School: The Downs (roll number 8875)
- Location:
- The Downs, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: S. Molloy
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- XML School: The Downs
- XML Page 118
- XML “Hedge-Schools”
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- Hedge Schools.
About eighty or ninety years ago there were schools called "hedge-schools" in this district.
One school was situated in a small cabin in the townland of Wooddown.
Another was situated in Knockmant.
The teachers were natives of the district and generally lived in the house in which they taught.
Each pupil paid a penny per week to the teacher.
This was the only salary received by the teacher.
During the months of Winter and Spring large numbers of scholars came to the school. The attendance was low during Summer and Autumn as the scholars were kept to help their parents work on the farm, or they had to work with neighbouring gentry to earn the pennies to pay for their education.
The school was very small and when the door was closed, the pupil and teacher would almost be suffocated with smoke.
Teresa Maguire(continues on next page)- Collector
- Teresa Maguire
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- The Downs, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Joseph Maguire
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 68
- Address
- The Downs, Co. Westmeath