NEW PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOL REPORT.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 747, 11 June 1853, Page 7 (Supplement)

NEW PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOL REPORT.

New Plymouth, August 2nd, 1552. 1. Having been appointed by His Excellency the Gbvernbr-in-Chief to the office of Inspecting the Public Schools of this District, we have the honour to state now, and in conformity thereto, that we visited on the 13th of the past month, the only establishment falling under the denomination which is as yet within the hounds of Taranaki. This is known by the name of the "Grey Institution," and is, as it has been from the date of its foundation, under the immediate direction and superintendence of the Rev. Henry Hanson Turton, who, for several years past has been the Wesleyan Missionary Minister of the District. 2. The site of this Establishment is distant | somewhat more than a mile to the south-west j of this town, and has been selected wry judiciously, whether as for its appointed purpose an Industrial School—or as regards the maintenance or improvement of health among its occupants-, as it stands on the crown of an eminence which is dry under fool, and fully ! exposed to uninterrupted perflation from what- { ever quarter the wind may happen to blow ; and, m so far it combines convenience, that it over-looks on all sides the land which forms the scene of the School's Agricultural Opera- ] tions. 3. The style of the building is somewhat in imitation of simple or plain Gothic architecture, and the ground plan, including that of body and wings,exhibits the crucial form, which, however, is not followed out in the superstructure, excepting the chimneys, which are built of brick and st< ne material. The building is entirely constructed of Rimu or Rtd Pine, a very durable, and probably the best timber our forests affords for architectural purposes, as from the resinous and preservative principle it contains, it is found to be much less affected by time, and exposure to the vicissitudes of weather, than any of the other native woods which our artisans have yet subjected to such experiment. The building rests on piles of puriri wood, and so that the lower floor is elevated about eighteen inches above the level of the ground, thus permitting free ventilation. 4. The facade of the building presents to the town, and is an obvious and pleasingly picturesque object therefrom ; while to vessels approaching the anchorage of our bay, it proves no less a very useful and conspicuous laud-mark. 5. One of the four sketches which accompany th's Report (No. 1.) shows the accommodation which the ground floor of the building affords, as is portrayed in the side view sketch (No. 3.) ; no other part thereof has an attic-story, excepting that which includes the school-room, the matrons apartment, the staircase and the lobby, and that is appropriated as the principal dormitory exhibited in .sketch (No. 4.) Thisapartment, about thirty-eight feet in length, and from eighteen to twenty in breadth, cannot conveniently admit more than twenty beds, so that as there is no other part of the establishment eligible as a sleeping apartment, excepting'hat formed by the left wing,whose dimensions are twenty feet by twelve only,and this breadth being in te'equate for a double bank of beds, hence insufficient, without unseemly crowding, to hold more than five, it becomes somewhat imperative, if it be to maintain from thirty to fifty pupils, that an excess of dormitory space be appended thereto. Moreover as dining-hall space is about as much a desideratum, as that now mentioned, the room so appropriated being inadequate to the convenient accommodation of even the existing number of pupils at meals, we would invite attention to the extending of this also. And as the same portion of the building has reference to the now suggested enlargement of both these apartments the executjon would not be greatly more expensive than if restricted to the alteration of only one. Indeed it is our opinion that these improvements might be conjointly accomplished at no great cost, and not disturb,

but give a rather greater external unity of character to the body of the building, while it would add to the interior a clear attic space thirty-two feet long, or accommodation for sixteen more beds to the establishment, and allow a like space below, within the walls of which, when required, the maximum number of pupils could dine at one table together. Were this suggestion adopted, of course a new kitchen would have to be attached to the rear of the building, and the present chimneys would have both to be removed and rebuilt; but as the same materials for this would serve for the purpose, this part of the alteration would not incur much expense. G. We have particularly to recommend that the eaves of the building be fitted with waterchannels, and that casks of adequate number and size be adapted to the spouts thereof, as these will not only tend, when wet weather prevails to keep the immediate environs of the building in a comparatively comfortable state, but will afford generally a convenient supply of soft water for domestic purposes, and likewise prove of ready access when fire or other exigency may so demand. 7. The number of scholars has varied very considerably in the interval of the school's commencement, in 1846, and the present time. At and about the former date, twenty-live Maori children were educated a3 day-scholars, and about the same number of Maori adults as evening pupils. From August 1533, to March 1852, the numbers averaged from eight to twenty-nine, including four European boys during the last eighteen months. The number of scholars on the Commons of the Institution at the recent period of our visit was, Maories, twenty-eight; Half-castes, one; Europeans, three ; —or thirty-two in aggregate, and whose ages varied from sewn years to seventeen.

