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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 175, 25 July 1874, Page 1

an elementary school as compared with the three essential subjects, I think that the former branches have been allowed to drift too much into the background at Hampden-street. Few, even of the first class, could give intelligent answers to the very simple questions that I put. The irrepressible loquacity of the children is au unpleasant feature in this division of the school. The work of the junior division is thoroughly well done in every respect, the reading being distinct and the arithmetic correct, as far as it goes. The discipline leaves nothing to be desired. Haven-road —Mr J. L. Hodgson, master; Miss Dement, Miss Burns, assistants— (l3s.)— Fifteen only of the 135 children present at my last examination had attained their twelfth year. This would not be matter for regret if the more advanced scholars completed their education elsewhere, but I have good reason for believing that not more than four per cent of those who leave Haven-road receive any further instruction at school. The children in the upper classes read and write very well for their age, their dictation being almost faultless. Arithmetic is also skilfully taught. The upper classes here, ns at Hampden-street, struck me as being very talkative, my examination being interrupted by a constant uudercurrent of chatter. The second division, under Miss Burns, was quite as orderly and as well taught as on former occasions. St Mary's, Boys.— Mr Richards, master ; Mr Severne assistant— (74.)— No fault can reasonably be found either with the attainments or the discipline of this deservedly popular school. The best points are, perhaps, the arithmetic, the handwriting, and the geography. An addition that has been recently made to the buildings has lightened the work of the masters, who were previously hampered for want of class-room. St Mary's, Girls.— Taught by Sisters of Charity, assisted by pupil teachers— (llß.)— Beading, writing, arithmetic and good manners are equally well taught here. The spelling of the upper classes is very good, while they are unusually well grounded both in geography and grammar. The girls in the first class aie very apt at giving the meaning and derivation of the more difficult words in their lesson, and can reproduce readily the substance of what they have been reading. COUNTRY SCHOOLS. Clifton Terrace.— Mr Cowles, master— (2s.)— The children here read distinctly and with good intonation. Their handwriting is neat, and the dictation of the first class is tolerably free from mistakes. The arithmetic, though still slow and rather elementary, is less inaccurate than it was. I find, however, that even the first class know next to nothing of history, grammar, or geography. The present master had been at work only a month when I last examined, and was evidently doing his best to remedy the defects that I have pointed out. Hillside.— (Half-time school.)— Mr 11. Collins, master— (l7.) —The arithmetic here is of more than average merit, the dictation being very free from mistakes. The writing of the first class is also very fair, but the copy-books of the younger scholars show a want of such careful supervision as may be reasonably required where the writers are few. The children throughout read in a dismal monotone that was certainly not observable in the school several years ago, and that must not be allowed to become incurable. Happy Va'ley.— (Half-time school.)- Mr Collins, master— (17.)— 1 must confess that this school, of whose future I at one time augured favorably, has disappointed me. It has now been open more than two years, yet not one of the scholars can read an easy bit of narrative without constant prompting, the drawling being more observable even than at Hillside. The spelling is worse than the reading. In arithmetic the first class have not got bej-ond addition of money, and know the multiplication table very imperfectly. The hand-writing is slovenly and misshapen, the copy-books being disfigured by blots. -It is only fair to state that the register showed that the children had latterly become very irregular in attendance, while I myself noticed that they were unpunctual, my examination being interrupted for a full hour by scholars dropping in. Stoke.— Mr Burnett, master ; Miss Walker, pupil teacher.— (52.)— The reading here, though correct enough as far as mere words go, is singularly destitute of expression. Few of the scholars can give a good account of what they have been reading. These are the weak points of the school. In other respects the teaching is successful. The writing is neat, the arithmetic fairly ready and accurate, and tho geography and grammar of at least average merit. Since a pupil teacher lias been appointed, the master has been enabled to keep excellent order. Richmond, Boys. —Mr Willis, master ; Mrs Harrington assistant— (43.)