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Axrniii. 65
Belfast contains two scminaries of public foundation, the history of which
is interesting in itself, and derives additional value from the fact, that they have
furnished models for important educational improvements in other places, and
are intimately connected with a great religious change which has recently taken
place in Ulster.
The “ BELFAST ACADEMY” was founded, by subscription, in the year 1785.
It was intended to contain a higher, or college department, on the plan of the
Scotch Universities, and a. lower, or school department, in which, for the first
time, the principle of the division of labour, as acted on in the Scotch Univer-
sities, was applied to the more elementary parts of education. It consisted of
a number of separate schools, each of which had a separate school-room and
a separate master. Over the whole was placed a “ PRINCIPAL,” charged with
the general superintendence of the institution. The first mover of this under-
taking was the Rev. Dr. Crombie, a Presbyterian minister in Belfast The
original prospectus, drawn up by him, is still extant; it proves him to have
been a man of most enlarged views, and far in advance of his age. He was
appointed the first Principal; and it seems certain that, in accepting the oflice,
he had no other motive than to benefit his country and his fellow-men. It
brouglit him no emolument at all proportioned to the sacrifice of time and case
which its duties implied. He died in March, 1790, and was succeeded by the
Rev. Dr. Bruce, who, for a short time, continued Dr. Cronibiels endeavours
to sustain the college department. But the political excitement of those (l“.Y5
withdrew men's attention from all other objects; and Dr. Bruce, constitution-
ally less ardent and enterprising than his predecessor, gave up the attempt as
hopeless, and confined his attention to the effective administration of the lower
department.’-‘-'
The founders of the Belfast Academy had contemplated that it should
furnish candidates for the I’i'esbytcrian ministry with that college education
which they had hitherto sought in the Scotch Universities; and this had been
‘ This contained five schools--l. The Classical School. 2. The Mathematical and Mtmlnllle scllml
(for aritliinetic, geograpliy, and mathematics). 3. The Writing School (forpeninansliip and sliort-liaud alone)-
4' “"3 English School (in which were taught. reading: 5P“lll“gi g"’"'"m"l'i "locum"? and the elemfnis of mm-
lml‘l“")- 5- The French School. The masters of these schools, though subordinate to the Prineifali “'3”
mm his ""I’l0.'l9'-9; they stood to him nearly in the same relation which the Fellows of a Collfge be” fol“
Head, or the officers of a re,-iment to its Colonel. Justice to the respectable: "ml l“ “me msmlcu dim"-
Kulslled men who have filled these mastersliips, requires this to be stated; forin the present tl-“Y "'V9‘:‘Y m‘”‘ ‘''l’:
sets up a private school calls it an at Academy” dubs himself its is Principal,” and calls his ushers i‘l:l.5lE'l'3.
But, in the language’ of D,‘ Cmmhie and his ,-e”o“.phboum.5,, “Academy! means an assemblage of distinct
5“-ll‘-’0l3 : the Head of each of these schools is called its “ Masten" he ls Paid l“‘l“P9“de"“-V bl’ bl’ ow" Pupils’
and employs ushers 0, assistants under him as occasion may require. His situation gives him a coinfortaolo
lnmm‘-‘n and a respectable position in society.