EDUCATION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2170, 21 April 1870, Page 2

EDUCATION.

The annual report of the Secretary of the Education Board, which was laid before that body to-day is full of interesting matter, and shows a condition of things which must be gratifying to anyone who has the good of the Province at heart, or who takes the slightest interest in education. We shall doubtless take an opportunity of commenting on the salient points in the report, bub in the meantime shall content ourselves with laying before our readers a resume of its contents.

At the outset, Mr Hislop deals with the number of schools in the Province. At the close of the year 1868, he tells us, there were seventy-one district schools and three free schools in operation within the Province, During the past year schools have been established at Mat aura, Waiwera, Waiereka (Oamaru), Tethoaika(Glutha) Merton, Hyde, and Waugaloa (Clutha coast). Of the free schools, two are in Dunedin, and the third is in connection with the Benevolent Asylum at Caversham, and they are all in successful operation. There are consequently eighty elementary schools at present in the Province under the control of the Board. In .hese eighty schools, 122 teachers are employed, viz., eighty schoolmasters, nineteen schoolmistresses, seven teachers of sewing, two male pupil teachers, and fourteen female pupil teachers—an addition during the year of nineteen teachers. In addition to those already opened, the Board (since the date of the report, January 31) has sanctioned the establishment of schools at Moeraki, Cardrona, Macetown, Kakanni Mouth, Sawyer’s Bay, Tuapeka Mouth, Tuturau (Mataura), Thompson’s, Shotover Ferry, Gatlin’s Biver, Taieri Ferry, Sandymount, Highcliff, Brighton, and Kurimitoto. All these schools are either now opened or about to he opened ; so that the number of schools under the charge of the Board will be increased to 93. The report is accompanied by a number of statistical tables, the first of which refers to the attendance at schools from the institution of the scheme to the present. From it we find that in 1850-7 the average daily attendance for the year was, at Dunedin, 115, and all other schools 121; total, 236. Then there is a gradual increase year after year. In 1861 the daily attendance was 810 ; in 1862-3, 1411 ; in 1864, 1919 ; 1865, 2333 ; 1860, 2568 ; 1867, 2942 ; 1868, 3278; 1869 (including free schools), 3776. Last year the increase in daily attendance at the Dunedin Common Schools was 128 ; and in all other schools 147. That portion of the report referring, to the state of schools is of sufficient interest to hear quotation:— “ A tabular view of tbe branches of education taught in the different District Schools, and the number of pupils learning the same during the course of the year 1869, is hereunto appended. From this table it will be seen that the number learning the higher rules cf arithmetic during 1869, was 456; algebra or geometry, 152 ; English grammar, 2008 ; geography (general), 2296 ; geography of, Australia or New Zealand, 1299; British history, 1228 ; Latin, 152 ; French, 99 ; drawing, 408 ; book-keeping, 104 ; composition (original or from memory), 1647 ; dictation, 2200 ; singing from notes, 2429 ; sewing (girls), 1140. In accordance with the decision of the Government, Mr Taylor, Provincial music master, was appointed to the office of Sub-Inspector of Schools in July last, and he entered as soon as possible upon the performance of the additional duties thus devolved upon him. Mr Taylor’s report, hereunto appended, shows the extent to which he has been able to carry out the work required of him. The number of schools inspected by that officer up to the present time is about 50, while I have been able to examine only 15, thus leaving 15 schools still unvisited. Mr Taylor has been most indefatigable in the performance of his official duties ; but it is quite evident that while engaged in the work of school inspection, he has been unable to give that attention to the teaching of singing in the different schools which was expected of him when he was appointed to the office of music master. I venture to solicit re-consideration by the Government of that portion of my report of last year, which relates to the inspection of the schools. The great and ever increasing amount of work connected with the office of Secretary, the large number of schools now in operation, and the extent of country over which they are spread, render it no longer possible for one person to perform efficiently and satisfactorily the duties of Secretary to the Board and Inspector of Schools. I venture, therefore, respectfully to request the Government and the Board to relieve me as soon as convenient from the duties and responsibilities of the Inspectorship of Schools. 1 believe the interests of education would be best served by the appointment to the Inspectorship of a gentleman of high character, superior scholarship, and thorough experience in school management, who would be able to devote his whole time and attention to the inspection of public schools, to the examination of the pupil teachers, as well as all candidates for appointments under the Board, and to the promotion generally of the cause of education throughout the Province. It is my duty to report that considerable difficulty was experienced during tbe past year in obtaining sufficiently well qualified teachers for some of the schools which became vacant. I regret that the proportion of high-class schoolmasters to the whole number employed under the Board is now less than in former

