WESTLAND AND GREY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2797, 8 September 1885, Page 2

WESTLAND AND GREY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

From Mr John Smith's annual report (o the Minister of Education on the elementary schools in the Counties of Wcstland and Grey, and recently laid on the table of the House of Representatives, we extract the following paragraphs of general interest:— v The roll-number on the day of examination was 1,778 in Westland, and 1,267 in Grey ; and the percentage of passes on the roll-number was 43 36 in Westland and 43*88 in Grey, or about 6 per cent, above the average for New Zealand last year. The number of children below Standard I. in Westland was 573, or 32'2 per cent, of the roll-number, and Gmy 415, or 32-7 per cent; consequently in both districts nearly 68 per cent, of all the scholars were presented for examination in standards. The average for the whole colony in 1883 was only 50 per cent. On comparing the results with the general return for New Zealand in the Minister's last annual report (Table J), it will be seen that Westland and Greystand considerably above the average in all the standards, with the exception of che Sixth, in which Westland is about equal to, and Grey 22£ per cent, below, the average for the colony; but this inferiority is not general in the district. Several schools considerably exceeded the colonial average, notably the Hokitika school, which passed 96 per cent, and Kniuara 89 per cent, while two small schools passed all that were presented. On the whole, therefore, and looking at the table of results only, the schools in these two counties may fairly be said to hold a respectable position amongst New Zealand elementary schools, at least so far as regards the subjects comprised in Regulation 7. Vocal music is systematically taught at two schools only—namely, Kumara and Hokitika, and the tonic sol-fa system is employed at both. Several other schools exercise the younger children in singing by ear. Four or five schools have drawing as a portion of the routine, but a great wunt of suitable copies is complained of, and some solid models would be very acceptable to those who are desirous of keeping up this branch of insti uction. The unsettled condition of educational matters has hindered the school work in the two counties, chiefly by the partial stoppage of the supply of books and school necessaries, the stock of which being exhausted could not be replenished. This refeis more particularly to reading-books and copy-books. Three small schools in Westland have not been visited this year: that at Arawata, on aecmnt of the. uncertain ly of t he means of communication ; the Wai-!t«rr" cr-h....], which whs closed when I vi.-i-<..] it. i 0 hold the examination, the teacher being ill uc

the lime : Rangiriri, which had be 'n closed some considerable time, owin» to the resignation of the former teacher, was reopened while the examinations were in progress, and 1 did not consider it either necessary or desirable to examine it under the circumstances. There were fourteen pupil-teach<rs in the two counties liable for examination this year. One of these con.:,! not attend the examination on account ot illness. Thirteen were examined as usual at the school in which they are engaged; of these seven pass, d with credit, four passed, and two Tailed.