8. When the school was first established there were no funds provided for its support, hence originated the idea of farming n par!ion of the land, appertaining to the Mission for the purpose. As the school went on, its utility became more and more manifest, and as with that, cultivation became more extended, the farther thought occurred to Mr. Turton ot erecting permanent school buildings, and receiving therein scholars only as boarders. This was realized only in 1818. The cost of building was conjointly defrayed by the Colonial Government and the WeslevanMissionary Society. The boarding and clothing of the scholars, together with the concurrent expenses of the Institution have been about equally provided by the above two public bodies for one year, and by the Mission alone for the remaining time. The farm of 100 acres belonging thereto has been cbieily cultivated ia the first instance, i.e.,in the breaking-in stage by European labor, at the expense of Mr. Turton, he having stocked it also with sheep and cattle, and,obtained from England, at considerable cost, several of the most improved implements of modern agriculture, thus laying a most promising basis for the successful progress and future independence of the Institution, but unavoidably leaving for the time being, a heavy debt on tile estate. 9. The stipends of the Superintendent, the Teacher and Ins wife, are p id by the Missionary Society, and those of the farm overseer and matron by the Colonial Government. 10. The yearly cost incurred for the education and maintenance of each pupil has been found so difficult to arrive at, that only a probable approximate to a correct etsituate can be calculated. We have examined attentively, and considered carefully Mr. Turton's calculation and estimate, which is as follows, and we regard it as about as near an appro ich to what is likely to be the fact as can at present be arrived at —■ Clothing, bonding, and educating

which sum he proposes should he paid over to him by "the Colonial Government. Of coarse the expenditure of this amount will depend entirely on the number of scholars, fifty being the maximum. But it may be anticipated that the amount of pupils will fluctuate, say between thirty and fifty, or again some may enter at the half or quarter year, or at still more broken periods, while, on the other hand, some, through caprice, or unavoidable contingency, may not continue as alumni beyond a few months. By such an annual grant as we have above stated, Mr. Turton presumes that in four or live years the debt now on the estate would be paid off, and tiie income then derived from it would be found probably more than sufficient to maintain the Institution. The details of Mr. Turton's plan are as follows : 1. " That thirty acres of laud be set apart for arable purposes, the profits of which are to be appropriated to the maintenance of the scholars, a separate account thereof to be kept,

