OUR SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1710, 29 March 1913, Page 2

OUR SCHOOLS.

REVIEW OF THE PAST YEAR. THE TRAINING OF THE TEACHER. COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE: SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS IN THE LAW. The oniiunl report of the chairman (Mr. Robert Lee) of the Education Board of - the district of Wellington, for the year 1912, states that at the cud of 1911 there were 109 schools in operation. Luring the past year now schools, in each case household schools, were opened at Knrapoti, Mona, Stronvar, and \Veraiti: Schools we closed ait Horokiwi, Kaikuri, Mona, Ngapopotu. Thus at the end of tho year there wer© 1G!) schools in operation. ATTENDANCE. Tho average roll and attendance for the four quarters were:— Roll. ' Attendance. March 17,828 16,304 Juue 17,907 1(5,031 September 17,971 18,OU December 18,247 16,445

Year 18,003 16,198 Tho average attendance was thus 90 per tent of the average roll number, a result very . Satisfactory, considering , tliat epidemics prevailed during nioro than half the year. The truant officer paid 766 Visits to schools, dealt with over- 3000 cases of irregular attendance, (enrolled 20 non-atltenders, and took proceedings in tile case of 100 well-seasoned irregulars. 32 cases convictions were recorded, and in the remaining 18 procewlings were discontinued owing to improved I attendance or other sufficient reason, It is suggested that the law as it relates to compulsory attendance may with advantage be amended in tho following respects: (a) The tradesman who employs a child ot school ago during school hours, e.g., ftn a delivery cart, should, equally with the parents,, be liable to prfisecutioh and M Tho parent who neglects to enrol liis child should, by reason of his llcglect, bo immediately liable to action just as tho parent of an irregular child How is. (c) i'lie case of the Uncontrollable Or neglected child presents a real difficulty. At present commitment ito a training institution follows misdemeanour- It is worthy of tho most earnest Consideration whether on proper evidence, say, of the board, tho School Committee, or the head, teacher, that 'the child is uncontrollable Or neglected, the magistrate should be empowered to commit to a training institution before, not after, A breach of tile law has been committed. It can hardly be doubted that the sound discipline thus Imposed at an earlier ago would result not only in immediate moral and physical gain to the child, but also in ultimate ghill, moral, economic, and monetary to the State.

' TEACHING STAFF. . Of the adult teachers, 131 men and 231 women possess certificates; 77 nto uncertificated, 10 of whom are holders of a license to teach. The per&ntage of fully CerhficnJted teachers is stationafv at 84.4. I hero wire enrolled 97 students at the Training College during tho year, tlireo of Whom withdrew before the end of tho year. Of tho 94 left there were | 2.i men and 69 women. . Tho districts | woi'o represented as follow :-Wellington, 38; Hftwko's Bay, 24; Wrttiganui, 15; Taranaki, 0; Nelson, 7; Marlborough, 3; Westland, 1; Mr. J. S. Tennant, M.A., B.Sc., the new principil, asstiiued control at the beginning ot the year. Largely owing to the friendly co-operation of tho teachers, tho plan, sinco embodied in regulations, of sending tho students to selected schools in the city for-increased teaching practice, undef ordinary school conditions, proved successful beyond expectation,'and will be continued during tlie current year. It is tho earnest disifo of/ tho; board to-send out from the institu-" tioir young- teachers in whom & high ideal is linked, with hn adequate practical skill,!, and, in order to devote sufficient tnno to such practical twining, it is most desirable that the students slibuld bis relieved of milch of tho work now devoted to preparation for certificate ntld university examinations. This should come about not so much by' curtailing, the hours of study as by large modifications of the present requirements for diplomas, and more especially by mueh-necdcd reform in university work. As thinsrs nat present, they ili-6 face to face with tlifl necessity of Obtaining ft high classification m existing examinations, without which gobd appointments will not com© their way. If this Training College served lift other purpose than to assist students in this direction, then the intellectual advancement aimed at woiild be a laudable object; but, inasmuch as it is a training ground in the art of teaching, and is a preparation ground for the actual work in' the life of llio teacher, -it fails in its duty if at becomes mainly an institution of learning the facts which will enable a suitable memory to satisfy a written examination. Doubtless learning and teaching should go. hand in hand; but the learning should be the natural but assisted growth of the teacher's mind/ and tho training should equip tho student for his professional Work, A ueiv regulation i permits principals of training colleges to recommend students for classification without other formal examination; and this is all that is necessary for tho relief of training colleges, provided they are not handicapped with tho work of preparation fbr higher classification. Tho more advanced students, especially those who aim at secondary * work, should have access in a limited degree to university classes; but they-will have plenty of time before them for completing their university course after their period of training has expired. With an increase of numbers quite beyond the capacity of the present institution to ncconnnodate (they aro Over 110 for 1913); it becomes highly necessary, for. the sake of that efficiency for which tlio cfillegG ovists, that tho board should tm furnished with funds to enable the remainder o,f tlie buildings at ICelburne to be proceeded With.

DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS. Thd aumb&f 6f District Ilifeh Schools was illcrcascd to nine by the owning of a Secondary department at Eketahlina. Of tho tuml course undertaken 'at most of tho Dist-ict High Schools the inspectors report: "111 the carrying out of this rural programme the teachers are becoming- more efficient, and tho pVacticnl work ill the laboratory,dud in the g&rdeh,is ehoWihg improvement year by. yew. Tlid lost competition for the board's B senior scholul-shijis—those reserved for scholars talcing this course—was tho keenest yet hblil, and the general arerago of', marks given for practical work was very satisfactory." ' " SCHOLARSHIPS. The following scholarships were awarded on tho results of the Department's examination:—Junior Iktitll, l!Hj Senior Hoard A, 5; Senior Board B (rural scholarships), 5. Fivo Junior NAtidnal Scholarships were awarded. Tho board views with satisfaction tho improvement lit Hid candidates from small JchOols At tho sitmo time tho board desires to emphasise its Opinion that ill tin! best interests of cduChtioii tlw -work in our schools sluiuhl be as littlo as possible concenieu with preparation for examinations. In all there are 20,171 pupils in tho Wellington Education District, who aro being- instructed in rcoognised manual and technical classes. v

PHYSICAL DRILL AND MEDICAL INSPECTION. Tho inspectors report that suitable physical exercises, including dee,) breathing, ore given in practically/all, and military drill in our larger, schorls. The boaril icgards with approval the establishment of- a system of medical inspection of school children, which marks the most .considerable advance rfoelitly mado in educational administration in New Zealand. It welcomes also the prospect of a sound system of physical training. Provided thcSo sister s.Vsteltis for the attainment Of physical well-being are developed with wisdom and discretion, llipy should result ill Untold benefit to the men and Women of 10-momw. And as the earnest, teacher is always oil the outlook for what will benefit? the child, the board is assured .that in the Carrying out of a wifelydevised scheme, tho heartv co-operation of its teflchers may be relied On. The bJllclHs of a medical inspection scllWito depend lastly ami hil'gely oil tho interest, syniliithy,, and action of tki pai-ont-And

hero the board has more than hope, it liu-S knowledge, of instances in which the wise parent lias with benefit to the child followed suggestions for treatment wadoby tho medical inspector. It way be that presently tlio perfect development of tho child in body and mind will becomo tho passion of tho many, us it now is of the few, PICTURES. The board has continued its policy of endeavouring to cultivate in tho children attending its schools 'an appreciation of the beautiful in art.« Copies of pictures, selected with oaro, for-artistic merit, havo been framed and sent one each to our largest schools near the city, and others will 1m sent to tho larger Schools in the outlying parts -of the district. Committees are also encouraged by subsidy themselves to frame good pictures, and to piwido fresh books for the eohool library, RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE. The year began with a credit balance of <£3SG6 13s. 9d., the receipts wore .£126,IGO 10s. 9d., the disbursements >£125,413 18s. lOd., leaving a credit balance of .£4315 ss. Sd.

■ INSPECTORS' KEPOET. In connection with Bftllool attendance, the annual report of tho inspectors of Schools (Messrs. T. R. Fleming and P. 11. Blokowflll) states that tho increase in tho roll number of the district, though very gradual, is consistent; as the following figures for tho last five years will show' Year. Roll. Increaso, ■ 1307 lti.MG - 1 1908 17,416 480 1909 17,701 \ 345 1910 17,893 132 1911 '. 18,089 ' 11)6 1912 18,379 290 Total for five years... 1443 The estimate of tlio efficiency of the schools, summarised fixrnr details iii tho inspection and examination reports, is as follows;— Satisfactory to good 149 Sto .i 1G Inforior 5

< Total 170 The above results indicate a generally satisfactory condition of efficiency, the twelve per cent,. of Willy inefficient schools being as tistial, with a few ex-ceptions-in Grades O hnd I, the grades for which such great diffioulty is experienced in finding suitable teachers. ,The board ha® in this matter taken full advantage of tlio grant rtiado by the Department for itho purpose of providing some ■ nifeodutt) of training and instruction for the teachers in these outlying schools. Classes have been held for theft benefit at. the Training College, and gratifying results have been obtained, but,. unfortunately, without much aupreol'ablo reduction in tlio number of unqualified teachers, inasmuch as no sooner do fsuch teachers become wholly or even partially certificated than they are attracted to better paid positions, and the board is again compelled to fill theft- places with raw material. It .would appear tha't with the low salaries and tho unavoidable disadvantages of their environment, the problem of suitably staffing our backblock Schools is as far off as ever.