— The high position that this school has won and still keeps is due to two causes. It has been fortunate enough to obtain the services of a succession of exceptionally able masters, whose teachings have been so valued by the parents that they have allowed their sons, often at a considerable sacrifice, to remain at school much longer than is usual elsewhere. The result is that most of the boys, on leaving, carry away with them such a sound elementary education as will be of real service to them in after life. The method pursued here is especially worthy of imitation in one respect. The teaching is singularly equal, no branch receiving a disproportionate amount of attention, to the injury of the rest. Richmond, Girls.— Miss Spencer, mistress ; assisted by two pupil teachers— (s2.)— The careful grading of the classes, and the unusual pains bestowed upon the youngest scholars are perhaps the most striking features in this school. The handwriting is very good throughout, the copy-books of even the beginners showing signs of a minute supervision that is not too common in our schools. This thoroughness is observable in every branch. The reading and spelling are, for instance, relatively as creditable in the lowest as in the highest class. The girls seem to be rather closely packed, insomuch that when all the school is set to work at arithmetic, a certain amount of copying is unavoidable. Ranzau.— Mr Combes, master— (3l.)— A lamentable falling off has taken place here during the past year, both in the numbers and the age of the children attending. Of the 72 scholars on the roll for the year, one only was left when I last examined the school who had attained his twelfth year, while six only were present who were over nine years. In justice to a painstaking teacher, who has lately left this school for Upper Wakefield, I should explain that the skeleton of a first class left to him did very fairly in every respect, and that the other classes showed signs of careful teaching. Some of the neighbors, I was informed, had left the district lately, but no less than ten of the former scholars had deserted Banzau for Hope. As a similar exodus took place from the latter to the former school several years ago, I feel the less hesitation in suggesting that steps should be taken to put a stop to an abuse of our educational system that shows itself wherever schools are so close together as to admit of children going from one to the other at pleasure. Such a state of things is fair neither to the teacher, who is kept in a constant state of disquietude— to the scholar who cannot be properly taught or disciplined— nor to the public, which does not get anything like full value for its money. If the Board were to signify its intention to close one of these schools unless the evil were remedied, the Local Committee and the parents interested would speedily devise means for retaining at each school the children in its immediate neighborhood. Hope. — Mr R. T. Brown, master— (4o.)— lt is not easy to estimate fairly the progress that has been made here during the past year, the disturbing element being a large accession of scholars from Ranzau, amounting to nearly a fourth of the whole number on the books. The number of good readers, writers, and arithmeticians has, however, clearly increased since last year, and it is apparent that the school is well taught and kept in good order by the present master. River Terrace. — Mrs Bryant, mistress ; Miss Bryant, assistant; — (47.) — One of the most pleasing features in this well-conducted school is the alacrity with which the teachers set about amending any defects that it has been my duty to point out from time to time. The writing, spelling, and arithmetic have been successively found fault with. Yet so much pains have been subsequently taken to remove all ground of complaint in these respects that the school now stands above the average in both writing and arithmetic,' while the spelling is such as to satisfy every reasonable requirement. The number of good readers, always relatively large, has been considerably added to during the year. Spring Grove. —Mr Edmunds, master ; Mrs Edmunds, assistant — (70.) — It is a disadvantage to many of our schools that my most important examination, the results of which are published, should be unavoidably made in autumn, or at the beginning of winter, when schools are usually at their worst and not at the close of the December quarter, when they are' probably at their best. I was struck with the difference between the Spring Grove school in November, just before many of the best scholars left finally, and the same school in April. Taking the results of the two examinations together, however, I have no hesitation iv reporting that this school is thoroughly well taught in every branch. I was particularly impressed with the ability of the scholars to give a clear account of what they had been reading. No better test of the soundness of teaching can be devised.

