One of the remotest national schools in Donegal stood about ten miles equidistant from Ardara, Kilcar, and Carrick.  This was Crove/Croibh National School, No. 3499, which was founded about 1846.

Here generations of scholars ‘toiled up the steep hill of life’ to quote Thomas C. MacGinley, and toiled they did when learning their handwriting.  This basic skill, which now seems unnecessary, was a vital subject in primary schools (still is) as it enabled the pupils to deal effectively with the other subjects.

In Ireland the great influencer of children’s handwriting was Vere Foster (Google him), whose copy books were in use in every National school in Ireland, including Crove, up to the 1950s.

Here’s an image of a Vere Foster copy book which was in use in Irish schools up to the 1950s.

Below are a few examples of the Crove scholars’ handwriting from the 1920s and 1940s. First up is John Maloney from 1932. The first line was already printed, and the pupil had to copy another three lines. This was repeated twice.  John Maloney’s script is so perfect that it is hard to distinguish between the original and his writing. Did he go on to study calligraphy?

John Maloney again:

Here’s Mary Gavigan’s Irish script, 1922:

From Philomena Cannon, 1937:

Here’s Mary Ann Cannon’s compositions, 1946:

Mary Gavigan again, 1923:

Vere Foster suggests more supervision of teachers:

Much later, in 1895 Vere Foster ruffled the feathers of both the teachers and the school managers of South West Donegal by suggesting that the teachers of Ireland get an increase in salary, but would then have to receive more supervision.  At a meeting of the clergy and teachers in Kilcar in April 1875, this suggestion was voted down.  Some of the teachers present on that day were: J. Gallagher and P. Murray, Kilcar N.S.; T. C. MacGinley, Croagh N.S.; J. Fisher, Muckross N.S.; P. McCloskey, Meenavally N.S.; P. McIntyre, Carrick N.S.; C. Cunningham, Malinmore N.S.; J. Harvey, Crove N.S.; R. MacGinley, Castletown N.S.; F. Carr, Coguish N.S.; C. McDevitt, Straleel N.S.; Mrs Cassidy, Kilcar N.S.; Miss O’Donnell, Teelin N.S.; John C. Ward, Killybegs N.S. (Commons School).