NELSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 32, 6 February 1879, Page 5

NELSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The following is the Keport of the Inspector of Schools, to be presented to the Education Board: —

January 31st, 1879. The Chaibman of the Nelson Education Boakov Sib,— l have the honor to lay before you my Report on the Nelson Public Schools for the half-year ending December, 1878. No tabulated statements are appended, because a mass of statistics (almost embarrassing from their fulness of detail), required by the Education Department, will form part of the Board's Keport for 1878, shortly to he published. As the new system of Standards has not yet been brought mto operation, this Report will deal almost exclusively -with, the discipline, organisation, and methods o f teaching in our schools, that is to say, rather with processes than with results, and is especially intended for the guidance of teachers.

The New Standards. — The method of examination ■which has been followed for so many years in Nelson must, as a matter of course, cease after the end of the present year, when the new Standards will he adopted throughout the Colony. The change is a grave one. Under the former system, the success or failure of every pupil, in each subject, was recorded, and, while the teacher was allowed much more latitude, the mere number of passes made played a less important part than will probably be the case in future. The advantages of an uniform and highly elaborate scheme of examination are. so far as the centra lauthorities are concerned, sufficiently obvious. By applying to the whole Colony a rigid and precise series of tests, the task of comparison will, up to a certain point, be rendered easy. So far as mere in. structum goes.— as distinguished from education— & glance at a row of tabulated statements will suffice to show the relative percentage of those who have got the prescribed minimum of instruction in the several education districts. The shortcomings in this respect of any especially backward neighborhood, or even school, will also be readily detected by the same compendious process. But the gain to the workers in each school district is by no means so evident. It is Bcarcely the highest aim of Inspectors and Teachers to secure absolute uniformity in the style of teaching, or to endeavor to turn out all the children withui their district as nearly as may be of the same pattern. And it should be, it seems to me, more than ever the especial duty of an Inspector to see that the new Standards are not so worked as to crush all individuality out of both teachers and scholars — to encourage originality wherever found — and to counteract, as much as possible, the inevitable leaning of those who are constrained to work within a certain prescribed groove to rest content with the bare minimum laid down as necessary to secure a pass. Inspection and Examination. — Having lately completed a tour of inspection, I shall be at liberty, during the first half of this year, to co-operate with tne teachers in re-organising their schools in conformity with the requirements of the new Standards. The most practical way of doing this will be to put the children in each school (who will have been reclassified at the beginning of the year) through a preliminary examination in the Standards. Although the results of this examination will not be published, a service will have been rendered to head teachers, i by showing them where their scholars are likely to fail, and where they have been badly classified. At the final examination, towards the close of the year. far greater stress will be laid upon general intelligence than upon verbal memory. The utmost care will also be taken, in the short estimate of the condition of each school, which has always formed, and will continue to form, a part of my Reports, to check the tendency to routine teaching that so frequently follows the adoption of any set of Standards. however skilfully devised. The teacher whose work is sound, even if his standard be pitched somewhat low — and who can show well-trained scholars, and a good tone in his school— may rest assured that his merits shall not pass unrecognised. I make this explanation to guard against an error which some of our teachers may easily fall into,— that of taking for more than it is worth the passing of a largo percentage of scholars in the higher standards. This, of itself, is by no means sufficient to constitute a good school, and must not be allowed to influence unduly a good teacher's plans. There will be a greater likelihood of the scholars in the Nelson district being well taught, if their teachers will bear steadily in mind the fact that Standards are a means, not an end— that they are, at best, nothing more than an imperfect machinery for measuring a portion only of the work of a school.