Lower Wakefield.— Mr Chattock, master ; Mrs Chattock assistant— (7l.)— Both divisions of this school are in a very satisfactory state. Excellent discipline is maintained, and writing and arithmetic continue to be remarkably well taught. The upper classes also write correctly from dictation. Their reading is, however, by no means equal in merit to their penmanship and knowledge of figures. Eighty-eight Valley.— Mr Roby, master— (2o.)— lt speaks favorably for the energy of the master of this little school that, though there is only one child on the roll for the past year who s turned twelve ,the number of good writers and arithmeticians has increased. The penmanship is, indeed, excellent. The reading is correct enough, but utterly wanting in expression. Good order is kept. ° Upper Wakefield. — Master (lately Mr Chamberlain) now Mr Combes ; Miss Tunnicliff, assistant— (49.)— Good work has been done here during the past year. The scholars in the two first classes read very fairly, explain the meanings of woids readily, and are well grounded in geography and grammar. The arithmetic of the upper classes, formerly very defective, is also improved. In the lower division of the school I found that the children read and spelt very well, but failed utterly in arithmetic. The upper classes are no longer disorderly, the juniors being still, as heretofore, well disciplined. Foxhili— Mr If. Ladley, master— (26.)— Twice as many children were in this school when I last examined as were present the year before. The master and his scholars were also beginning to understand one another better, as no change of teachers has taken place during more than twelvemonths. Reading and arithmetic are fairly taught, and the upper classes write fairly from dictation The copy-books are, however, with one or two exceptions, slovenly. Motupiko.— Mrs Fugle, mistress— (l7.)— Great pains have evidently been taken, and successfully taken, here, to remedy the defects that I pointed out last year. The writing is now neat throughout ; the arithmetic, though less ambitious, more accurate than it was, the figures made by the children being so good as to deserve special mention. The drawl in reading is also much diminished. I find that though the comparative merits of the scholars are carefully recorded in a class-book, no prizes are allowed by the Committee. I trust that so important a help to zeal and emulation will no longer be withheld. Waimea West, North School— Mr Thorburn, master— (37.) —A marked improvement has taken place in the teaching of the lower classes here since last year. Writing and arithmetic are also well taught throughout. But the scholars in the first class, who comprise more than a third of the whole school, read with bad intonation, and have but an imperfect acquaintance with the barest outlines of geography and grammar. They are also outrageously noisy and unmannerly. Waimea West Village.— Mr W. Ladley, master ; Miss Ladley, assistant— (4s.)— The reformation begun in this school by Mr Larchin is being effectually carried out by his successor. The older scholars are beginning to read both prose and poetry well; the writing is generally neat, the arithmetic ready and accurate, few attempting questions that they do not solve correctly. Good order is kept, the only apparent drawback to the complete success of the school being still the irregularity of attendance, especially during the March quarter, when the school might almost as well be closed. Upper Moutere.—Mv Cook, master ; Miss Cook, assistant— (35.) — There are several schools in the Province where the scholars are almost exclusively of German parentage, but no master lias hitherto succeeded so well as Mr Cook in the difficult task of teaching children of this class. The reading throughout is fluent and distinct, the writing of the upper classes neat and legible, in arithmetic, questions as far as proportion and practice are worked with tolerable readiness, and the writing from dictation is creditable. More than this ought not to be expected under the circumstances. Tho universal good-humor, combined with perfect discipline, with which the work of the school is carried on, impresses a visitor very favorably. Ncudorf.—Mv Desaunais, master ; Mrs Desaunais, assistant — (45.)— 1t is satisfactory to be able to record that a much better rate of attendance for the past year has enabled the teachers to produce better results. The improvement in the reading that I noticed last year continues, and the writing is neat throughout. That the sxholars are not further advanced in other respects may be partly explained by the fact that only five children over twelve years old have attended during the past year. Lower Moutere. —Mr Robson, master ; James Robsou, pupil toucher— (so.)— Although the crowded state of the schoolroom renders the task of keeping order unusually difficult, the talkativeness of which I complained in my last report is no longer audible. The teaching is still thorough in every branch, the large proportion that the readers marked " good " bear to the total on the roll— nearly one-half — being especially noteworthy. Nor are the neat, legible figures made by the children likely to be unobserved by an examiner whose eyesight, is sorely tried by the hieroglyphics that so frequently do duty for figures. Motueka —Mr Bisley, master ; Miss Guy, assistant ; Miss Leech, pupil teacher— (77.)— The discipline and organisation of this school are fully equal to what they have hitherto beeu. The reading, which was formerly somewhat inaudible, is now distinct enough. The manner in which the oral teaching of geography is combined with that of history, so that the two studies arc made to render mutual assistance to each other, is we'll worth imitating elsewhere. Few of our teachers contrive to enf use any living interest into either of these subjects, which, as usually taught, might for all practical purposes, just as well be left out of the school course. Ngatimoti.—Mv Sutcliffe, master— (27.)