EDUCATION BOARD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 250, 16 July 1919, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD

ANNUAL REPORT The annual report of the Wellington Education Board for the year ended March 31 was made availabio yesterday. Tho report says that during the year eleven small schools woro closed, and fourteen were opened or reopened, so that at tho end of tho year tliere were du operation 254 schools, an increase of three sinco tho end of 1917. ') he following table summarises the average roll and average attendau.ee numbers irr tho year: Average Averago Quarter. 8011. Attendance. Jtaroll 24,400 22,602 ' June 24,800 22,507 September 24,859 21.857 December 25,134 . 23,203 Mean for year .... 24,800 22,315 Mean for year 1917 24,053 21,804 Mean increase over 1917 742 511 Of tho 25,13-1 on the roll in December, 13,104 were boys, and 12,030 were girls. "In view of the prevalence of epidemic 6i_ckness, an attendance of 90 per cent, of the average roll is very satisfactory. There were 1313 communications with parents in relation to irregular attendance. After making, allowance for individual instances of hardship, ard for circumstances of difficulty arising out of tho war, it was unfortunately found necessary'to take proceedings in 143 oases, ■with .results as follow:— Convictions recorded 82 Adjourned oil condition of improvement 20 .Withdrawn on condition of futiito regularity 29 Committed to industrial schools 12 The board records its strong con.viction that it' should be i iade a punishable offeneo to employ, during school hours, any child below the standard or the age of exemption. Teaching the Teachers. "The following were the arrangements of tho year for instruction of teachers:— 1. AVeek-end classes in preparation' for the certificate were held ,at Wellington and Masterton. 2. Marlborough—No Saturday classes were held. The correspondence course, covering the "D" programme, was continued. Tho number of teachere who iavailed themselves of the instruction 1 provided was 22. Owing to the epidemic tho usual summer school was abandoned. 3. A fortnight's course in elementary agriculture,•held by Messrs. Ctimming and Lawton at Masterton District High School, in August, was attended by 22 teachers. Tho purpose of the course was—(i) To prepare for the certifi{ate; (ii) to increase tho general efficiency of instruction in tho subject. The instructors report in the highest terms of the earnest spirit of work and study. (4) A course designed to assist teachers'in remote places to qualify lor the certificate, and proposed to be held tit the Training College, Kelburn, was necessarily abandoned owing to the epidemic. Report of Inspectors. "In their report the inspectors give the following general estimate cf the. efficiency of the schools of the district:— Good to very good, 92 schools; satisfactory to good, 125 schools; fair to moderato, 30 schools; inferior, 7 schools. f iho arrangements made by the . inspectors of this V s ' award of proficiency certificates in tho special conditions imposed by influenza, worked so satisfactor"y , a <» to justify a further trial of tho method, in order to reduce iiermnnently, if possible, having regard to efficiency, the amount of formal examination work required of pupils. Further, the board it Ul t® in accord with the suggestion that the primary leaving certificate should be simplified. District High Schools. of the nine District High SchooJs (200 pupils) undertook the rural course, the reports show that the work ranges from 'satisfactory' to 'very good.' The board trusts that it may 'be possible to provide at an early date the means of continuing, under suitablo conditions, the work begun in the ryral course of the district high school, and to remove, it may be by modification of the : syllabus, some grounds of dissatisfaction '-in regard •to the 'prescribed course. ; •'Tho average attendances for' tho yea? 1918 were: Carterton 37, Eketahuna 31, Greytown 13, Hutt 36, Levin 24, Master, ton .101 Normal 12, Pahiatua 29, Petono 68; total, 351. Scholarships. inio Tl^ r V v ® re curren t. at the end of 1918 24 Senior and. 45 Junior Scholarships. On December 31, 1918, 5 Senior and 8 Junior Scholarships expired There ■were awarded, on the results of the 1918-19 examination, 10 Senior and 21 Junior Scholarships. " r¥, r .' /•,!'; Heckler has very generously established the Heckler Memorial Scholarship, .which will be awarded for two y f ar °' , C;h year . U P to - 1931 ' to tlio' son J l . soldier, and is of amount sufficient (dEGI 10s.). to meet all charges at Wellington College. The board lias received so few of such benefactions that it records this one with the greater satis, faction. t The board recognises with appreciateol! the excellent work accomplished by the Medical Inspector and her assistants. It notes with pleasure an intention to extend the work in the near future. The November Epidemic. "The outbreak of influenza found our teachers able, ready and willing to give help in any capacity. Many rendered signal service to their communities in the most varied departments of work. The board wishes to express its sense of the great value of their services. It is TVJtlrmuch regret it reports that seven members of its teaching staff fell victims to tho scourge. "On January 1, 1918, there was a net balance to credit amounting to ,£14,867 -s. 3d. Following is a summary of the receipts and payments for the' vear ; — Keceipts, ,£192,258 Is. lOd.; payments, <£195,950 Bs. 3d. On December 31, 1918, the net .balance to credit amounted to .£10,668 15s lOd. The balance to credit at the bank on December 31 was .£696 12s. sd. Tho amount of unpresented cheques was ,£1027 10s. 7d. There was on deposit for rebuilding the sum of ,£II,OOO. Forty school committees applied for Government subsidy oil local contributions totalling ,£766 12s, lid. General. "The board observes with pleasure the measure of benefit conferred on teachers bv tho recent salary increases. It assumes, however, that the whole question of tho emolument and status of the teacher is receiving that attention whichits importance and urgency demand. Already great harm has resulted from years of delay. No measure can bo adequate which fails to recognise, as a minimum of emolument, a rate at least equal to that_ of equivalent ranks in tho Civil Service; which does not make substantial increase of emolument to the teacher of the country school, and which does not provide a sufficient allowance to pennit of evory teacher undergoing a sufficient training. ( Let the facts lie fa™' l kindly, firmly, and justly. If the „. 18 , , mos t precious possession of the State, let that be our guiding conviction m the measures for its'educanon. "he board welcomes the iucrcnsin# recognition of the need for increased expenditure on education to securo efficiency. It trusts that as a measure of justice tho refund to it may be approved of moneys necessarily expended in excess of grants in (a) purchase and extension of sites, and (b) erection of new buildings. Large expenditures aro advisable as soon as conditions approach normal. "The board unites with State and staff in heartfelt thanks for the return of peace with honour and victory. It recognises tho difficulties under which tho schools have been conducted, and deeply appreciates the loyal service which lias maintained them in a condition of surprising efficiency." "Hopo springs eternal in the human breast."—Pope. Lost hope through a long lasting cold returns after the first doso of Baxter's Lung Preservor. It is little short of marvellous in tho way it remedies and protects against future attacks. 2s. 6d. buys large bottlo at Chemist or Store.—Advt. "Forewarned is forearmed." Your best weapon against a bad cold is "NAZOL." It will quickly and easily rout the enemy. Sold everywhere, Is. Gd. a bottle.— Advt. For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.—Advt.