Re-arrangement of School Work.— The addition of several subjects, notably Science, Drawing, and Vocal Music, to the course, will necessitate an entire change in the apportionment of the school hours. Music and Drawing must, for obvious reasons, continue to be optional subjects, for some time to come at least, but no valid excuse can be urged for omitting Science. To this subject, therefore, I shall at present confine myself. Knowing the difficulty of wedging even a single extra item into our already crowded timetables, I have been at some pains to devise such a scheme as will burden teachers and scholars to the smallest extent compatible with efficiency. And in doing this I have followed as closely as possible the advice of one who is, perhaps, the first living authority on such a question, and who has, besides, done more than any other man to introduce the study of science to the schools of Great Britain— Professor Huxley. These are his words : " Every educational advantage which training and Physical Science can give is obtainable from the proper study of these two (botany and physics), and I should be contented for the present if they, added to Physical Geography, furnished the whole of the scientific curriculum of schools." I propose then, with the permission of the Board, that, during the current year, Huxley's Introductory Science Primer, after being mastered by the scholars preparing for the sth and 6th Standards, shall be put into the hands of those training for Standard 4. Geikie's Physical Geography (which has already been read by most of the older scholars) may be used as the text book for the sth Standard, Balfour Stewart's Physics being given to the 6th. Next year Botany may be substituted for Physics as a study for the 6th Standard scholars. lam aware that many of the experiments proposed in the primer on Physics cannot be performed without a costly apparatus, and that this objection applies yet more strongly to the Chemistry primer. Still, the greater part of the former book can be made intelligible to children, by the exercise of a little ingenuity on the part of the teacher, even without any outlay on apparatus. All of these primers may also be used with advantage as reading-books, by which plan we may at once meet half-way Professor Huxley's demand, " that science should have at least as much time given to it as to any other single subject, say