— This little school has been steadily improving for several years, both in numbers and attainments. The writing is neat, the slatearithmetic fair, and the mental arithmetic above the average. The discipline and organisation of the school are also creditable. There is a peculiarity about the reading here that is of old standing. All the scholars, with the exception of some three or four in the first class, read with an odd rising inflection at the end of each sentence. The effect upon a stranger is excessively ludicrous, and no pains ought to be spared to bring about a reformation in this respect. Dovedale.—Mv Sterling, master— (2l.)— The average rate of attendance here for the past year has been much higher than formerly, one quarter showing a rate of 70 per cent. A corresponding advance has been made by the scholars in every branch. It is to be hoped that after the good effects of regular attendance have now been made so manifest, this school will not be allowed to relapse into its former condition. Few of the larger, none of the smaller schools in the province can compare with Dovedale in the excellence of the handwriting. Pangatotara. —Mr Deck, master— (34.)— This school is evidently carefully taught and well disciplined. The defects are the indistinctness of the reading, and the inaudible tone in which the children answer a question, even when they are not in doubt what to say. These faults are inveterate and not easily curable. Geography seems to be the strong point here, great attention having evidently been paid to this subject. The scholars write neatly, are fairly proficient in arithmetic, and make few mistakes in dictation. The removal of the school to a more central site has somewhat increased the attendance already. Brooklyn. — Miss Mickell, mistress — (21.) — I was less favorably impressed with this school on my last visit than on previous occasions. The arithmetic was not so accurate as formerly, the copy-books were carelessly Avritteu and kept, and the want of emulation Avas beginning to tell unfavorably upon the elder scholars who would do better at a larger school. Riwaka. — Mr Ponsonby, master — (21.) — It is not to be expected that a small district like Riwaka can long continue to support two public in addition to one private school. If the children now taught more or less efficiently at these establishments were collected in one central school, as with the improved means of communication now available they might easily be, Riwaka might again attain the high educational position that it held some years ago, when nearly fifty well-trained children were in daily attendance at its single school. It is enough to say that I found the school little better than a wreck, though the present master is struggling hard to bring about a better state of things. Tahaka. — Mr Dixon, master — (24.) — The recent appointment of a new master has had the not unusual effect of temporarily increasing the numbers and improving the rate of attendence at this backward and hitherto ill-attended school. But long-continued regularity on the part of the scholars and unremitting attention on the part of the teacher will be needed to rescue Takaka from its present position at almost the bottom of our Provincial schools — a position A.hich it has held, with little intermission, for the last eleven years. The geography and mental arithmetic of the first class are respectable and the redeeming features of the school. The reading, throughout, is nothing better than a monotonous drawl. Long Plain.— Mrs Dixon, mistress— (23.)— The present tone and discipline of this school leave nothing to be desired. Though none of the cliildren can be said to read really well as yet, their intonation is decidedly better thau it was. I noticed that the arithmetic is of a more practical type than

usual, the scholars being exercised in making out bills, and in solving such questions as they are likely to meet with after leaving school. Motitpipi and Clifton.— -Mrs Robinson, mistress— (lß.)— The children here read with good intonation, recite poetry well, write ueatly, and cipher correctly. Long-continued and very general sickness has, however, latterly told unfavorably on the school, which in several respects is just now scarcely up to the high standard of former years. The sooner the preposterous system which compels the children of Motupipi on alternate days to exchange a spacious and well-ventilated building for a small and inconvenient old room is discontinued the better. Collingwood.—Mv Marten, master ; Mrs Marten, assistant — (34.) — A very perceptible improvement has been made in the reading throughout this school. Considerable pains have evidently been taken to give the children a good intonation. The initial II and the final G are also enunciated wiih unusual distinctness. Few mistakes were made by the first class in writing from dictation. The arithmetic is also accurate as far as it goes. The discipline, though improved, is still far from being perfect. Westport.— Mr Larcliin, master ; Mrs Larchin, mistress; Miss Blaxall, assistant— (l34.)— A thorough reformation has taken place in this school since the appointment of an efficient staff of teachers. It is only to be regretted, for the sake of the children of Westport, that my plain and repeated representations as to the necessity for a change were so long disregarded. The number of good readers and writers has trebled during the last year, and a proportionate advance has been made in every branch except aritlunetic, in which improvement is of usually slow growth. Great intellectual activity prevails throughout the school, which is remarkably well organised. The reproach of backwardness in educational matters will not, however, be entirely removed from Westport until many times more than four children are allowed to remain at school beyond their twelfth year. The parents here arc more to blame in this respect even than those in the neighborhood of Haven-road school, for it seems that out of 172 scholars, 24 only have attained their ninth year. Cobden school undoubtedly owes no small share of its success to the fact that a large proportion of the children remain with their master longer than is usual at the other West Coast schools. This year, out of a total of 66 at Cobden, 20 had attained their 9th, 15 their 12th year. Addison's Flat. — (Subsidised school.) — Miss