The Feilding Star. Published Daily. FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1894. WANGANUI EDUCATION DISTRICT.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 265, 16 March 1894, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Published Daily. FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1894. WANGANUI EDUCATION DISTRICT.

We havo to thank the Secretary of the Wanganui Education Board for a copy of the Annual Report of the Inspectors of Schools for that district for the year ending 31st Deceniber, 1893. Wo find that on that date 103 schools were in active operation, being eight more than at the close of the precediug year, with an average weekly roll number of— males, 4G06 ; females, 4227 ; total, 8833 ; and a strict aver age attendanco of — males, 3399 ; females, 3050 ; total, 6449. The working average of the last year was 6585, that is, it was 136 higher than the strict average. The roll number shows an increase of 440, and the average attendance an increaso of 84 on the corresponding numbers for the last quarter of the year 1892. During the latter part of the year measles were very prevalent throughout the district Many schools were closed for varying periods, while others were kept open with three-fourths of their pupils absent. The weather also seriously affected the attendanco, for raiu fell on an unusually large number of days during tbe year. OE the 103 schools open at the end of tho year, 89 were examined in standards. Of the 14 not examined, 5 had been newly opened, and 9 were closed at examination time on account of the prevalence of the measles, and time did not permit of special visits for examination boing made. Tho schools not examined wero Apiti, Bunnythorpe, Crofton, Colyton, Feilding, Makino road, Pombortou, Paraekaretu, and Waituna. On tho days appointed for the examination there wero 7831 pupils OS2 boys and 3719 girls) ou tho rolls uf tho 89 schools examined, of whom 5137, or 65 G per cent, wero presented in Standard I. to Standard VI., 2002 wore in the preparatory classes, and 32 had already passed Standard VI Of the 5137 pupils piesented in standards, 4610 attended and wero examined, 527 were absent, 379 were excepted, 988 failed, and 3243 passed the ro (juirements and wero promoted. The number of pupils absent fron the examinations is proportionately higher than has been tho case in any foimer year, but this is accounted for by tho measles epidemic, which was very pro valeut throughout the five examination months. Also, tbe number of exceptions is higher than iv any previous year, and this is due partly to the cause mentioned in the foregoing sentence, and partly to the fact that one of the largest schools examined had not been open for the prescribed three quarters. It is pleasing to note that the percentage of roll-number presented in standards has again increased this year. The percentage of failures is slightly higher than in 1892, but this was to be expected considering the poor attendance due to the prevalence of sickness. As to the educational progress of the scholars the Report gives satisfactory results