four hours a week in each class of an ordinary school." J

Rome Lessons.— ln this Report several references to Home Lessons will bo found; In souie cases I have commented on the total aKseiice of any evening work ; in others-, on Hie excessive length of the tasks imposed. Being anxious not to be misunderstood on a point as to which I hold very decided opinions, —opinions that have only been confirmed by increased experience— l will state, once for all, and as definitely as possible, what, to my thinking, should be the measure of * ork after school-hours. Children under eight or nine years old ought not to do any tasks at. all, after leaving tile school-room. The five school hours, well employed, arc enough, and, m many instances, more than enough. From children between nine and twelve years old no more home-work should bo expected 'than can bo fairly accomplished within an hour by scholars of average capacity. An hour-and-a-half's work, nightly, is as much as should be required of scholars between twelve and fifteen. It is true that nearly twice as much a.s this is demanded from many children in | our public schools, and, Unfortunately, from many more who attend private schools, to say nothing of the institutions which, under the name of High Schools and Colleges, now abound in New Zealand. Notwithstanding the popularity of this system of high-pressure* with both parents and teachers, I shall venture to assert, at whatever risk of giving offence, that its prevalence merely proves one of three things— lst, Either that the teaching staff is not numerous enough to do justice to the scholars and to keep them fully employed during school hours ; or, 2nd, That the teachers do not know how to make the best use of the time at their disposal : or, 3rd, That far too much is attempted. Probably! all three causes are at work. Even in the case of boys intending to take part in the examinations for the College scholarships, the preparation for which involves the severest strain to which pupils in our primary schools are ever subjected, I maintain, that the amount of night-work I have indicated is sufficient. If a master finds that an hour-and-a-half's work nightly, steadily continued throughout a twelvemonth, does not enable any candidate to keep well abreast of his work, the 'teacher may reasonably conclude that he has formed a, mistaken estimate of his pupil's powers, and should withdraw him from a competition that lie ought never to have attempted. Whatever may be the immediate result, I believe that, in the long run, the moderate, but continuous, effort I recommend will give a better mental training than can be got from the detestable system of over-burdening the unripe brains of children, which is one of the besetting sins of the age. The sound mind in a sound body, surely the true aim of all education, will be best attained by those who have not been sacrificed to the paltry vanity of teachers and parents. Bridye-street Boys, Ist Division : Mr. Sadd (temporarily) — 19 present. Ditto, 2nd Division: Mr. Worley (temporarili/) — 47 present. Ditto, 3rd division : Mr. Thompson (temporarily) — (49 present). — Until a permanent head master is appointed, these schools, the two first divisions of winch, at least, are hi good order, canuot be expected to flourish. Neither the master of the first nor of the second division will occupy his present post when the school re-opens in January, under a different organisation. The engagement of the teacher of the third division terminated at the close of the December quarter. Mr. Worley, who was in charge of the 2nd division when I last visited the school, is a painstaking teacher, who only wants experience to do very well. Hardy-street Boys, ith Division : Miss Jlonyh : Assistant, 31iss Kitchiiuj — (101 present). — Nothing can be better than the organisation and discipline of this school. Tne boys are taught to read and to give their answers with great distinctness. The lounging and lolling so often indulged in by a class standing before the teacher are not tolerated here, an alert and upright bearing being insisted on. Hardy-street Girls, Ist Division : Mrs Sait and Monitor — (80 present).— l found the room far too crowded to admit of the classes being properly worked. The writers, especially, were sadly cramped. The opening of the Toi-toi Valley Girls' School will, however, be pretty sure to thin the numbers here. The want of a proper 2)lay-ground has resulted in the total disregard of the wholesome rule which provides that an interval of tea minutes shall be allowed twice daily for recreation and for ventilating the heated school-room. The most striking defect in the method of tuition followed seems to be that a large proportion of school time which ought to be devoted to actual teaching is taken up with hearing long home-lessons, which are certainly prepared by the girls with remarkable accuracy. History is taught in a fashion that is, I hope, unique, — the text-book, Collier's History, being committed to memory, word for word, and chapter by chapter. Here, however, as in several similar instances, it must be admitted that the extraordinary energy of the teacher goes far towards compensating for any deficiencies in system and organisation. Hardy-street, 2nd Division : Miss Dement ; Miss Hoult, assistant — (73 present). — This school is not particularly orderly, the girls being allowed to chatter a good deal at their seats ; but there is abundance of life and energy displayed by both teachers and taught. The time-table is sensibly arranged. Unpunctuality is common, the work of the school being grievously interrupted during the first half-hour by the dropping-in of laggards, who appear to have but little excuse for their tardiness. Hardy-street Girls, '3rd Division : Miss Collier ; Miss Burns, assistant — (84 present). — The older scholars would be all the better for having suitable desks to sit at during their writing, dictation, and arithmetic lessons. The boys in the 4th division of Bridge-street school are well provided with such appliances. This school continues to be a model of good order, the teaching being just as methodical as it has always been. It must tell against the health and spirits of these little children that they have no better play-ground than a small back-yard, which, small as it is, is shared by the other divisions of the Hardy-street schools. In the absence of a decent play-ground, I see no reason why the school-hours for this division should not be reduced to four. Haven-road, Ist and 2nd Divisions : Mr. J. /,. Hodyson ; Miss M'itney, Miss Franks, assistants — (140 present). — An orderly activity may be said to be the characteristic of this school. The scholars have learnt to work continuously throughout the schoolhours, the home lessons being comparatively short. The lower division, under Miss Franks, is a pattern of good order. This school will be re-modelled at the beginning of this quarter, when the girls will be transferred to the new school in Toi-toi Valley. Hampden-street, Ist and 2nd Divisions: Mr. Sunley; Miss Percy, Miss Bucheridye, assistants— (ll9 present).

—The style of teaching in the first division is effective^ though somewhat rough and ready. The reading,, for instance, of tlie advanced scholaiu is so rapid, arid so Wautiijg jii ex.p'i-e'ssloii, tlia't it is impossible for a listener to make out the sense without book. Arithmetic, as the result of the last examination for College scholarships goes far to prove, is thoroughly well taught. The discipline is far from good. A constant undercurrent of talk is going on, which is rarely checked until it swells into an intolerable volume of sound. The assistant in this division, though zealous enough, has but little of the spirit of order. Although the standard of attainment in the junior division is rather low, no fault can be found with the discipline. And this, in a. junior division, is much.