Gibbs, mistress — (29.) — Although this school has suffered from the illness and consequent resignation of the late teacher, much has been done by the present mistress to make up for lost time. The reading is generally very distinct, the spelling correct, and the geography fair. Few, however, can do much in arithmetic. The children generally are well-mannered and orderly. Charleston : Blackett-street— (Subsidised, school.) — Mr and Mrs Moore— (s3.) — The division of labor that the employment of two teachers has rendered possible is beginning to tell favorably upon this school. The upper classes read distinctly and with good emphasis, some of the older scholars displaying a very creditable acquaintance with the outlines of liistory and geography. The handwriting of the first class is excellent, their exercise and account-books being neatly kept and well arranged. The gradation of classes is carefully preserved and the discipline is good. St Patrick's. — (Subsidised' school.) —Mr Delany — (64.) — It is no reflection on Mr Delany's powers of instruction, which are considerable, to say that he has failed to teach efficiently a large proportion of the 64 scholars who presented themselves at my last examination. I foresaw, and pointed out last year that something of this sort must inevitably happen unless the teaching power were increased. The three upper classes, including about one half of the scholars, are very fairly taught. They read and write better than they did, and most of the first class acquit themselves creditably in dictation and grammar. But between the third and fourth classes there is a gap which will hardly be bridged in two years, the third class being able to read the 4th Irish book fluently, while the fourth class can just stumble through hte Ist sequel in the same series. Cobden. -Mr Ray, master— (ss.)— Cobden still deserves its high reputation, though the numbers given in the annual return scarcely do justice to the quality of the teaching. It has always been Mr Ray's practice— a practice that I should be glad to see more common — to keep his scholars in the elementary stages of writing and arithmetic until they have mastered them. The result is that though his advanced scholars invariably show the advantages of this prolonged grounding, those_ recorded in the higher branches are relatively fewer than in schools where the children are pushed forward more rapidly, and where the teaching is more superficial. Brunnerlon. — Mr A. Young, master — (34.)— 1 found that the first class here read well, the second fairly, and that both classes were well grounded hi arithmetic. Their knowledge or the geography of New Zealand was very accurate, and they parsed well. The writing was still poor with one exception; the discipline, as usual, good. Reef ton.— (Subsidised school.)— Mr A. Brown, master— (Bl.) —Though much of Mr Brown's time was taken up at first by the task of enforcing order and habits of application among the untrained children who have flocked to this school since it has been under his charge, an improvement is already observable in several important points. The children in the first class now read distinctly and with a tolerably correct intonation. They also passed a creditable examination in history, a subject they have taken up only lately. Their knowledge of grammar is also fair, and their writing much better than it was last year. The discipline is excellent, though it is obvious that the numbers are already too great for a single teacher, even after counting the slight and precarious help that can be given by two young monitors. Brighton.— Mrs Murphy, mistress— (34.)— Nearly twice as many children appeared at this inspection as were present last year. As the school life of the children does not extend beyond a few months, much cannot be expected as yet. I found, however, the first class fairly proficient in arithmetic, while the geography of the first and second classes was unusually ready and accurate. Good order is kept, mainly due to the excellent understanding that exists between teacher and scholars. Ahanra. — (Subsidised school.) — Boys : Master, Mr Harron • Girls : Mistress, Miss Easton— (44.)— lmportant changes, in the expediency of some of which I do not concur, have been made here during the past year. Not only has an entirely new teaching staff been appointed — a step in the right direction — but a school that counted 18 boys and 23 girls daily when I visited the Ahaura has been split into two distinct establishments. Whatever may be urged in favor of the separation of the sexes where the numbers attending are large enough to admit of the employment of a complete set of teachers for each school so divided, I cannot see what is gained by sub-dividing a school which, when united, is barely sufficient to furnish classes numerous enough for emulation. After making due allowance for this serious drawback, I cau report favorably as to the general progress of the scholars. Both the reading, dictation, and grammar of the upper classes are very fair. It is to be hoped, however, that as the teachers gain experience they will learn to keep better order. As it is, many of the children do not appear to know what discipline means. No Town. — (Subsidised school.) — Miss Ferris, mistress — (22.)— Most of the children who are taught here are very young, two only of those present at my examination being over 12 years of age. A fair elementary education is being given by their mistress, Avho is very painstaking, and who has succeeded in establishing perfect order in her school, Pakawau. — (Subsidised school.) — Mr Ponsonby — (9.) —I regret that the smallness of the attendance, after a nine months' trial, has compelled the Board to withdraw its subsidy from a school Avhere the children had made extraordinary progress while they were under tuition. How to provide for the education of children in thinly-peopled districts like Pakawau without unduly taxing the education fund, or pressing too hardly upon the resources of the neighborhood is, perhaps, the most difficult problem that the Board is called upon to solve. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. C. Hodgson, Inspector.