Letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill, 20 April 1916.
complaint of the people who produce books to meet
the syllabus of the Intermediate Board, though
some of the words in 'Kidnapped' to which exception
is taken are good English words and in one case
Irish. Will you, if you see no objection, bring
the matter before the Board for their consideration. Yours sincerely,
Matthew Nathan.
The Right Hon.
W.J.M. Starkie, M.A., Litt.D.,LL.D.,
Board of National Education,
Marlborough Street,
Dublin. 2 INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION BOARD FOR IRELAND.
MEMORANDUM with regard to the objections raised to 'Kidnapped.' 1.That the book is copyright and that money will therefore
go from Ireland to England. The Board deliberately selected a book of which an
annotated school edition could not be brought out. The Board
were led to adopt this course because they find that where such
editions are brought out an immense amount of time and labour
is expended on learning the notes by heart. 2. That the atmosphere is Scotch and so uncongenial to the
vast majority of Irish boys. A similar objection might be
urged against many of Scott's novels which have frequently been
on the Board's programme, without exception being taken to them.
There seems nothing in the book to which the least exception
could be taken by any fair minded person, and the book itself
should be interesting to young people. 3. That the language is in parts incomprehensible to Irish
boys. This is of course true of many of Scott's works also.
As to the list of words appended several are either good English
or well known Scotticisms. In other cases the meaning is
perfectly obvious from the context. One or two are Gaelic.
This is a letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill.The letter regards complaints made about Robert Louis Stevenson's book 'Kidnapped'. Nathan claims the words which exception is being taken are good English words, asking MacNeill to take the matter to the Intermediate Board. There is an enclosure of a memorandum regarding the objections about the book. It states that the book contains Scottish words, incomprehensible to Irish boys and therefore should not be on the syllabus.Sir Matthew Nathan (1862 - 1939) was the under-secretary for Ireland from 1914 to 1916. In 1916 Nathan offered his resignation following the outbreak of the Easter Rising. John Gordon Swift MacNeill (1849 - 1926) was a jurist and politician. He was MP for South Donegal from 1887 until 1918.
How to cite
Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__0276.html)
- Place
- Dublin Castle
- Mentioned in
- Letter from Eileen Murray to the Government Compensations Claim Office, 16 May 1916
- Letter from Major W. Kinsman to Robert Chalmers, 27 May 1916
- Letter from John Harold Smith-Wright to the Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, 31 May 1916
- Letter from J. Smith Wright to Edward O'Farrell, 5 June 1916.
- Letter from Edward Joseph McWeeney to Robert Chalmers, 10 May 1916
- Letter from Stanislaus Murphy to Robert Chalmers, 10 May 1916
- Letter from William H. Welply to Edward O'Farrell, 10 May 1916.
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill, 20 April 1916.
- Letter from William Phillip Miles to Robert Chalmers, 13 May 1916
- Letter from the Resident Medical Superintendent of Kilkenny to William Richard Dawson, 21 June 1916
- Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 April 1916
- Note from the Chief Crown Solicitor to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 February 1916
- Letter from A. P. Lynch to Sir Reginald H Brade, 12 May 1916.
- Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Matthew Nathan, 30 Mar 1916
- Letter to the Chief Secretary, 9 May 1916.
- Letter from J. Simpson, for the Assistant Financial Secretary in the War Office, London to the Chief Crown Solicitor, Dublin Castle, 22 February 1916
- Place
- Board of National Education, Marlborough Street, Dublin
- Mentioned in
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill, 20 April 1916.
- Mentioned in
-
- Letter from James Brown to Matthew Nathan, 1 April 1916
- Letter from Patrick Lavery to Sir Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916
- A letter from Thomas W. Delany to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916
- Letter from W. Burrows to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 April 1916
- Telegram from W. Burrows to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 April 1916
- Letter from Max S. Green to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916
- Letter from James Langan to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916
- Letter from Thomas Patrick Gill to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916
- Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain, 1 May 1916
- Letter from Alexander Crawford to Matthew Nathan, 17 March 1916
- Letter from Alexander Crawford to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 March 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to John Gordon, 30 March 1916
- Letter from William Edward Thrift to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916
- Letter from Hastings Dare Draper to Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916
- Letter from William Edward Thrift to Sir Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916
- Letter from Basil Home Thomson, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 7 March 1916
- Letter from Maurice de Bunsen to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916
- Letter from Blake & Kenny to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 April 1916
- Letter from Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone to Sir Mathew Nathan, 22 April 1916
- Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 21 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 20 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 April 1916
- Letter from C. J. Hyder to Sir Matthew Nathan, 8 May 1916
- Letter from John Bay to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 April 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 19 April 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to Stanislaus Murphy, 18 April 1916
- Letter from H.S. Hunter to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill, 20 April 1916.
