For about six weeks every year from the year 1926 all classes ere abandoned to concentrate on preparing for the arrival f the Diocesan Religious Inspector, known only as "The Priest". Whoever he was, he was deaf the nuns claimed in the right ear, or the left ear, or both to make the children speak up. Best clothes had to be worn on the day. It was a dreadful thing to miss a question asked by the priest. One had to speak up and stand still. If that didn't knock you out your starched lace collar or the smell of the beeswax on the floor did.
What pupils did not know was that each class was given a mark for its answering. The nuns were given a report on their work afterwards. The first priest to take up the position of Diocesan Religious Inspector was Fr. John Nolan. He arrived consistently in January of every year. He recorded the number on rolls and the number present on the day he arrived. Very few children were absent on these days in spite of chilly weather, colds and flu. Fr. Nolan's first report is written in 1926. In that year he gave an overall mark to the school of 93% but Sr. Mary Paul's class got 96%. His marks are consistently in the 90 per cents going up to 97% in 1937. Fr. Peter Roche took over in 1940. He usually arrived in March and again he showers compliments on the school. He even notes that the first classes knew two acts of contrition, the short and long one. In 1956 Jeremiah J. Anglim D.R.I. was the yearly visitor. He awarded 99% for the Junior and first class boys in 1959. He says, "The answering of the boys in first class was a model of what his Lordship the Bishop would like answering in all classes from the First Class upwards to be. Without receiving or expecting help from any source each boy answered readily - and when the words of the Catechism were not in question - in his own words the question put to him. This type of answering ought to be assiduously encouraged in all post infant classes". Who was the teacher of these models in 1959? - Sr. Gobnait! The same Catechism was in use all the way through the school. Questions were marked by coloured dots. First the blue dots were learned, then pink, then black and then no dots at all.
Post Vatican 2 brought Fr. Foley, and an attempt to break the question and set answer routine and to take the fear out of religious examination. This certainly happened, but slowly. New books were drawn up, new child centred ideas based not on memorizing doctrine only but on learning to live the religion. Many still argue that old ways are best, and claim the children know nothing now. But think of the little girl who had to learn the question "We do not see God because he is a spirit and therefore cannot be seen with bodily eyes" who cheerfully said "the airport cannot be seen with wobbly eyes". Maybe it was time foray change!
The last D.R.I. was Father James Murray and then the 'team' took over. It is headed by Fr. Michael Funge and composed of priests, nuns and teachers. The children look forward to their coming. Gone is the worry and fear of missing questions. Now they all bounce out of their seats to show off what they know. Of course the three wise men are still bringing gold, Frankenstein and mirrors to Bethlehem, but will children ever be different? One thing still intrigues me did Fr. Anglim ever notice that the mat under his feet in Junior Infants appeared again in 1st, 3rd and 5th and that the other mat did Senior Infants 2nd , 4th and 6th ??