Port : Miss B!aek»iore—(U present).— The chief reason for keeping open this school, after the establishment of a large girls' school in Toi-toi Valley, is to save a number of young children, who live at the extremity of the Port road, a long and sometimes dangerous journey to and from school. Nothing but preparatory work is attempted. The scholars are not very orderly, their behavior contrasting most unfavorably with that of children of the same age in the preparatory schools in Tasman street and Hardy street.

Toi-toi Valley: Miss Sunley— (Gi present).—Although the number of scholars here, especially when divided into /our classes, was so much beyond what a single teacher could do justice to as almost to disarm criticism ; I found the school fairly taught and in good order. This school, being no longer required, was closed in December.

Clifton Terrace: Miss Rohb — (18 present). The attendance here, as has always been the case, is neither regular nor punctual. The scholars are remarkably quiet. The reading of even the older scholars is indistinct and very hard to follow. The sum-books show marks of the most careful supervision.

Hillside: Miss Folehnann — (18 present). The scholars are punctual. The night lessons are rather long, but are well prepared. All are kept fully employed during school hours, this being, perhaps, the secret of the excellent order maintained. The reading lessons are insufficiently explained, especially to the juniors. Extraordinary pains are taken with the writing, to the teaching of which half-an-hour daily is exclusively devoted. Hippy V alley ■; Miss Gill— (19 present). — The reading of the first class, though loud enough, is so hurried as to be almost unintelligible. The home lessons are judiciously chosen, but seem too long, and they are not thoroughly learnt. I observed that all the scholars were in school, and hard at work, long before the appointed time for opening, though some had far to travel to reach school. The children are very orderly and obedient. Stoke: Mr Xaylor : Miss Xeale, Assistant— (65 present) .--The time-table has been carefully drawn up, and is strictly adhered to. Some deduction should, however, be made from the time allotted to Arithmetic ; the half hour a day thus saved might with advantage be given to Reading and explanation of the day's lesson, for which, at present, very little time is available. Although considerable attention is paid to class drill, the school is rather noisy — the noise being, however, for the most part, the noise of work. Great pains are bestowed on the writing lesson.

Richmond Boj/s : Mr. Uobson ; Miss Sayioell, assistant, f 44 present). — The teaching of the upper classes in this school seems to me better than the organisation, which is defective in several respects. No home lessons appear to be given, so that too large a proportion of the school hours is taken up with the preparation of lessons. The Boys are carefully questioned on the subject-matter of each lesson. The bad practice of hearing one class read while auother is engaged in writing, without even a pretence of supervision being made, is still continued in the lowest part of the school. Although the school cannot well be termed disorderly, my ideal of good discipline is by no means attained.

Richmond Girls : Miss Spencer ; Miss O'Loughlin, assistant, (\\ present). — Among the home-lessons given here, is the learning by heart of a piece of poetry, to bo written out in school next morning from memory, I should he glad to see ?o valuable an exercise more common. The most noticeable fault here is the low tone in which the reading is pitched. Although the school is usually very quiet when a reading lesson is going on, it is not easy, even for an attentive listener, to catch more than half of what is being read. The behaviour of the girls is excellent.

