Earliest Records

Prizon school opened it doors first in 1850 from what we can tell from our records. this means that Prizon school was amongst the first few schools that opened under the first national education system in modern times. Records show that there was a male teacher and funding of £10 was supplied to the school by the Irish National Board of Education (by the Irish parliament under British home rule). The roll book number given to the school was 5937. Both Girls and boys attended the school. Although the first school no longer exists, a second school house was built in 1937 on the same land as the original. The building on the site at the present day was built in 1937 by the Department of Education (under the newly formed Irish Republic). It is estimated that over 7,000 pupils attended this school over the 120 years the school was in operation. 

First Prizon School

When the National Board of Education was founded Rev. Canon Gibbon P.P. of Balla was appointed manager of the school. he enlarged it and all whether tenants of Sir Compton Domvile or not, gained admission. The landlord gave an acre of ground with the school and it has been always free of rent.
The teacher named Carlos was succeeded by a man named Colgan from Bailefaidirín. He had been trained as a gardener. He had a very beautiful garden round the school. He was a Fenian and was with two other teachers Tom Walshe and Henry Curry of Bellcarra dismissed by the National Board. He emigrated and died in America.
William Keely and his sister succeeded him in 1867. 
No Irish was spoken in school. If the children spoke Irish, they were punished. The pupils wrote on Vere
Foster copybooks.

COLLECTOR: Mary A. O’Doherty
INFORMANT: PATSY ANSBRO. AGE 84, TAWNAGH MORE, CO. MAYO 1938
— DÚCHAS.IE

The Old School in Prizon was built some eight five or ninety years ago by the landlord Sir Compton Domvile who lived at Heywood Hall, Queen’s Co. The work was done by masons named Fowelsten but the natives supplied the material free. It was a crude structure. The first teacher was a man named Carlos from Mayo Abbey. He got a small salary from the landlord which was supplemented by fees paid by the pupils.

“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.”

Growing up in Prizon school

There has been many people that have passed through the doors of Prizon school. We have manged to preserve some of their stories here. First days at school, games they played and what it was like growing up in Prizon school. 

SUBJECTS STUDIED under the board of education. 
The Board had lined out a few 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)

By 1869 the school is teaching agriculture with a farm area of 1 rood. There was livestock recorded, the description of the farm was clay loam and no repair were required. It is most likely crops or vegetables were grown on the land to help pay for funding of the school. The school had been visited 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:

Education after 1922

In the 1940’s education was reviewed again and now the primary cert was to become compulsory. This came into effect in 1943. The subjects covered in this had also changed with the focus was on the 3 R’s;

• Irish
• English
• Arithmetic

Catechism (religion) would have been taught as well in Catholic schools. The Primary Cert remained until 1967 when yet again education was reborn into something closer to what is taught today. With the intermediate cert and leaving Cert being the main exams for pupils.

Teachers and Priests

We have established a number of teachers and priests that have been involved in Prizon school over the year. We also have also gathered some of the stories about these teachers.

Teachers

Carlos abt; 1850

Carlos Possibly the first teacher to have worked in Prizon school. We know very little about him except for a mention in Miss O’Doherty’s account about the old school. No records are found on him.

The Colgan’s

Edward Colgan

Carlos was succeeded by a man named Edward Colgan from Bailefaidirín. He had been trained as a gardener. He had a very beautiful garden round the school. Which is shown from reports by the nation board of education where he was awarded.

William Keely

William Keely and his sister succeeded him in 1867. As of yet we have little information on William or his sister. It is said:

Thomas Kelly

Little information is given on Thomas except for an extract where is is mentioned.

Mary O’Doherty

Miss Doherty taught in both the old and the new school. She also submitted stories written by pupils in 1938 to the National Folklore Collection.

Teacher Miss O’Doherty drove her car to and from school each and every day in hail, rain and snow, to live up to her responsibilities as teacher and Principal. Miss Doherty, who came from Turlough. As there was no means of transport in those days, and the distance was too far to cycle, she stayed in the old school (part of which had been adapted to living quarters on the instructions of the parish priest). There was a local lady by the name of Kate McDonnell who was assigned to stay with her at night. The Reilly family who lived next door prepared her meals and a pupil was sent to collect the tray at various meal times. This all changed however, when she acquired a motor car. Miss McMunn who lived down the Ballyvary road, became her housekeeper, and travelled with her each day after school and returned each morning.

Miss O’Doherty’s arrival. Usually someone was assigned to be on the look-out of her car coming. Suddenly you’d hear a roar, “she’s on the hill, stoop ye eegits”, (idiots). Very often the teacher may forget to remove her car keys. A common reminder was, “the keys are in the car Miss”.

Lily Glynn

Teacher Miss Glynn cycled to and from school each and every day in hail, rain and snow.

Mrs. Rena Maloney Relief Teacher

Mrs. Maloney was a relief teacher that came to teach us when Mrs. Duggan was off.

Anna Jiffers (Mrs Duggan)

Miss Jeffers, got married. All of the children were so excited at the thought of ‘Miss’ being in love and we were so caught up in the romance of it all. ‘Miss’ included all of the children in the wedding celebrations by laying on a big spread in McKenna’s Hotel in Balla. Last Teacher 1961-1973

Priests

• Fr. P Nolan

• Very Rev. Thomas J reidy

• Fr. Gibbs

• Fr J.p. Jennings

• Fr McDermott

Some of the older pupils would remember Rev Fr. Reidy, calling regularly to the school.

He would cycle from Balla and he would sometimes have his three dogs with him, and he was often accompanied by Pat Sommers. On the day of the holidays he would usually have apples for the pupils.. .