•> " That when such profit is less than £1 00 "' or at the rate of £2 each, the deficiency is to be supplied by Mr. Turton, and charged to the debit of the general agricultural fund. But if it should exceed that sum, or according !o that rate, that the surplus should be handed over to the credit of the said fund." r x oto ._Thp effect of this arrangement would be to prevent any personal or loss, in case the produce of the farm should be more or less estimated. No mor-ey would pass (here being a simple transfer in the accounts ; in other -.voids it would only take a rather larger or shorter time in which to extinguish the present deht on the property.] 3. '« That all extras and salaries allowed be paid by the sub-treasurer in equal quarterly instalments. 4. "That the allowance due on behalf of the pupils be also paid quarterly at the rate of £7 10s. each per annum, and that previous to each quarter day the exact number of pupils during the past quarter be ascertained by the Inspectors from the regular books of the school, and certified to the sub-treasurer. 5. " That in case of boys running away from the Institution with their clothes, and which it is impossible to recover again, that the Inspectors have permission to allow for the same in their certificates. 6. " That the above alowance may be made, irrespective of any holydays which may be requiied for the encouragement of the boys/and the satisfaction of the parents, since what might be saved in food would be lost in clothing, and other expenses. 7. " That the special farm account referred to above be audited by the Inspectors, who should see that a proper balance be struck and carried over to the general agricultural account at the end of the o year. 8. " That a certain sum be allowed for extras." 11. The school is conducted as closely as possible on the Glasgow System of Education, and the hours for teaching are from eight to eleven oclock in the morning, and from three till six in the afternoon of the week days. The Schoolmaster, Mr. Thomas Skinner, has every requisite qualification for his arduous office, and is devoted to, and indefatigable in his endeavours to improve the minds of his pupils. 12. On week days the boys are engaged during the intervals of school hours, viz : from eleven to half-past twelve, and from halfpast one till three in giving assistance at every operation of the farm, excepting only that of sowing grain, which, as yet it has rot been thought prudent to entrust to them. These labours, in conducting which some few of the pupils have become quite as efficient as the generality of European lads of their own age, consists of ploughing, grubbing, harrowing, and rolling the ground with teams both of oxen and horses; in planting, ploughing-in, and taking-tip of potatoes ; in mowing, harvesting, and the cereal crops, thrashing and winnowing grain, in carting firewood and other requisite farm-timber from the forest, in preparing and erecting post and rail fencing, in carting out and spreading manure, in milking cows, feeding horses and cattle, and in short, parlaking in the performance of all the ordinary work of a farm. As connected with this head of our Report we have to remark that a piece of ground has been allotted for horticultural purposes, and that it is Mr. Turton's intention to commence shortly to have the boys instructed in this important branch of culture also. 13. Of the number of lads who had left the Institution previous to March last nearly all could read their own language well, and some could read the English Primer and New Testament with ease, though not quite perfectly. They were apt at spelling and translating exercises. In arithmetic, two of the numberproceeded as far as Interest, going twice through the whole of the simple and compound rules, Rule of Three, Practice, Barter, &c.; others, however, could only pass Compound Division, and there were a few who never got over, or could retain in memory the Multiplication Table. In writing, their progress was on a par with that ordinarily to be observed among English lads of like age; but in Geography, from the circumstance of the Institution being unproviJed with maps till the latter period o( their attendance they were necessarily deficient. Moral and religious instruction were, of course, sedulously attended to throughout the curriculum. The boys who are now in the Institution have made, we consider, very remarkable progress in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Geography, and a knowledge of the English language, considering how short the time was, at the date of our visitation, that the boys had been under tuition, their acquirements far surpassed our anticipations, though from previous hearsay we had been led to expect that we should witness a gratifying degree of progress. 14. But the Scholastic is not the only Department of the Establishment deserving of notice and encomium. The Dietetic and other domestic arrangements under the care of the Matron are excellent, and the farm operations are managed judiciously by the Overseer,

15 Finally, it is with much pleasure we observe that the tenor of ihe scholars' behaviour is reported to us as docile, teachable, and generally obedient. It would seem, therefore, That the only further requirements are—first, a continuance of the system now under operation ; secondly, that the Government bestows the continuance of its patronage and pecuniary assistance; and thirdly, that Missionary Gentlemen, and others whose residences are among the Maories on the coast, or in the country, use a willing influence in endeavouring to uproot any existing prejudices, an 1 in persuading them to send their boys to and allow them to remain at the School. For it must be obvious to every one, who has given any consideration to the subject, that al such as the Grey Institution must, under Divine Providence, prove a powerful means of civilization, and tend efficiently to make good British subjects of those so educated, as likewise extend a similar beneficial bearing ovei those with whom they associate when they return to their homes. (Signed) Josiaii Flight, \ Inspectors of P. Wilson, J Public Schools.

fifty pupils at £7 10s. each annum Farm Overseer's Salary Housekeeper or Matron .. Total .. per £ .. 375 .. 50 .. 52 • • CO .. 512 s. 0 0 0 0 d. 0 0 0 0 0 0