SCHOOL INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 70, 27 April 1880, Page 2

SCHOOL INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

PALMERSTON NORTH. The ■■■ Ist Standard answered extremely well in all the subjects, and passed an excellent examination, except in reading. They are a nice lot of children, and fairly intelligent, and are now particularly neat and clean. They are a credit to all concerned. The 2nd did not do so well. They were unaccountably weak in arithmetic and geography, notwithstanding the amount of earnest and ; honest teaching which had been bestowed upon them ; they appeared to '

be fairly up in all the other subjects. The third passed ft creditablo examination in all the subjects, except in geography and English grammar. More care must be taken to interest and instruct the members m i-hese useful and important parts of curriculum. The 4th showed feebleness in English grammar, but in all the other subjects of the course they showed fair precision and accuracy, in answering the various questions submitted to them. The handwriting was a good point, and the sewing, the singing, and the recitation were fairly, creditable. . The great majority of the children who were examined in classes were too young to be presented even iv any Standard. They were all exceedingly neat and clean, and went through various exercises very intelligently. They constituted the infant department of the school, and were taught in a separate class-room. It will be of great use as a feeder to what I may call the upper school. The present mistress, Mrs Watson ; has only been in this school for seven months. She is fairly competent, has a decided talent for teaching infants, and is doing remarkably well. The present master, Mr F. E. Watson, has not been long in this school. During the seven months lie has been in charge the school has certainly increased in attendance and in efficiency. The order and discipline have improved ; but there is a good deal of margin for advance in them. He has got this school into a better state than any of the masters who preceded him. He has had many hindrances to encounter, but wim 1 the aid of his efficient staff, he has succeeded admirably in overcoming them. He has an intelligent notion of what he is about. At the examination the School Committee was not represented. This I regretted very much. . STONEY CBBEK. The reading and writing in both Standards are above the average in country schools, but the notation and the arithmetic are the killing points here. More attention should be given to secure accuracy in numeration and in practical arithmetic. The moral tone and the discipline of the school call for a word of praise. The master, Mr F. Stewart, has laboured assiduously, and the school is in a better state than I have ever seen it. The classroom is 20ft by 20ft, and is now much too suiiill to accommodate the number rolling in. The Committee was represented at the examination. KAREBE. The school-rooms are charmingly neat and clean, and they are well furnished. The children, too, are peculiarly neat and clean, and wellbehaved, and their attainments are highly creditable. I wish more schools iii my distiict possessed an organization, a moral tone, and a discipline, similar to this one. With the vigour and good sense of the present master, Mr Alfred Gower, I am certain the school will still advance. The Committee was well represented during the examination. Since the above was written, llr Gower has been transferred to Ashurst school. It will Le sure to succeed. TAONUI. The reading was the best point ; it was good throughout the school, and the handwriting was fair. In most of the other Standard subjects, they were feeble. For the number in ordinary attendance, the class-room is too small. Order and discipline in consequence are not what they should be. This is a very good school as far as the master is concerned, but it requires enlargement. The children, however, are all nicely neat and clean, but there- was a want of life and confidence in themselves, and they were not altogether self-reliant. The master teaches well, and will probably raise the character of the school. I was pleased at the Committee being represented. • HALCOMBE. The Ist Standard children have ; been most efficiently taught by Mrs Harris, the assistant, who shows considerable aptitude for the management of young children. The number who passed with quite sufficient credit was forfcy-eight. ' They read very nicely. ; were clean and tidy, and . unusually intelligent. ; : The 2nd did fairly enough, but were feeble in arithmetic and in geography. The 3rd passed a very fair examination in all the subjects, while the 4th and sth managed to pull through. It appeared to me that there had been less real teaching this year than last, especially in the upper Standards. But it must be borne in mind, that the school had been for several months ' deprived of pupil-teacher's aid, in consequence of her severe indisposition, and tHat ; the instruction throughout these classes suffered accordingly, I know • of no school in my district better* disciplined than this. The sewing is ' fairly satisfactory. • The, Committee was unrepresented, which I regretted very much. : AWA .HURI. Feebleness in spelling, numeration; ; and geography was somewhat com,: rnon throughout the Standard work. The recitation and the, singing, as

usual, were very pleasing. Tli copybooks and the wilting on they were above the average of countr schools in absence of blots, and ii neatness ctf'-'manipulation. Th school' bfcis improved in discipline the moral tone is excellent, and the instruction is honestly given. How ever, neither the discipline nor tin instruction is as good as it should be owing to irregularity of attendance The Committee was fully repre sented diving the course of the ex animation. FEILDING. The flow of children has greatly increased,' and the school has mucl improved since last year, in discipline and intelligence. Inaccurate reading is the plague spot of the school More care must be taken to get the children broken off from it, and alsc to inculcate accurate, expressive, and intelligent reading. They passed a very creditable examination in all the Standard subjects, with the exception of an occasional feebleness in numeration and geography. They were perfectly self-reliant and very well behaved, and exceedingly neat and clean and polite. Referring to the table, it will be seen that seventyseven children were not presented for a Standard pass, being either too t backward or too young even for any Standard. The sewing and the singi^j, and one or two recitations were very nice. The writing-copies, and the writing on them, were exceeflingly creditable to pll concerned. It appeal's to me that there has teen a good deal of useful, intelligent, and earnest teaching here during- the past year. On the whole, the school is active a-nd cheerful, and conducted with a fair amount of well-applied energy. Mr Wright, -treasurer, represented the School Committee at the inspection.' WAITOHI. This school is in a better condition " than I 'have ever seen it. In the Ist Standard they did well, but in the 2nd they were deficient in arithmetic. The children are clean and orderly, but the amount qf instruction is inconsiderable. . The teacher, Miss Phillips, has been in this school for eleven months, mid seems very efficient,,,. . The Committee was not represented Sit the examination. EUNNYTHOr.VE. This" is the youngest of all our schools. -It has only been open for two months'. The Standard of afctainmeut throughout the school was low, but fairly even ; and no class seemed to fifce been neglected. Word meau*^jing and reading were fair, and the style of wiiting was good. The singing, too, was pleasing. A 'brother and sister sang a duet very nicely. The scholars were clean and tidy, and very well-behaved. Mr Joseph Dinsdale, the present master, does his very best for the success of the school. Several parents and members of the School "Committee were present, and they seemed to take a deep interest in the day's proceedings.