- Letter from R. Hutchinson to Sir Matthew Nathan, under-secretary for Ireland, 2 May 1916
- Letter from Bertram Cubitt to Matthew Nathan, 23 May 1916
- Letter from Patrick Clarke to Matthew Nathan, 21 May 1916
- Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 17 January 1916
- Letter from Robert Brown to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Brown to Sir Matthew Nathan, 22 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 19 January 1916
- Letter from Thomas J. O'Connell to Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916
- Letter from Ernest G. Moggridge to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916
- Letter from Thomas J. O'Connell to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916
- Letter from Francis Henry Downing to Matthew Nathan, 13 April 1916
- Letter from Francis Henry Downing to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916
- Letter from Henry Williams to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916
- Letter from F. A. Downing, County Solicitor, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 November 1915
- Letter from B. B. Cubitt, War Office, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 December 1915
- Letter from John R. Moorhead to Sir Matthew Nathan, 8 December, 1915
- Letter from S.C. Harrison to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 February 1916
- Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Alexander McDowell, 3 November 1915
- Letter from P. A. Murphy to Sir Matthew Nathan, 5 February 1916
- Letter from Thomas Parr to the Under-Secretary, 22 April 1916
- Letter from Michael O'Connell to the Under-Secretary, Dublin Castle, 22 April 1916
- Letter from Maurice McCartie to the Under Secretary, 25 March 1916
- Letter from A.R. Barlas to Matthew Nathan, 18 February 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to the Treasury, 3 March 1916
- Letter from T.H. Milroy to the under-secretary, 8 March 1916
- Letter from John Pedder to Matthew Nathan, the Under-Secretary for Ireland, 6 April 1916
- Letter from John Garvey to the under-secretary, 16 April 1916
- Letter from John Pedder to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 27 March, 1916
- Letter from W.A.F. Barry to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 June 1916
- Letter from James D Mitchell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 20 June 1916
- Letter from Paul Biggane to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 3 May 1916
- Letter from the War Office to the Under Secretary, 31 December 1915
- Letter from William J. Thompson to the Under Secretary, 31 March 1916
- Letter from M.C. Seton to the Under Secretary, 1 December 1915
- Letter from the Controller, Foreign Trade Department, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 19 February 1916
- Letter from the Earl of Shaftesbury to Matthew Nathan, 15 February 1916
- Letter from Patrick Higgins to sir Matthew Nathan, 10 January 1916
- Letter from Under Secretary of State for the Home Office to the Under Secretary for Ireland, 10 January 1916
- Letter from Alfred E. West to Matthew Nathan, 3 January 1916
- Letter from Alfred E. West to sir Matthew Nathan, 29 December 1915
- Letter from Colfer & Son, solicitors, to sir Matthew Nathan, 22 December 1915
- Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916
- Letter from Charles Daly to sir Matthew Nathan, 16 December 1915
- Letter from Thomas W. Kilpatrick to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 April 1916
- Letter from W. Black to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Note from the Chief Crown Solicitor to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 February 1916
- A letter from J.J. Purdon to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Letter from William R. Fetherstonhaugh to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Letter from J.W. Russell to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1916
- Letter from Hugh Crawford Cochrane to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Letter from David Roche Browning to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- A letter from J.A. Frith to sir Matthew Nathan, 20 December 1915
- Letter from William French to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Letter from Frank Shawe-Taylor to Matthew Nathan, 18 December 1915
- A letter from John Furlong to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915
- Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916
- Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 25 February 1916
- Letter from Major Luscombe to Sir Matthew Nathan, 30 January 1916
- Letter from William J. Thompson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 21 January 1916
- Letter from Sir Thomas Little Heath to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 February 1916
- Letter from the Alexander Richard Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 February 1916
- Letter from A R Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916
- Letter from the Louis C.P. Smith to Sir Matthew Nathan, 3 March 1916
- Letter from Henry Doran to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916
- Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Sir William Graham Greene, 20 April 1916
- Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Matthew Nathan, 30 Mar 1916
- Letter from Arthur Hamilton Norway to Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916
- Letter from Robert Lonsdale to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 March 1916
- Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Sir Matthew Nathan, 3 April 1916
- Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916
- Letter from Sir John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 27 March 1916.
- Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 4 April 1916
- Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 April 1916
- Letter from William M. Nolan to Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916
- Letter from William M. Nolan to Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916
- Letter from John Pedder to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916
- Letter from Andrew M. Harper to Matthew Nathan, 1 November 1915
- Letter from Andrew M. Harper to Matthew Nathan, 21 November 1915
- Letter from J. F. Henderson to Matthew Nathan, 28 April 1916
- Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916
- Telegraph from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 23 March 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 22 March 1916
- Letter from John R. Moorhead to Robert Brown, 18 January 1916
- Letter from Graham Roger to Matthew Nathan, 20 April 1916
- Letter from Michael O'Connor to Matthew Nathan, 25 April 1916
- Letter from C. A. Hunter, Regimental Paymaster, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 December 1915
- Letter from S.C Harrison to Sir Matthew Nathan, 5 March 1916
- Letter from W. A. Tait to the Under-Secretary, 21 April 1916
- Letter from J. T. Roche to the Under-Secretary for Ireland, 15 April 1916
- Letter from John Peddar to Matthew Nathan, 22 January 1916
- Letter from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 5 February 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to Basil Blackwood, 26 February 1916
- Letter from J. des Longchamps to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916
- Letter from Matthew Nathan to James MacMahon, 10 January 1916
- Letter from Richard Power, Mayor of Waterford, to Matthew Nathan, 22 November 1915
- Letter from Henry Campbell to Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916
- Letter from J. Studdert to Matthew Nathan, 11 December 1915
- Letter from the Under Sheriff to Matthew Nathan, 31 December 1915
- Letter from J.B.Donnelly to Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916
- Letter from Major John Johnstone (Commandant Prisoners of War) to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916
- Letter from the Crown Solicitor, Cavan, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916
- Letter from A R Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916
- Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 February 1916
- Letter from William J. Thompson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916