Ranzau: Mr. Coivles ;(M present).— The scholars are unpunctual, stragglers dropping in during nearly three quarters of an hour after half past nine, the time of opening. The discipline is not nearly strict enough, much of the time of the scholars at their seats being wasted in staring about. On the other hand, unusual pains are taken to explain the difficulties in their lesson to those up in class, the elder scholars being required to reproduce in writing their recollections of the day's reading — a very useful training. Hope: Mr. Thorium; (36 present).— -Here, as at several other schools, I found a class engaged in writing, while a reading lesson was going on. This was excused, however, by the fact that there was not deskroom in the school to admit of a simultaneous writing lesson being given. The same cause accounted for the absence from the main room of a large class of beginners, who were being taught in an adjoining roonfby a very small monitor. The discipline is ou!y moderately good, too much talking, shuffling of feet, and purposeless wandering about the room being tolerated. River Terr-ace: Mrs Bryant ; Miss Bryant, assistant,, (53 present). — A reading and a writing lesson are here given simultaneously, but the want of desk space in the over crowded school to a. great extent justifies the practice. Few home-lessons are exacted, the children, as I was informed, not being allowed by their parents time to prepare them. The reading, though well accentuated, is pitched in too low a key. The children are well trained to explain each lesson, and receive much excellent oral instruction. A very kindly feeling evidently exists here between teachers and scholars.

Spring Grove : Mr. Franklyn ; Miss Knapp, assistant, (61 present). — The time table is so planned, that all tiic scholars are kept well employed. A due proportion of the school-hours is allotted to the simultaneous teaching of subjects, which demand the undivided attention of the teacher, such as arithmetic and writing. The rude and insubordinate spirit, that I have so often noticed among the scholars here, is being gradually sul iiiued by the firm hand of the present master.

Lower Wakefield Boys and junior : Mr. and Mrs. Desuunais ; (54 present). — The present teachers had been at work only three weeks, when I last visited the school. Frequent ehauges of teachers, and new nppointments, however necessary, must retard progress, A writing and reading lesson, I observed, were going on together, but this, I was informed, was not the

usual practice. Much use is made of the black-board in explaining arithmetic. It is scarcely creditable to the system of teaching still followed in some of our scllools^ that the constant use of the black-board, not only for antiinietic,' tuit for geography, grammar, and writing, should not be universal.' The discipline here is only moderately good.

Lower Wakefield Girls : Miss Leach ; (29 present). — I was struck with the quiet fashion in which the work of this school was carried on, the only exception to the general good order being two or three of the girls who composed tlid first class,, who were persisiently unmannerly. The scholars a'fe systematically examined as to the meaning of each reading Jcssc'ti. The time-table is not adhered to, as I found a reading and a' writing lesson going on together, though nothing of the sort appeared lit the list of lessons Jiunff up! Sufficient attention is not paid iti the posture of the writers, a common fault.

Eighty-eight Valley : Mr. Richardson, temporary master; (20 present). — The teacher had been at work only a fortnight when I visited this school. Though quite inexperienced in teaching, he promised well, and evidently found no difficulty in managing the orderly children under his charge. I regret, however, for the sake alike of unskilled teachers and their scholars, that a system which I proposed some years ago, of giving teachers a few days special holiday, when most of the schools were at work, to enable them to see what was being done by their fellow teachers, though adopted with much enthusiasm at the time, has since fallen into disuse.

Upper Wahejield: Mr Waller Ladle//; Miss E. Desaunais, assistarit (50 present). — The master has done his best to make the school work as interesting as possible. The method of teaching geography is especially worthy of imitation. The outline of a country is drawn on a black board by the master, the details being filled up by him during the course of an oral lesson. To do this -well, however, implies a cousiderable knowledge of the subject, and is much harder and higher work than the listening, book in hand, to a repetition of names of places which so often does duty for a lesson in geography. Equal care is taken to make clear every step in an arithmetical process. The whole of the time is intelligently apportioned, so that none is left unemployed during the school day. Fox Hill: Mr.R.Lwlley; (31 present) — The time is better divided among the subjects taught than it was, and the scholars are being better grounded, especially in arithmetic. I have recommended a more frequent use of the black-board. Difficulties are well explained, but only after an honest attempt has been made by the learner to overcome them without help, a point often overlooked. Fair order is maintained, apparently without resorting to harshness.

