Monitoress Scholar

hblock21

Hi,

I'm wondering does anybody know what a "Monitoress Scholar" is / was?

Its down as an occupation here http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tipperary/Caher/Old_Church_Street/813304/

I've searched google with no luck.

Thanks

P. Breathnach

A monitor(ess) was a student who became an assistant teacher (I note a monitor on the return as well as the monitoress/scholar). I am not sure if it was a paid role. It was a type of apprenticeship on the way to becoming a teacher.

A little discussion of the role here: http://www.teachnet.ie/jstacey/website/firstnational.htm

Kalimah

My grandfather(born 1903) was a monitor but for some reason never completed his training. If you read any old Victorian novels with school scenes they mention monitors.

thesilvervoice

Kalimah wrote: »

My grandfather(born 1903) was a monitor but for some reason never completed his training. If you read any old Victorian novels with school scenes they mention monitors.

My Grandfather was also a monitor in Kilkenny National School, near Glenties in Co. Donegal, in about 1916,. Bright students were often selected to be assistant teachers. In my grandfather's case, he attended St Patrick's Teacher Training College in 1917, under the patronage of the then bishop of Raphoe. It was not at all unusual to have 'untrained' teachers in schools even in later years. In the National School I attended in the 1950s, the headmaster was fully trained but the other teacher who taught the younger 50% of pupils was 'untrained', I believe the Monitor system was no longer in use by that time.