PROVINCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 295, 14 December 1874, Page 2

PROVINCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

The following report has been handed to ua for publication: To thb Chairman of the Cbktbal Boabd of Education. NeUon, December 12, 1874. Sir—l compliance with tbe request of the Beard, Mr Hodgson and I have examined the candidates for the Provincial Scholarships. The paper* were the same aa those set for the Governors' town scholarships. Wlii e there is more evenness among town and country candilate? alike, the standard is the highest yet reached. This steady unbroken upward movement is the most pleasing feature in tbese yeany contests. Some of your number doubted the wisdom of our placiog a standard edition of a pait of Pope's works on our list. The most sceptical could hardly have failed to be convinced of the wisdom of so doing, if he could have seen the series of papers sent in this year. Hastie's paper was not only perfect, but obliged us to pitch thestandaid far higher than we had ever dreamed of doing. Leich's paper among the town boys was only second to Hastie's, and both surpricel me, and evea Mr Hodgson, who is familiar with the boya and their admirable schools. The history waa done excellently in many cases, and respectably in almost all. This year no one " floored " the Arithmetic table. Three questions (Nos. 4, 6, and 9) baffled all comers. You will see by the table appended that the scholarshipi fall to Hastie (345 out of 450) of Waimea Weat, and to Wilson of Motueka (309 out of 450). The prize which I offered, value £1 ls, for the best English paper, alsa falls to Hastie. The best arithmetic paper was done by Wigzell , cf Bridge-street School, to whom I shall be happy to give an arithmetic prize of equal value I cannot but congratulate tbe Board on the result of its labors. I believe that no better schools for their especial purpose? are to be found in tbis colony or elsewhere than some half dozen that might be named Nbetween the Grey and the Maitai. It ia our intention to recommend a cheap bnt excellent edition of the " Lay of the last Minstrel " for next year. It contains notes by one of the masters of Rngby, and was

especially intended for f-^e l.west forms of that school. Where thero is so much to admire, to grumble aeetns nograeious. We, howevor, feel it our dut* to say that the punctuation of some of the best candidates was very uncertain. Masters, too, would do well to work over a few examination papers with their pupils as a I preliminary. Every single question should be ao arranged as to be intelligible without reference U the printed questions. All answers, except dates, should be written in grammatical English, The neglect of this leads to muth confusion, and, doubtless, often to loss of marks. This is especially the crsc with dues It is not enough to put down the figures without naming ths event to w.iich they refer. It is strange that rcarcely one of the country candidates can fold a quarter sheet of foolscap neatly. Some of the candidates clearly dc not think much of words under five or six syllables, above all if ihey be of English origin, and not naturalised foreigner?. It is well that they and their teachers Bhould know that we do not U'e a yard measure as the gauge of style. We prefer the tongue that is " nnderstauded of the people," and therefore haply of the writer himself. To make difficult matter cle ;r by simple means is what we would have aimed at by the candidates, not to obscure what is simple by clouds of polysyllable?, dimly understood by the writer himself. The writing and spelling were almost uniformly good, but much time must be waßted, where the whole time is all too short, in elaborating that rather illegible %le which rejoices in fit downstrokes, tbin upstrokes, and sweeping flourishes. plain round hand, free from nourishes, and of reasonably eqnal thicknes i of stroke throughout, ia easier to learn, easier to read.- and dees not so easily degenerate int » vulgarity. The best handwriting is that which eanSK^most quickly written, most easily read, and is moist clear ofall taint of affectation. Mr Hodgaon has beea forced by stress of work to a*k me to draw up this report. But from frequent and long convers. tions with him on the subject I am led to hope that it expresses his views on every subject except that of handwriting I am Sir; Your Obedient Servant, j Frank Simmons.