Beschreibung:

Lot 498/0289 Padraic Perase and the Founding of St. Enda’s Pearse (Padraic H.) A highly important collection of original letters and documents relating to Pearse’s hopes and plans for St. Enda’s, 1908-1910, preserved in a custom made binder, including * A three page manuscript prospectus in Pearse’s unmistakeable backward-slanting hand, marked ‘Private’ and headed ‘Rough Notes on Object & Scope of School’, on plain foolscap paper, with further heading ‘Sgoil Lorcáin / St. Lorcan’s School) (?) / An Irish School for Catholic Boys’. It states the ‘Object’ as ‘To provide an elementary & secondary education of a high type for Irish-speaking boys & for boys, not yet Irish-speaking, whom it is desired to educate on bilingual lines’. The ‘Chief Points of System’ are stated as (a) An Irish standpoint & “atmosphere”. (b) Bilingual Teaching as far as possible. (c) All language teaching on Direct Method. (d) Special attention to science & “modern” subjects generally. (e) Individual study of the temperaments & idiosyncrasies of the pupils with a view, above all, to the formation of character; (f) Cultivation of observation & reasoning by “nature-study” & otherwise. (g) Systematic teaching of patriotism & training in the duties of citizenship. (h) Physical culture: Irish games, etc. ‘School to be Catholic in tone. Religious instruction of pupils to be under the superintendence of a duly-appointed chaplain ..’, etc. It mentions that ’eminent specialists .. such as Eoin MacNeill, Dr. J.P. Henry etc. will, no doubt, be available’ to supplement the full-time staff, and suggests that a Summer-School in an Irish-speaking district should be established. ‘For this purpose I have available a cottage romantically situated in the most purely Irish-speaking parish in Connemara.’ Terms to be as moderate as possible – ‘say from seven guineas per annum up (with the usual reductions for brothers, etc.).’ * A four-page closely written ALS from Pearse, on Connradh na Gaedhilge paper, dated 4 Márta 1908, marked ‘Eadrainn Féin’ [confidential], addressed to ‘A Chara’, starting ‘I wonder whether I can interest you in a project which I have had at the back of my head for the last two or three years & which, with the support of some friends, I hope, if at all possible, to be able to proceed with this year? It is the project of an Irish High School for Catholic boys in Dublin. The arguments in favour of the establishment of such a school are irresistible. There is no Irish High School in Ireland. There is no High School for Catholic boys conducted by laymen in Ireland. My idea is to meet this two-fold need.’ Pearse outlines his long-standing interest in education, explains his academic plans (along the lines of the document quoted above), and says he is trying first to collect the necessary capital, and secondly, to get ‘such a number of guarantees from parents to send me their boys as would justify me in making a start next September. If you can help in the former direction I shall, needless to say, be very grateful; with regard to the second, I think you have boys who must now be approaching the proper age .. and I hope you will be able to send me these .. My going on depends mainly on my getting a sufficient number of promises of boys from parents. I hope you will be with me .. Kindly observe strict secrecy for the present, as it would never do for the thing to get talked about abroad before we are quite sure that we will be able to go ahead.’ With a good signature, ‘Mise do chara, Pádraic Mac Piarais’. * A second four-page ALS from Pearse on Connradh na Gaedhilge notepaper, dated 13 Márta 1908, to the same recipient, addressed as ‘A Chara Chroidhe’. ‘I am delighted to know that you share my ideas so fully & that, if I see my way to go ahead, I shall have your co-operation & help. Thanks in particular for your promise to send your boy. He will not be a bit too young in September next.’ He mentions Eoin MacNeill, who has not yet replied, and says ‘I