THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1428, 1 May 1912, Page 5

THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

YEAR REVIEWED. EDUCATION BOAED'S REPORT. According to the annual report of tfie Wellington Education Bonrsl for the j-ciir ended March 81, 1912, tabled at'tho board's meeting yesterday, there were »t tlie end of 1910 l<so schools ia operation. l)uring 1911 new Kihools wow opened ;il I'ori, Wiiakapuni, Manuhara, Jloiw, Maungamii, Wnihoangn, Aohanga, lla!;<.nm, CiirringUiu, and Koimandaie; ivliilo a small school at Admiral Kun was closed. Thus at the end of (ho year tli«>re were 1(59 schools in operation. The average roll and attendance for She respective (Hiarlers and the yoar were:— Average Average ~ , 8011. Attendance March. 17,014 10,380 June V,W'i 15,728 September 17,731 15,470 December 17,955 16,347 Year 17,741 15,981 Improved Attendance. "Last year for the first time the la\f required the child to attend 'whenever tlio school i<; open.' An increasing degree of regularity was at once observed, Jliirch quarter reaching an average of !)2 per cent. Bui severe epidemics widely prevailed during tlio following quarters, fo that the percentage for the vear was but 90.1, an extremely good result in the circumstances. The corresponding fignres for the preceding years were: 1909, SH.G per cent.; 1910, SB.B per cent. The co-operation of parent, teacher, and board Ims resulted in'a steady growth of the habit of regularity, and it is to bo added that the wise support of the board's ef•fort.s by tlio magistracy lias made (ho way of the transgressor increasingly hard, it may be confidently affirmed that tlm system of periodic report of absentees, of transfers and withdrawals is so nearly complete as to enable the board fo know and puisne any parent in the Wellington district who seeks to evade the law." The Board's Staff. The .total number of teachers'in the board's service, including pupil teachers and probationers, is 506 (IG7 men and 33!) women). Of the adult teachers 133 men and 217 women, total 350, possess certificates; fis were unccrtificated, six of whom were holders of a license to teach. The percentage of fully certificated ■ teachers lias risen from 81,8 to 81.3. Manual and Technical. The following table shows,tlio subjects of instruction in recognised manual and technical classes, the number of schools earning capitation (shown in narcnthojies), and the total number of pupils. Capitation was earned by 125 schools in 1911, as compared with 118 in 1911). Well-kept guldens are found in the grounds of several schools, which, for various reasons, are unable to qualify for capitation , in agriculture:—

Handwork (107), 11.95G: elementary agriculture (59j, 1441; needlework, with instructor when head teacher is u rami (18). "58; elementary chemistry (11), 4,10; elementary physios ((>;, 257; physiology and first aid (1G), 591; swimming mid life-sav-ing (9), 73G; elementary physical measurements (9), CBG; dairy work' (2), 40; botany (G), 281; dressmaking (7), 16(1; oookorv, Wnirarapn and Pahiahw centres (5), 233j cookery, Wellington centre(l2), 492; cookcry, l'otono centre (2), 11G; cookery, Manawatu (2), 74; woodwork, Wellington centra (14), 1344; woodwork, Petone centre (2) 235; woodwork, Wairarapa and Paliiatim centres (ft), 310; woodwork, Manawatu centre (1), G(i; building cqnsl.Tuct.ion and drawing (5), 11G; mensuration and surveying (2), 54; total, 19,898. Buildings and Finance, ' New school buildings woro erected from grants at Waihoangn, Lower Mutt (Infant .Department), Cnrrington and Normandaie, and additions were nuulo I,t grants at Paraparaumu, Worpor Hay, and Kilbirnie Schools with partial reconstruction of the last-named. The new school to replace that- destroyed by firo at Pnhinlua was completed; and science aud cookery rooms have been formed by the- removal and refitting of. buildings formerly on the old site. Grants Were also received io replace schools destroyed by _ fire at Saundcrs (one room), and lvaiwaiwni (two rooms), and the-former was completed. The rebuilding of tho Johnsonvillo School is approaching completion. Conveniences were roconsmieted at three- schools, and at five city and suburban schools they wero connected with drainage and high pressure, water service. Fifteen schools and six residences were overhauled. A now resilience was erected at Mangamairo and improvements were effected at ten other residences. ■ It has been the endeavour of the board to add, as far as is possible, to tho comfort of country teachers. Tho board urges that it bo provided with, more money for this very desirable- purpose. The board hopes to be in a position to begin shortly tho orectiou of the school and college at Kelburne.

Tho year began with a debit balance of .£360 7s. 5d., tlio receipts wcro ,£12O,!IO7 2s. 2d., the.disbursements .£llO,-ili2 Is., leaving a credit balance of £3,568 18s. !)d. Necessary reconstructions to 'bo undcrtnkon in the near future will make heavy demands on tho funds of the board. For manual ami technical purposes ten claims were received for Government subsidy, ami for district' lurli . school purposes eleven claims. Besides, the board has, in a number of instances, boon pleased to assist by subsidy those committees who, by their own efforts, tire improving tho school premises ami grounds. .Tho board has aimed at cultivating by supply of Rood pictures the artistic taste of scholars, and it is now arranging for mounting, in all the larger schools a better election, souse of which Inspector Temuuit brought from Kntrtaml. During Hip yew thn board issued a sußßOstiye list of books suitable for school libraries. As a result. a considerable number of committees rind teachers havo availed themselves el the subsidies offerod. Amounts ranging from a few shillings to S5 Ikivo thiis been contributed to tho library fmids of tlnitv schools. Tim board lms observed with pleasure the wise encouragement to sound readine offered by the Wellington City Council and its library staff. At urn Public Library n special room is *t npnst for children's books, and .is placed in charge of an assistant; specially qualinw , for this particular work.