years, and is likely to become still smaller, if means be not taken to introduce into the Province a more adequate supply of thoroughly competent teachers. Committees have of late been too frequently reduced to the necessity of appointing as teachers of side-schools, young men of fair education who have had little or no experience in the art of school management. Although some of these men may eventually become tolerably skilful and successful teachers, yet the practice of making such appointments is most unsatisfactory, and it can only be justified on the ground of absolute necessity. It has, therefore, become a question of pressing importance, how a sufficient number of qualified teachers can be secured for the schools of the Province. There has been little or no difficulty experienced in obtaining competent schoolmistresses, owing mainly, I believe, to the fact that the earliest trained female pupil teachers in our own schools have served their apprenticeship, and have been appointed as schoolmistresses in several of the principal schools. School Committees have, in not a few instances, given very satisfactory proof of their appreciation of the superiority of these schoolmistresses, by preferring them to all other candidates when filling up vacancies. Three boys only have been found -willing to enter as pupil teachers in the District Schools. As the efficiency of the schools depends so

vety much upon the personal character and professional skill of the teachers employed in them, it is of the utmost importance that the qualifications of those who offer themselves as candidates for appointments should be very thoroughly tested. I believe that much unpleasantness and disappointment would in many cases be prevented by the choice of teachers being positively limited to candidates in actual possession of a certificate of competency from the Edu* cation Board, and by such certificate being obtainable only after careful and thorough examination in respect of personal character, scholarship, and professional skill. The Board’s certificates would, of course, be of various degrees, according to the relative merits and qualifications of the holders, — from the certificate of a mere probationer, to that of a person qualified to hold an appointment in the highest educational institution in the Province. Instead of the responsibility of exam'ning candidates for such certificates being committed solely to the Inspector of Schools, it may be found advisable ere long to appoint a Board of Examiners to act along with him in this important work. It may also be found worthy of consideration, whether the amount of salary to be paid by the Board should not be regulated in each case by the grade of the teacher, and the actual results of his labors each year.” It is gratifying to learn that the establishment of grammar schools have been regarded with much satisfaction, and that the committees of the several schools have conducted the preliminary arrangements with great zeal, intel* ligence, and success. The success of one of the schools (Port Chalmers) was exemplified at the Board’s meeting to-day, when an ap» plication was made for an additional teacher, the number of scholars having increased to 200.

“The income of the department for the year ending December was, from books sold, L6B 4s 7d; education reserves fund, L 99 0; High School fees, L 712; Provincial revenue, L 12,544 8s lOd ; total, L 14.314 17s 6d. The expenditure was—Office, L6lO 17s 7d; elementary schools, L 10,157 5s lid: High School, L 2,233 Os lOd; and sundries (including singing master), L 1,313 7s 2d; total, L 14,314 13s 6d. In addition to the above, the sum of L 4,315 7s6d was expended by the Government during 1869 on school buildings hereinafter specified. A table showing the respective amounts contributed towards the current expenses of the District Schools for the past year by the Government and the different districts is also appended. The sum contributed by the Government towards salaries, repairs, rents, poor scholars, prizes, &c., was L 10,157 5s lid; while the aggregate amount raised by the districts was L 6634 8s 3d. Taking the whole of the ordinary current expenditure by the Government on the elementary schools (L 10,157 5s lid), and the number of pupils (5863) who for longer or shorter periods attended the schools in the course of the year 1869, the average cost per scholar to the Province was Ll 14s Bd. If the average daily attendance (3776) be taken, the average cost would be about L2 13s lOd. The corresponding rates for 1868 were Ll 14s 3d and L2 12s 7d ; for 18S7, Ll 13s 6d and L2 8s 4d; for 1866, Ll I7s 9d and L2 11s 3d.

The report of the music teacher is attached, Mr Taylor says : “As far as I have been able to visit schools a second time, I have found that the interest taken, and the progress made, in singing have been quite equal to the expectations previously formed. It was my endeavor, during the first year’s course that as many pupils as possible should be taught to read music for themselves. During the past year, I have tried to ascertain how far these endeavors were successful. I have found that in almost every school so tested a fair proportion of those who might be reasonably be expected to do so, have been able to sing at sight any simple piece presented to them. The number would have been considerably increased but for the natural timidity which prevents many from singing individually. A promising feature in connection with the teaching of music in the schools is the fact that a good many of the teachers who formerly gave it little or no attention have heartily taken the subject in hand, and have generally been very successful in their efforts to conduct the singing in their respective schools. My arrangements for the teaching of singing have been, of course, much interrupted by my having been appoints to the office of Sub-Inspector of Schools. I have consequently been unable to carry out fully my original scheme, and to give that amount of time and attention to singing which I anticipated, and which 1 could otherwise have done. As Sub-Inspec-tor of Schools, I have examined during the year about fifty schools, situated principally in the goldfields. Clutha, Tokomairiro, and Dunedin and suburban district*, combining the teaching of singing with the inspection when practicable. I have to report thag these schools are conducted generally in a very efficient manner. They present an ap r pearance quite as satisfactory as do schools of the same class in the Home country. Several of the teachers of the smaller sideschools would be much benefited by a' better acquaintance with the art of school management, and in a few there is evidence of a want of energy on the part of the teachers ; but the large majority of them are presided over by teachers thoroughly qualified for, and heartily devoted to, their work.” The report of the Rector of the High School is also of a very satisfactory characJ ter, but owing to its length we are compelled to hold it over until to-morrow.