Motupiko: {late) Mr. Beitt; (17 presen().~Bad roads and long distances prevent the children from being either regular or punctual in attendance. Failing health had evidently incapacitated the late teacher from doing justice to his pupils. Waimea West, North Division: Mr Edmunds: (22 present).—- The scholars here kept better time than their master, who apparently does not reckon punctuality among the cardinal virtues. The teaching of arithmetic is very careful ; the fullest and clearest explanations being given. The school work is so arranged that the teacher's undivided attention is given. in each case, to the writing and arithmetic lessons. Indeed, although there is a certain laxity in the discipline, the style of teaching throughout may be characterised as rational, as contradistinguished from mechanical ; and, "ranting that there is much to which a martinet might take exception, yet excellent work is heini; dove here.

Waimea West Village: Mr. J. Robson, Jan.; (34 present). — The scholars are very punctual, all beins: usually on the school-ground before the time for open* ing. Insufficient supervision is given to the writing, especially to the position of the writers, on which so much depends. The style of teaching is singularly dry and mechanical, but a feeble attempt being° made either at explaining the lessons or questioning the children upon them. Good order is kept. A°new time table was being drawn up, but at the time of my visit the arrangement of work in vogue was faulty. Upper Mbutere : Mr. Cook, Mm Cook, assistant; (60 present). — The children are punctual and well behaved. The reading is rather monotonous, and therefore not very easy to follow. An undue proportion of the school hours is devoted to the preparation of lessons. During this period it struck me that wonderfully little real work was going on. In other respects the school time is judiciously apportioned. Neudorf: Mr. Hill ; (35 present).— The master, who had been transferred to this school only a few weeks when it was last inspected, was working under great difficulties, from forty-five to fifty children having been under his sole charge during that period. An assistant has since been appointed. The style of teaching is most careful and intelligent, excellent discipline being maintained.

Lower Moutere: Mr. Deck; Miss Leach, assistant, (52 present). — The thoroughness with which every lesson is explained is quite a specialty here. I know of no other school where so much is done in this direction. The fact that so unusual a proportion of time is thus occupied is urged in extenuation of the unscientific practice of giving a reading and a writing lesson at the same time. It must be admitted, however, that the handwriting is good. The reading is hardly as distinct as it ought to be. The tone Ind discipline of the school are very good. MotueJca, Ist and 2nd Divisions : Mr Bisley; Miss Guy, assistant (110 present).— Although, until lately, when a second assistant was appointed, the two teachers of this school have been set to do the work of three, I found that their ceaseless activity kept all the scholars pretty well at work, and on the alert. Judicious use being also made of monitors, there was neither opportunity nor excuse for the constant chattering that usually goes on in schools less energetically administered. The indistinctness of the reading a fault of long standing — still tries the patience of the listener.

Ngatimoti : Mr. Sideline ; (17 present).— The scholars now attending this school are all very young, the first class consisting of two scholars, one only of whom was twelve years old. All are well-behaved, carefully taught, and kindly treated. The smallness of the numbers admits of more individual teaching being given than would be practicable in a large school.

Dovedale: Mr. Burrell; (49 present).— The discipline here is not strict enough, nor is the importance of keeping the scholars fully employed when at their seats well understood. Very few night-lessons are given, even to the first class, many of whom are of an age to profit by a moderate amount of home-work. A good feature in the teaching is the careful questioning on the sub-ject-matter of each lessou.

