1952-1953 - Department of Education and Skills

22 23Under the Department's scheme of scholarships for students fromthe Fior-Ghaeltacht, 18 scholarships were awarded in 1952 making atotal of 89 scholarships under the 1952{53 scheme. Scholarshipsunder the scheme are awarded annually on the results of the Examinationfor Entrance to the Preparatory Colleges and are tenable inClass A Secondary Schools.Apart from pupils who held scholarships awarded by the Department,there were 2,176 pupils in Secondary or other approved schoolsin 1952{53 who held scholarships awarded by County or BoroughCouncils.University Scholarships (value £150 each) awarded by. the Department.-Underthe scheme initiated in 1931 which provided for theannual award of University scholarships to students from the Fior-Ghaeltacht, 5 scholarships were awarded in 1952, making a total of22 such scholarships which are being held in 1952-53. The holders ofthese scholarships are pursuing University Courses in Arts, ~rts andCommerce, Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry and Architecture,Under the scheme introduced in 1947 to enable students to pursuetheir University Courses through the medium of Irish 29 scholarshipswere awarded in 1949 (three of which were deferred until 1953-54),making a total of 82 such scholarships which are being held in 1952-53.These scholarships are awarded, in accordance with Regulations madeby the Minister for Education with the consent of the Minister forFinance, on the results of the Leaving Certificate Examination. Inorder to be eligible for an award an applicant is required to haveobtained Honours in Irish and in the examination generally and tohave answered through Irish at least three subjects other than Irish.Applicants are also required to have a very good knowledge of oralIrish. The scholarships may be held only by students who pursuetheir University degree courses through the medium of Irish. Suchcourses are at present available in University College, Galway, in theFaculties of Arts, Commerce and Science and the scholarship-holdersare distributed between these Faculties as follows: Arts 20; Commerce3; Arts and Commerce 36; Science 22; Arts and Science 1.A scholarship is ordinarily renewable for the number of yearsnormally required to qualify for a primary degree in the Facultyin which the holder is a student but, in the case of a student whoobtains a primary degree with Honours, the scholarship may berenewed for a further year for post-graduate study, and for a secondor third year in the case of a student who obtains his primary degreewith First Class Honours and who shows special aptitude for researchwork. Renewal for any year is, however, subject to a recommendationfrom the University authorities concerned and to a satisfactory reporton the work and conduct of the student.VI-GRANTS FOR TRAINING IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.These grants, which are intended to be allowances towards mainte~an~eand which are made to University graduates training inscientific research, were formerly administered by the Minister forI,ndus~ry and Commerce on the advice of the Industrial Research~ouncll. On the enactment of the Industrial Research and StandardsrC:' 1946, t~e Council was dissolved and the administration of theg nts was, In 1947, transferred to the Minister for Education, asthe body set up under the Act mentioned, i.e., the Institute forIndustrial Research and Standards, had no functions in connectionwith research of a purely scientific character.In the selection of applicants for the award of grants, the Ministerfor Education has the assistance of an Advisory Committee composedof representatives of (1) the ational University of Ireland, (2) TrinityCollege, Dublin, (3) the Institute for Industrial Research and Standardsand (4) the Department. A grant is normally awarded for a period oftwelve months, but in exceptional circumstances an award may bemade to a student for a second or third period. Grants are disbursedin quarterly instalments and disbursement of each instalment issubject to the receipt of a recommendation from the Supervisor ofthe student's work. Awards varying from £144 to £25 each weremade to 12 students for the academic year 1952-53.SECTIONVOCATIONALIIIEDUCATION.Satisfactory progress was made in Vocational Education duringthe Session 19;,2-53. The number enrolled in whole-time day courses(including specialised technical courses) was 20,306, an increase of378 on the previous session. The number in attendance at part-timeday courses (including day release courses for apprentices) was 7,651,virtually the same as for 1951-52. On the other hand, the number ofstudents in evening classes declined slightly. It was 59,559, whereasin 1951-52 it stood at 60,546. The total enrolment in all types ofclasses under Vocational Education Committees was 87,156 as against87,806 in the previous Session.I-ContinuationEducation.Domestic Science Day courses of a specialised type attracted largenumbers. The course in Household Management at St. Mary's Collegeof Domestic Science, Dublin, was taken by 46 girls, of whom 42 satfor examinations at the end of the course. Of these 36 were successful.14 girls attended a similar course in the Cork School of Commerceand Domestic Science. At the end of the Session two girls bad securedscholarships in Hotel Cookery offered by An Bord Failte, and theother twelve had obtained suitable posts. At Rathmines School ofDomestic Economy, 143 girls followed the whole-time day cour.ses.Fifty of them had secured positions before the end of the SesslO n .In Limerick, where these courses are now very popular, there ~er1seven classes, with a total enrolment of 311, in St. Anne's vocatl~naSchool, and before the end of the session 74 girls had entered emp ~yment.The increasing demand for these courses is seen in.the r.u~.~~of entries for the Day Group Certificate in Domestic SCIence, w 1was 448 in 1952 and 505 in 1953.d d tT.he scarcity of qualified teachers in R~ral ~cie~~~e;:,n b~t a~restnct the number of whole-time courses In this s d enrolmentcentres where teachers were available there was a gOO '