Part 2 (1/2)
”TO SCHOOLMASTERS.'
”Take Notes--That any Schoolmaster who understands Spellin'
gramatically--Readin' and Writin', in the raal way, accordin' to the Dixonary--Arithmatick, that is to say, the five common rules, namely, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division--and addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, of Dives's denominations.
Also reduction up and down--cross multiplication of coin--the Rule of Three Direck--the Rule of Three in verse--the double Rule of Three--Fracks.h.i.+ns taught according to the vulgar and decimatin' method; and must be well practised to tache the Findramore boys how to manage the Scuffle.*
* The Scuffle was an exercise in fractions, ill.u.s.trated by a quarrel between the first four letters of the alphabet, who went to loggerheads about a sugar-plum.
A, for instance, seized upon three-fourths of it; but B snapped two-thirds of what he had got, and put it into his hat; C then knocked off his hat, and as worthy Mr.
Gough says, ”to Work they went.” After kicking and cuffing each other in prime style, each now losing and again gaining alternately, the question is wound up by requiring the pupil to ascertain what quant.i.ty of the sugar-plum each had at the close.
”N.B. He must be will grounded in _that_. Practis, Discount, and _Rebatin'_. N.B. Must be well grounded in that also.
”Tret and Tare--Fellows.h.i.+p--Allegation--Barther--Rates per Scent--Intherest--Exchange--Prophet in Loss--the Square root--the Kibe Root--Hippothenuse--'Arithmatical and Jommetrical Purgation--Compound Intherest--Loggerheadism--Questions for exercise, and the Conendix to Algibbra. He must also know Jommithry accordin' to Grunther's scale--the Castigation of the Klipsticks--Surveying, and the use of the Jacob-staff.
”N.B. Would get a good dale of Surveyin' to do in the vircinity of Findramore, particularly in _Con-acre_ time. If he know the use of the globe, it would be an accusation. He must also understand the Three Sets of Book-keeping, by single and double entry, particularly Loftus & Company of Paris, their Account of Cash and Company. And above all things, he must know how to tache the _Sarvin' of Ma.s.s_ in Latin, and be able to read Doctor Gallaher's Irish Sarmints, and explain Kolumkill's and Pasterini's Prophecies.
”N.B. If he understands _Cudgel-fencin'_, it would be an accusation also--but mustn't tache us wid a staff that bends in the middle, bekase it breaks one's head across the guard. Any schoolmaster capacious and collified to instruct in the above-mintioned branches, would get a good school in the townland Findramore and its vircinity, be well fed, an'
get the hoith o' good livin' among the farmers, an' would be ped--
”For Book-keepin', the three sets, _a ginny and half_.'
”For Gommethry, &c, _half a qinny a quarther_.
”Arithmatic, _aight and three-hapuns_.
”Readin”, Writin', &c, _six Hogs_.
”Given under our hands, this 37th day of June, 18004.
”Larry Dolan.
”d.i.c.k Dolan, his (X) mark.
”Jem Coogan, his (X) mark.
”Brine Murphey.
”Paddy Delany, his (X) mark.
”Jack Traynor.
”Andy Connell.
”Owen Roe O'Neil, his (X) mark.”
”N.B. _By making airly application to any of the undher-mintioned, he will hear of further particklers_; and if they find that he will shoot them, he may expect the best o' thratement, an' be well fed among the farmers.*
”N.B. Would get also a good _Night-school_ among the vircinity.”
* Nothing can more decidedly prove the singular and extraordinary thirst for education and general knowledge which characterizes the Irish people, than the s.h.i.+fts to which they have often gone in order to gain even a limited portion of instruction. Of this the Irish Night School is a complete ill.u.s.tration. The Night School was always opened either for those of early age, who from their poverty were forced to earn something for their own support during the day; or to a.s.sist their parents; or for grown young men who had never had an opportunity of acquiring education in their youth, but who now devoted a couple of hours during a winter's night, when they could do nothing else, to the acquisition of reading and writing, and sometimes of accounts. I know not how it was, but the Night School boys, although often thrown into the way of temptation, always conducted themselves with singular propriety. Indeed, the fact is, after all, pretty easily accounted for--inasmuch as none but the steadiest, _most_ sensible, and best conducted young men ever attended it.
Having penned the above advertis.e.m.e.nt, it was carefully posted early the next morning on the chapel-doors, with an expectation on the part of the patrons that it would not be wholly fruitless. The next week, however, pa.s.sed without an application--the second also--and the third produced the same result; nor was there the slightest prospect of a school-master being blown by any wind to the lovers of learning at Findramore. In the meantime, the Ballyscanlan boys took care to keep up the ill-natured prejudice which had been circulated concerning the fatality that uniformly attended such schoolmasters as settled there; and when this came to the ears of the Findramore folk, it was once more resolved that the advertis.e.m.e.nt should be again put up, with a clause containing an explanation on that point. The clause ran as follows: