EDUCATIONAL SURVEY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 233, 20 June 1918, Page 7

EDUCATIONAL SURVEY

THE YEAR'S OPERATIONS REVIEWED WORK OF THE WELLINGTON BOARD 'J'lie annual report of the Wellington '.Education Board was laid before members at the meeting of tho board yesterday. It contained an interesting survey ot operations in Hie Wellington education district for the year 1917. During tho year ten small schools were closed and six were opened, so that at tho end of the year there, were in operation 231 schools, a decrease of four since the end of 1916. A side-school was opened at Seatoun. The following table summarises tho average attendance numbers for the year;— Average Attendance. Quarter. Bovs. Girls. Total. March "11.465 10,359 21,85 i June 11,391 10,222 21,615 September 11,293 10,088 21,381 Xlpcember ■ 11.750 10,616 22,366 Mean for year 11,475 10,329 21,801 Medical Inspection. In relation to medical inspection and physical instruction, the boaTd notes with pleasure-.—(1) The appointment of fcehool nurse. (2) Tho improvement of the condition of weak and defective children through corrective classes, and the •treatment secured by the parent on the recommendation of the inspector. It appears that 70 per cent, of reported cases received treatment required. When fhe education of the parent is completed, 3io doubt 100 per cent, will'receive the proper treatment. (3) The efforts of tho medical inspector and school staff to secure the sympathy and co-operation of the parent. School Buildings, During the year the Seaview School *as removed to a position midway between Seaview and Starborough, thus serving the purposes of two districts. Additions were erected at Maraniri and .Deep Creek; and new buildings. In extension of existing buildings, were.proTided at Lansdowno (open air), Ohariu, AVadestown, Pongaroa. Urgent works only have been carried out bul the increase of numbers in the vicinity of the city has been 6uch as to compel the board either to erect permanent building additions or to make temporary arrangements. Increased accommodation is being provided at Levin and Upper Hutt, and a new school is under construction at Seatoun. Tenders .have lieen called for increased accommodationat Island Bay and Maranui, and the plans of tho main Normal School block at Kelburn aro in preparation. Increased accommodation must bo provided in the immediate future at the following schools:—Berhampore, Muritai, Eastern Hutt, Mastertou West (where a site has been acquired), Lansdowne, Khandallab, tend Pliumierton. ■ Attendance Figures. The number on the roll at the end of i the year was 21,360, compared with 23,726 nt the end of 1916, an increase of 634. •The average roll increased by 715, and the average attendance by 981. The overage attendance was 90.6 per cent, of the average roll for the year. The regularity of attendance, thus improved by U per cent., and, but for prevalent sickness in the September quarter, would liave quite equalled that of 1915 (91 per cent.). The board is of opinion that a legal penalty should bo imposed on tho , unscrupulous employer who engaged • children still below the- standard or age ; jof exemption.! Teaching Staff. The following were tho numbers of teachers, pupil teachers, and probation- .< ere in the service of tho board at the lend of the year:— Men. Women. Tl. 'Heads of schools' 82 13 95 Sole teachers 22 135 157 'Assistants 50 322 372 .' • Total adults ;...;... 151 170 621 c (Pupil teachers 15 38 53 I " ' IC9- 508" 077 n (Probationers '..'..... 1 43 47 Total, including pupil c teachers and proba- « tioners '.- 173 551 724 The corresponding total for 1916 was ' J22. r The Year's Works, ' Many works were again postponed be- i teause of the scarcity of labour and material and the consequent high cost, Such ? as were undertaken were carried out at greatly increased cost. The. .board trusts f that the Kelburn Normal School will ' this year Teach completion. The board . wishes to emphasise the opinion previous- ± 3y expressed that in the interests of I healthy boyhood and girlhood and of j' •found education the present unfavourable conditions should be ended at the earliest possible moment. It earnestly trusts that, as a result of the coiisidera- j. tion the matter is now receiving at the . hands of the Government, the site, ?en- ? orally approved by the neople' of Wellington, may, within the next ■• few months, be made available for the Tech- ? Bical School. ' School Libraries, j A number of subsidies for school lib- a paries were granted, but committees gen- j n

[ orally have not fully iLvuilcd themselves of the opportunity of providing at", small cost interesting and instructive library reading matter. The City Council has continued its successful and beneficial library scheme, which now embraces 21 city and suburban schools. To meet tlio growing requirements nearly (iOOfl volif limes wero procured. 'J'he Onslow and Karori Councils arranged with the city for supply-to their schools, and tho board notes with pleasure tho cstnblishment of a children's library schcmo by n tho Petono Borough Council. iAidcd Schools. y 'I'ho board approves the increased capiu tation allowed for set tiers in isolated placet:. L lie problem of tlio education! o ot tho Sounds children is, however, not. t to be finally and effectively met by an i- increased capitation. 0 i- Finance. i- On January 1, 1017, there was a net a balance jo credit amounting to .tli/Sl 10s. 2d.. The following is a summary of the receipts and payments lor the year:— Receipts, ,£IS'!,(ISB Is. .'id.; payments, 1 «i! 176,102 18s. 2d. On December 31, 1917, 5 the net balance to credit amounted to 1 .£11,3<i7 2s. 3d., of which sum .£OOOO was 5 on deposit for rebuilding. 1 School Committees, Thirty-three school committees applied for Government subsidy on local contri--1 billions totalling ,£lo7(i lis. 3d. This 5 large sum, with subsidy, has enabled the f libraries to bo enlarged in a number of E schools and works of great benefit to - the schools to be undertaken on well--3 considered plans. The board is very 5 anxious that at every school where there t is anv spare ground effort should be made 1 to beautify and improve. With this i purpose in view it has for several years , supplied to every school requiring assisti auce (last year 71), and where a reason- ) able plan of improvement lias been de- > vised, such trees as could be properly E planted in prepared, ground and protected from injury. At many schools much meritorious work is being done in thus . creating surroundings which .shall assist . to educate by their beauty and taste. ' Other Matters. In order to afford increased assistance ■ in nature study and elementary agricul- ■ tu,re, the board has lately engaged a third instructor in agriculture, who will i spend part of his time in Marlborough. The board thanks committees for the i valuable assistance they continue lo i vender in the local administration ci education. Jt; specially commends to their consideration the importance of good living accommodation for such members of its staff as must reside away from home. This is, indeed, a matter i>f great importance, as the certainly of a good home ■ away from home acts to an extent that many fail to realise as an inducement to good teachers to come and to stay. On tho ether hand, as certainly the staffing of tho school and the education of tho children ara prejudicially affected by unfavourable living conditions, as naturally the best teachers will i;ot , enter such districts. The board welcomes tho efforts of both teachers and committees, through their respective associations, to focus public , attention on, and to secjre, those re- , forms that are at once practicable and ! urgently required. j