OUR CoUNTY SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 73, 13 May 1879, Page 2

OUR CoUNTY SCHOOLS.

Palmers-ton North. — October 4. Mr C. H. W. Lock— in charge 6 months. Mrs Lock, assistant. . One pupil teacher. On books, 142; present, 116.

The examination extended over two days, presented in Standard I, 34 ; 2 did not succeed. In standard 11, 27 ; 1 failed. In Standard 111, 6 ; 1 did not succeed. Per centage of passes in three lower Standards, 94 pir cent. Two were put forward for Standard IV. They barely passed, and showed considerable weakness in nearly all the subjects. All the five who tried the fifth Standard papers passed very creditably. Percentage of passes in Standards superior to Standard 111, 88 per cent. Reading, expi essionless and unintelligent. Had great difficulty in getting the children to Bpeak audibly. They appeared to be timid and shy under individual examination. By a more judicious use of the mdi vidual method, in combination with the simultaneous, this timidity and shyness would soon be overcome. Verbal knowledge weak in all the standards

The bearing and conduct of the children while under examination, improvable. Selfdependence, very weak ; order and discipline, imperfect.

This school is, on the whole in a moderately flourishing state. There is, however, room for improvement, in the abolition of all rote systems, and the adoption of * more original method of instruction. The sewing department is fairly conductad by Mrs Lock. The now recognised auxiliary of physical discipline is not disregarded here, for military drill is very efficiently conducted by G lptain Coleman, who deserves great credit for the progress his boys have already made. It is doing a great deal of goo:l to fatten the round back* of tha boys, and smarten them up after leaning over their writing desks.

Stonby Ckebk— October 5. Miss E. Robert — in charge 2 months. Ou books. 34 ; preseat, 3 ■). Twenty three of the twenty six who were put forward in Standard I , succeeded very creditably. All the three p .-esented in the* third Standand passed fairly well. Per centage of passes 92 8 per cent. The results weie a 1 :| te creditable to the teacher and to her scholar, aad to Miss Btevens, Miss Robert's predecessor. The settlement is a young one and principally occupied by Danes and Germans. It was, therefore, exceedingly gratifying to find such satisfactory results as the examination brought out, considering the limited time the children had been at sohool, and the difficulty they must have felb in learning to speak English. Order and discipline, excellent ; the proper training of the children is a leading feature in the school. Miss Robert appears to be a painstaking and zealous teacher.

Kaherb, October 6. Mr A If. Gowei'— in charge In months. On books, 43 ; present, 43. All the twentv-ninc put forward in Standard one succeeded ea ily, as also did the five who were presented in St ndard 11. Per centage of passes 100 per cent. This sohool, in all respects, made an excellent appearance. It is chiefly attended by the children of Danes and Germans. The young people acquitted themselves very well under this, their first examination. The settlement in a new, but rapidly rising one, and the settlers are to be congratulated in scouring the services of Mr Gower, a gentleman in all respects well fifctted, by his kind and genial disposition, io discharge the important duties of schoolmaster. I have the greatest confidence in the future efficiency of the sohool, which is steadily increasing, is in excellent order, and the iestruction is healthy, useful, and intelligent. It deserves every encouragement.

Taonui, Ootober 8. Mr J. S. Seaton — in charge one week. On books, 37; present, 37. The examination schedule not being filled up against thu day of my visit, I was detained two days, till it was properly adjusted. All the three pupils presented in Standard 1 succeeded. Three only of the seven who were put forward under the seoocd Standard passed. One only of the six presented under the the third Standard failed. This school is only of six months' standing, and bore evident marks of the former teacher's neglect, the fine new desks being sadly defaced and stained with ink. Everything indicated a want of inte ■• est and taste on his part. Judging: f om. Mr Seaton's sueues9 in the Matarawabi-'icol. I have no doubt the results of next years inspection here will enable me to repoi-J very favourably, but it will require unusual te.il and painstaking application to drill the pupils well in the simplest elements, for the character of the instruction and d'seipline has been below the average.

assistant. One pupil teacher. On books, 114; present 108. Eight of the twe&tynine put forward under the fi^t Stan'dar#f + did not succeed in passing; and of the * twenty-three presented under Standard 11,---three /ailed ; and two out of the ten placed under the tluvd Standard did not succeed. Per centage of passes in the tl . eetlower Standards 80 per cent. All the fomrwho tried the fourth Standard papers succeeded. Organization, order, and discipline, excellent; Instruction: Beading, fair; Arith- : letic, Geography, and Dictation, weak ; Imndwritina excellent. The school is only of 8 month}' sianr "ng.but its aspect in every way is very encouraging. It is a progressive school, notwithstanding the dispersed population. Mr Harris appears to under* Jerstand both how to discriminate what is practically useful in primary education, and how to teach ft effectively. The assistant, Mrs Harris, is earnest, assiduous,' and eager to improve the school.

Sandon.— November 15. Mr A. England — in charge *!\ months. Mrs England, assistant. One pupil teacher. On books, 104; present, 02. The fiut Standard children really did well. Fourteen were presented, and two only failed. This Wftfl ail the more creditable, on account of the youthfulness of the candidates, their aver, age; age being only 7 years. The outcom of the second Standard competition was very disappointing. Considerable weakness was shown in four of the subjects, viz., in Arithmetic, in Grammar, in Dictation and in Geography. Out of twenty-five presented, eleven failed. I think it must hare been in error that so many children were classed in a Standard vMch was clearly too advanced fo« their capacity. However, much better work was done in the third Standard. Nine were put forward, and only two failed. There was marked deficiency in Grammar. From Borue misapprehension or other of the attainments of the children, seven out of the ten children presented in Standard IV should have been classed under Standard 111, for they shewed marked deficiency in all the subjects. One only succeeded. The work of the fifth Standard gave . evidence of being well prepared, for seven out of the the ten put forwaid. pns-ed remarkably well. "Walter Tomkins, 11 years of age, scored 248J-, oat of an obtainable 300. Equally satisfactory was the outcome. of. the sixth Standard Three of the five presented succeeded easi'y. Charles Bowater obtained U9 oat of an • obtainable 200. Per centnge of pass marks in the three lower Standards, 68 per cent; and injthe three lower Standards* 44 per cent. This is a large and very important, school :; but the results are not so satisfactory as I bad anticipated they would be, under such efficient superintendence. This unexpected result, can, I think, be accounted, for IVom an over-anxious desire on the part of the master to put children forward, and so being placed in standards in advance of their acquirements. T am satisfied, if a more judicious classification had been adopted, according to the children's attainments, the results would have been different, especially in the second, third, and fourth Standards. Indeed I am of opinion that all th" children put forward in Standards 11, 111, IV, should have been classed one standard lower than that in which they were put forward. Her* too, the children appeared to be very bashful, as if they rarely saw strangers ; and it was with the greatest difficulty, and with much urging, tfu ', I could prevail upon them to read or to speak audibly. The reading and the recitation of the senior classes were highly satisfactory. The handwriting throughout was very good. The reading of the junior classes improvable. Order and discipline, fair ; school management moderately fair. The organization requires immediate attention. If high results are to be attained, organization and judicious classification should stand out as prominent features in the school management. As the new Colonial Standards, which are now in the hands of the teachers, will be the basis of my next examination, this preliminary one will assist the master in classifying his children, so as to meet the i equipments of these standards. This school will certainly improve in the hands of the present master, and take a high position amongst the schools in my district ; hut he will accomplish histaim more speedily if hejjdisplays more physical aot'ivity.

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