Schools - Then and Now
(Part 11)
(Traceystown)
|
Maria Colfer & Margaret O'Gorman |
An application was made on February 9 1853 for funding to
cover the cost of the teacher's salary in Traceystown
school. The school was already functioning through private
funding, the fees being paid by the pupils, although it was
often found in schools at this time that some poorer
children were allowed to attend free, on the authority of the
manager. Before granting funding, the Commissioners for
Education insisted that a reasonable building and school
furniture were to be provided by the local community. In
the application of 1853 it was stated that the schoolhouse
was a one roomed slated building, 21 feet long x 14 feet
wide x 9 feet high and was built of lime and stone. There
were 6 desks, 6 feet long, with forms attached and one form
8 feet long.
Attendance and Manager
John White was the teacher and he was about 45 years old.
The average attendance was approximately 20 males and 10
females. The school operated from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in
winter and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in summer. The manager
was Rev. Loftus Brennan P.P. Taghmon. Religious
Instruction was given on Saturdays and after school hours.
A salary of £11 per annum was granted to John White. In
order to maintain the grant an inspector called regularly to
the school. Things must have gone smoothly in
Traceystown because there are no reports to the contrary or
indeed any reports at all until 1881 when Very Rev. Canon
W. Murphy applied for a salary for Mary Kehoe, which was
granted.
Other Teachers
In the inspector's report, in May 1894, the Principal, Mary
Fane was admonished for generally low proficiency of the
school, especially in grammar and geography and she was
threatened with a fine if she had not improved by the next
inspection. The manager agreed to admonish Mrs. Fane but
alludes to the youth of the pupils and the poverty of their
parents as extenuating circumstances in her case. In July
1895 Mrs. Fane applied for a retiring gratuity because she
was suffering from bronchitis, but she was refused as the
Medical Cert. contained no evidence of permanent
incapacity.
In 1897 the teacher was Marianne Redmond. She was
untrained at the time but in 1900 she went to Mary
Immaculate Training College in Limerick and was one of
the first teachers to be trained there.
In 1904 the Board threatened to discontinue funding
unless proper desks and school furniture were provided. It
was also observed that there were 53 on the rolls although
there was only floor space suitable for 37 pupils. The
Board refused a grant towards the cost of enlarging the
school, but by 1905 an extension was completed through
local funding.
Miss Redmond (later Mrs. Rossiter) retired from teaching
prematurely because she suffered from severe arthritis. She
was replaced by Miss Cox. She was a native of John St. in
Wexford from where she cycled every Monday morning.
She stayed in Taghmon during the week and returned to
Wexford for the weekends.
The school in Traceystown was described as a
picturesque building enclosed in a pretty railed garden. The
children played in the local Knockerone quarry and
sometimes in Cody's field, although this was not really
approved of by Mr.Cody!
During the early years of the twentieth century
Traceystown became a two teacher school and the teachers
were Mrs. Parle (formerly Miss Bennett who taught in
Caroreigh) and Mrs. Kehoe. A new school was built in
1960. Mrs. Kehoe was replaced by Miss Rita Curtis of
Wexford who had also taught in Caroreigh. When Mrs.
Parle retired the school reverted to a one teacher school
once again. Rita Curtis continued as principal until she
moved to Taghmon when Traceystown was finally closed
in 1976
One of the most noted past pupils of Traceystown school
is Monsignor Micheal Ledwith of Main Street, Taghmon,
who became president of Maynooth College.
Pupils at Traceystown School in 1928
Back Row (l to R): Kate Williams, Josephine Williams
Front Row: Mary Seery, Margaret Cullen
Front Row (l to r): Pat Donnelly RIP, Sonny Fanning, Jimmy O'Connor, Matt Fanning RIP, Paddy McGee
2nd Row: Betty O'Sullivan, Margaret O'Connor, Bridie Fanning RIP, Katie Roche, Annie
Donnelly RIP, Eileen O'Connor, Kitty Curran, Kitty Donnelly, Joan Maye
3rd Row: Sadie Kehoe, Maggie Roche, Mary McGee RIP, Maeve Crosbie RIP, Mary Fanning,
Bridie O'Connor, Margaret (Maggie) O'Sullivan, Bridie McGee RIP, Stella Crosbie
Back Row: Kathleen O'Connor RIP, Lar Crosbie RIP, Mark Jeffers RIP, Matt Cleary, Mike
Donnelly RIP, Jimmy O'Leary RIP, Patrick O'Connor RIP, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Roche RIP