History of infant schools in Ireland

[2] This was an experiment as a similar system did not exist in England at the time; it was intended to assimilate Irish children into British society and reduce poverty in Ireland.

A number of infant schools were also established with the intention of serving as examples to others and providing training facilities for male student teachers.

Maura O'Connor, an academic at St Patrick's College, argued that at a time when infant teachers in Ireland were largely untrained, the manual could be a significant source of guidance for them.

[8] The Powis Commission, an inquiry into schools in Ireland at the end of the 1860s, found that teaching in infant classes was generally poor.

Activities could be quite limited but accounts suggest that they were valued: for instance, Dr Bateman, a school inspector, wrote in 1896 that "the poor mothers of Limerick bless the man who invented the Kindergarten system".

While the focus was still on the three r's, some of Froebel "gifts" were included as well as "Drawing, Singing, School Discipline and Physical Drill, Cookery, Laundry Work and Needlework".

The following suggestions were given for how teaching might work:Suppose, for example, Hans Andersen's 'Ugly Duckling' is the story of the week, the outcome of this tale would naturally be object lessons on the duck and the swan.

They could paper-fold a boat to sail on the lake – in fact by the exercise of a little thought on the part of the teacher, any gift or occupation [terms related to Froebel's theories] the children are taking can easily be connected with the story.

In 1905, boys schools were required to either employ a female assistant or stop admitting infants, unless it was impossible for these pupils to be accommodated elsewhere.

This decision provoked a great deal of hostility from schools and the press: the popular perception was that this was an attempt by the British government to reduce costs by forcing a move towards mixed-sex education.

The Catholic Church objected on moral grounds and male teachers feared a lower attendance in their schools would have a negative effect on their careers.

[19] Dr Timothy Corcoran was an academic who had great influence on this decision; he felt the main priority of the post-independence education system should be making Ireland an Irish-speaking country.

Teachers were advised that effective education for infant classes "must be based on the young child's urge to play, to talk, to imitate, to manipulate materials, to make and do things."