Stanley letter facts for kids
The Stanley letter was an important letter written in 1831. It was written by Edward Stanley, who later became a famous leader known as the 14th Earl of Derby. At the time, he was the Chief Secretary for Ireland. This letter helped the government in the United Kingdom create a legal plan for setting up national schools across Ireland. It was sent to the 3rd Duke of Leinster. This happened a couple of years after a big change called Catholic Emancipation, which gave more rights to Catholic people.
Contents
What the Stanley Letter Proposed
Edward Stanley's letter suggested a new way to organize schools in Ireland. He wanted to create a special group called "a board for the superintendence of a system of national education." This board would oversee all the new national schools.
The main idea was to have a system where the government supported schools for everyone. Before this, many schools were run by different religious groups. Stanley's plan aimed to create a more unified school system for all children.
How the Schools Were Set Up
Following the ideas in the Stanley letter, a group called the Board of Commission of National Education was created. This board had several important jobs:
- It gave money to build new schools.
- It helped hire teachers and inspectors for the schools.
- It provided grants to help schools operate.
The Board tried to encourage schools where both Catholic and Protestant students could learn together. They preferred applications for these "mixed" schools. However, over time, different religious groups started to ask for control of their own schools. Even today, most schools in Ireland are still linked to a religious organization.
Big Changes and Growth
The new school system, based on Stanley's letter, helped many people learn to read and write. This was especially true for children from poorer families.
- By 1831, over 100,000 children were enrolled in these national schools.
- Within 40 years, this number grew to almost 1 million students!
The new system also improved how teachers were trained. Even the lowest-grade teachers, called paid monitors, had their skills checked every year. This helped make sure students were getting a good education.
The Stanley Letter Today
The ideas from the Stanley letter are still very important today. This letter remains the legal foundation for all national schools in the Republic of Ireland. These schools are the main type of primary education for children in the country.