Panqatotara: Mr. G. Jennings; (26 present).— The children are not merely orderly, but much in earnest, having, indeed, extraordinary difficulties to surmount before they can reach school at all. When I last visited the school, it could be approached by the ma-

I jority of the children on both sides only in a canoe, ' the mastef acting as ferryman to those living on the left bank of the Motulelov river. He is> quite as much in earnest as his scholar's 1 , though the unavoidable irregularity of attendance is very disheartening. The time-table is not well arranged, refitfi^g and writing; il^cing taught simultaneously. The reacting, as a rule, / is very indistinct. Riwaic'dj Mr. Fonsonbif; Miss Gaskell, assistant,

(55 present). — Tlie' method of teaching geography pursued here is worthy of imitation. Much use is" made of anecdote and illustration! in the oral teaching, which is thus invested with a living interest. The reading is much improved, the enunciation of words being nW quite distinct. The teaching of the juniors.

is unsystematic, and for too individuaj, consequently,, the majority waste a large part of their time in listlessly staring about them, or vary the monotony of idleness by much slmffling of feet, shattering, and rtfttKnfg of slates. llrouMyn: Miss F. Guy; (24 present). — Tlse sfeyle of teaching' U remark-ably animated. The cfaSkirero are punctual aud orderly,, no irregularity of concfr-tetf being overlooked. Distincfn'ess in reading, and in' answering questions is insisted oii< I was, however, sorry to see that a reading lesson w"#s being given

while another class was engaged in writing; Upper Motuelca: Miss Stanley; aided scho&t ( k 9 present. — Tho children here have far more practice io? reading than catt be given in more numerously attended schools. They thus gain in fluency, but as the attempt to cure them of tlte monotonous whine that is now irivetera'fe seems to have been finally abandoned, their reading is simply intolerable to the unaccustomed ear. The only remedy that I can suggest is, to distribute the scholars anotorag other schools, where they could no longer keep one another in countenance. In other respects the children are carefully taught, and are certainly less disorderly than they were formerly. Westport Boys : Mr Brown (35 present). — I found the school orderly, the boys having evidently been trained to work steadily, independently, and in silence. Especial care is taken that every part of each lesson, shall be understood. The homer lessons, being of moderate length, are well learnt. The arrangement of the school- work is j udicious. Thoroughness is the most striking characteristic of the teaching. Westport Juniors {boys and girls) : Miss Blasall r Miss E. Blaxall (93 present).— -The discipline of this part of the school has improved greatly since additional room has been gained by the opening of the girls' school, to which, moreover, all the girls in this division will be transferred shortly. The style of teaching is quiet and effective, not an instant being wasted in idle parade. The weak point is the utter absence of what forms so marked a feature in the

teaching of the boys' school — explanation of the reading lessons.

Westport Girls : Miss Halla (38 present). — Each class is carefully tested as to its knowledge of the lesson read. The historical and geographical questions that I saw written on the biack-board were judiciously put. I regret that in several of onr schools there is too much of the book, and too little of the black-board. The organisation of the school would be improved by reducing the number of classes, of which there are now four. The girls are not quite cured of their talkativeness, especially over their sums, which seem to be done pretty much on the co-operative principle.

Addisorfs Flat : Miss Mills (50 present). — A pleasing feature here is the distinct enunciation in reading. The children are also carefully taught the meaning of what they read. The order of the school is perfect. Dictation and arithmetic fall short of the standard attained in other respects, and the geography of the first class is not as ready as it should be. The numbers are fast outgrowing the teaching powers of a single Mistress ; so that it will be necessary to provide an assistant, when the new school-room is completed.

Charleston Boys: Mr. JDetany ; Miss Quin, assistant, (»L present).— The discipline here has not fallen off. Much of the school work, indeed, is now carried on in absolute silence. The teaching is systematic and thorough, the explanations given being unusually full. The formerly slovenly handwriting is altered for the better.

Charleston Girls : Mrs. Gaskin ; Miss Clissold,, assistant, (76 present). —Although this school had been open little more than two months when I last visited Charleston, much had been accomplished by the teachers within that short space. The style of teaching is spirited amd sensible. Great difficulty is experienced iv getting the girls to speak out, many, apparently, trying to cover faulty reading by intentional indistinctness. Most of the elder scholars are backAvard for their age, but it is evidently not intended that they shall be pushed on faster than is consistent with thorough grounding. Brighton: Mrs. Murphy ; @8 present).— .The efficiency of the teaching is impaired by the practice of putting into the hands of the scholars reading books quite above their comprehension, and which it is impossible, therefore, that they should read intelligently, or even fluently. I adverted to this fault in my last report. Another fault is the illegibility of the figures made. The children are remarkably well behaved, both in and out of school.

