music
  • Geography
  • History


For girls

  • Sewing
  • Needlework

For Boys

  • Agriculture (farming)
  • Book Keeping
(Source commissioners reports of the board of education) 

Class 1959


Prizon school is later mention in a report on Agricultural schools in 1866. Where is it is noted to have had 2 acres of land. There were no pupils being instructed on agriculture at the time instead it is simply mention as a school with a garden.

By 1869 the school is teaching agriculture with a farm area of 1 rood. There was livestock rec-orded, the description of the farm was clay loam and no repair was required. It is most likely crops or vegetables were grown on the land as a means to help pay for funding of the school. The school had been visit by a Mr. Brogan on occasion and reported back his findings to the board. In 1869 he records the land is satisfactory and made a profit of £3 16s 2d. 18 pupils on the roll.

In 1871 he said the land is of good quality and the school had made a profit of £3 13s 2d and the following is mentioned:

“The other school Gardens continue to work with fair efficiency, especially that in the connexion (connection) with Prizon national school near Balla, Co. Mayo, which is man-aged in a most creditable manner, and cannot fail to exercise a most salutary effect in im-proving the tastes and habits, as well as the industrial knowledge of the pupils.”
— 36th Report of commisioners of education 1869.


In a report from 1852 M. Barret Esq. is mentioned as the school patron and the school inspector is Edward MacCreamor Esq. (Westport). It is not until 1864 we see a mention of the teacher’s names:

  • Edward Colgan - Boys school,
  • Bridget Colgan – Girls school.

At this stage the school is split into both boys and girls. This appears around 1862 when Prison school gets split into two schools:

  • Manulla – Prison- Roll book no.5937
  • Manulla-Prizon – Roll Book no. 8291

Edward and Bridget were married and had a son Edward in 1867.

 

It is understood that the school had a garden of about 2 acres which was mentioned in 1866. In the classrooms there were 5 desks each 8ft long and there were two forms (classes). It had a timber floor with a large open fireplace. The main source of fuel would have been turf (peat cut into a rectangular shape about 9” long). The turf was supplied by the pupils who would have carried a sod of turf each day, to keep the fire burning throughout the day.

30th July 1867 (for boys) and there was a wide variance in the age at which they commenced school. Actually some of the pupils starting ages ranged from 10 years to 20, and the younger age would be from 4 to 10 yrs. Records show payments ranging from 8d to 2/6 and only a small minority of pupils paid this fee. We feel that the group who started school in their early teens (boys only), may have been requested to subscribe in some small way towards their education, if they could afford it. The last payment which was recorded was in 1888/89. The numbers in school varied during the seasons, as the older boys and girls would stay at home to help with the setting of the crops, saving turf, and the haymaking. They would then return to school during the Winter months when there would be very little work to do on the farms.

Attendance records 1850's

The numbers in school varied during the seasons, as the older boys and girls would stay at home to help with the setting of the crops, saving turf, and the haymaking. They would then return to school during the Winter months when there would be very little work to do on the farms.

 
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