Reef ton-. Mr. Ckattock ; Miss Qhattock, assistant, (145 present). — Whatever is possible seems to have been done here by teachers who have to deal with twice too many scholars, crowded into half the space they ought to occupy. By dint of pure good management better order is kept, and even better instruction is given, than I should have expected under the circumstances. The new school buildings, now approaching completion, are roomy enough to admit of the employment of a much larger staff, and of the proper separation of classes. Under these improved conditions, good results may be confidently anticipated at the close of the year.

Capleston: Mrs. Rogers; aided school, (21 present). — Good elementary work is being done here. The children are taught to read distinctly, are well exercised in spelling, and are systematically questioned as to the meaning of each lesson. The use of the black-board, without which it is almost impossible to teach a class arithmetic thoroughly, is neglected. Fair order is kept. i

Long Plain : Mrs Symes (24).— Few, or none, of our schools, fortunately, present so forlorn and neglected an aspect as this. The leaky roof, the insufficient and ill-contrived desks, the idckless doors open to every passer-by, the torn books lying in heaps ou the dust-laden floor, impress a visitor most unfavorably. Such squalid surroundings cannot but have an injurious effect on the scholars, nor can habits of neatness and order be formed under such circumstances. Reading is well taught here, hut • toe little attention seems to be paid to arithmetic. l The children know but little of grammar or geo<miphy Motupipi: Mrs Robinson (31).~Thlsia one of the schools that will suffer most frdta the application of a rigid set of standards. Those children who show a

special aptitude for any subject have hitherto been •drafted -tea separate class for the levelling of that •i v L l nder 1 1 ° nCW ">' stem ihe y mustjusti-eiflam the laggards v; no are preparing for the same ttaidaid ™th tb.sm in the rest of the school work. The discipline exhibits that happy blending of kindly treatment ™tU all the essentials of good order, which none but an experienced teacher can achieve. Lower Wakakai Mr Hume (31).-The children are remarkably quiet, but appear to be wofully backward m almost every respect, the two exceptions beinowriting and dictation, both of which are creditably taught. This school compares unfavorably with many of our country schools, in which all the con- . ditions, so far as I can judhe, are precisely similar. East Tahaka: Miss 'Manson (31).— The reading and spelling here are somewhat in advance of the other work, the arithmetic and geography being weak The tone and discipline of the school are' very good. Vollingwood :Mr Canaoan (31).— The attendance here, especially that of the younger children, is less regular than it was formerly. The register showed that many of the scholars had not been present on •more than half of the school-days in last quarter. iPartly, doubtless, owing to this, the lower part of the the School is backward in almost every respect. The "ccpy-books, with two or three exceptions, are slovenly, and full of uncorrected mistakes, repeated line after line. The older scholars are well grounded iv grammar, geography, and history, and are tolerably quick at figures. The order is only moderately good, and tha state of the school generally not very satisfactory. Ferntoum : Mr Roby (23).— From the lowest to the highest class the children here show abundant evidence of effective and energetic teaching in every branch. The master's efforts are well seconded by the regular attendance of the scholars, and by the keen interest in their progress taken by their parents. The copy-books are models of neatness. Good order is kept, and the formerly somewhat fiery zeal o" the master has been tempered, of late, to the manifest advantage of his pupils. Pahawau : Mr Ledger (24) ; aided school— After being closed for several years, this school was reopened, four months ago, under more favorable auspices. The children are being carefully taught by a teacher, who, though inexperienced, is full of zeal, and very apt. His scholars are punctual, regular in attendance, and very eager to make up for lost time. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant, W. C. HODGSON, Inspector.