REPORT OF THE EDUCATION BOARD OF THE DISTRICT OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 533, 30 April 1878, Page 3

REPORT OF THE EDUCATION BOARD OF THE DISTRICT OF WELLINGTON.

Education Board Office, Wellington, 27th March, 1878. To the Honorable the Minister ,of Education

Sir,—ln compliance with clause 102 of the Education Act 1877, the Board of the Education District of Wellington present to the .Horn the Minister of Education the fql- ■ lowing report of their proceedings for the year ’ ended 31st December last. In tins report the instructions contained in a circular letter No. i from the Education Department, dated February 25, 1378, 'are, as far as possible, complied with ; and' the information asked for is given in the form prescribed., The Board has held 18 meetings during the year 1877, of which there were, 12 yegular meetings held on tho third Wednesday in each month. ;, ... . . 1. —ATTENDANCE AND TRACKING STAFF. , At the close of the year 1877 there were 80 schools in o'peration under this Board, containing 5240 children. The teaching - staff consisted of 56:certifteated teachers, 41 unoertificated teachers and assistants, 42 pupil teachers, and 8 monitors. At the-end-of 1876 there were 70. schools in operation,, containing 4080 children, taught by 49, teachers, 44 uncertificated .teachers and ■ assistants, 26 pupil teachers, and 17 monitors, i The numerical increase in the teaching staff ,is only 11 I but there are 7 more certificated -teachers,,l6 more pupil - teachers, and 9 less monitors, We are gratified to say the increase in the; attendance is very large,,- there ibeing no,- less than 1160 more children attending:at the end of the year than at the beginning. ; The pupil teacher system,is largely developing; and the number of uSoertifioated teachers shows that the; want'of-a normal school is beginning to.be seriously: felt.. : In, Appendix C, attached to this report,, is, an alphabetical list of all the head teachers - and assistant teachers in the service of the Board, stating their charge, standing, and classification ; ;and in Appendix D a list of all the pupil teachers and monitors, stating the .school in which they are employed, and their year of service as determined by examination last July:, ‘ A list of the public schools in the education district of ; Wellington, with the names : and official incomes of the several teachers and the attendance and age of the pupils for; the year 1877;. is attached,to this.report as Appendix E.

II. —NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS ERECTED. During the past year two large schools have been built in the city of Wellington—one for boys only,'and one for infants. - The hoys’ school will accommodate 500, and the infants’ 400. They are built on portions of. the Mount Cook Reserve, given to' the 1 Board : by tho General Government for the purpose: New schools have also been - erected 1 at Taonui, Stony Creek, Moutoa, Awahuri,' Croftbn, Karere, ; Haloombe, Matarawa by-Wanganui, and at Matarawa-by-'Greytown:.' Teachers’ residences have been built af- : Goat Valley, Greatforcl, Manriceville, and the 1 Hutt;’ and considerable additions have,been made-to' those at Marton, Palmerston, and Peatherston;

111. —NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS’ REQUIRED.’’ ’ It has already been stated that there is an increase in the attendanoe'of 25 per cent, on last year's numbers. There, is every reason to believe that the increase next year will he quite as great. Except id Wellington and ! Wanganui, and in one or two Country schools, the Board have, made due provision for the increased accommodation required. In a short time however larger additions must be made to existing schools.; and, in the larger centres of population much more' commodious buildings are already required. This is particularly the case at the Thorndon end of the city of Wellington, and in the town of Wanganui. The large new schools, which your Board has fortunately been able to provide in time for the increased wants of the Te Aro end of the city of Wellington; will do no more than relieve the immediate -pressure upon the Board for school accommodation in that quarter. So rapid has been the growth of the city that although the Terrace school is about to be enlarged there will not be nearly sufficient accommodation at Thorndon. A deputation from the Board has already had the honor of representing to yon the urgent need of large . new "BBinjols tor-boys,-girls, and infants iu separate buildings at Thorndon. Arsnoon—asthe Board can be assured by the Government that a sufficient site is available, they trust to be able’ to put, up the buildings required without further delay. New schools' are also required for Opaki, Tawa. Flat, aud Kaiwarra; and larger additions for Masterton aud the Upper Hutt, Teachers’ residences will be required for Ohariu, Fern Bridge, Clareville, Waingawa, Tawa Fiat, and Makara. Additions are also needed to those at Greytown and Taita.

The Soar’d do not consider it desirable to make suggestions for increased accommodation in the Wanganui District further than to state that plans have been prepared for a new boys’ school for Wanganui, the old building to be used temporarily for an infant school until a new one is built. The settlers of Otaki have made out a fair case .for, the, establishment or a school, and schools are much needed to replace the old schools at Aramoho and Upokongaro. ' ' - ! ' ' To provide adequately for the educational wants of the whole district the following buildings should be erected

I.—SCHOOL houses; A—Wellin'gton District. Boys’ school, Thorndon, £3OOO ; Girls’ school, Thorndon, £2OOO ;: Infants’ school, Thorndon, = £IOOO ; Newtown,- £BOO ;- Opaki, £3OO ; Tawa Flat, £350 ; Kaiwarra; £3OO ; Masterton extension, £4OO ; Upper Hutt, £4OO : Terrace (Wellington) extension, £BOO. Total, £9360. B—Wanganui District.—Wanganui Boys’ school, £2000; Wanganui -Infants’ school, £IOOO ; Wanganui girls’ extension, ‘ £SOO ; Mosstown, £250 ; Maxwell, £250 ; 'Aramoho, £3OO ; ,U. Tutaenui extension, £2OO ; Upokougaro, £250 ; Kohi extension, £IOO ; Waverley extension, £2OO ; Turakina extension, £l5O ; Mar ton extension, £250.' Total, £5450, II. —teachers’ residences. '

A—-Wellington District;—-Ohariu, £250 ; Makara, £250 ; Tawa Flat, ' £250 ; Fern Eidge, £250 • ' Taita enlargement, £l5O ; Opaki, £250 ; Waihouga, £250 ; Clareville, £250. Total, £I9OO. . ' ’ B—Wanganui District. Mount View, £250 ; Upokongaro, £250.; Aramoho; £250 ; Moston, ,£250 ; Maxwell enlargement, £100; Brunswick, £250 ; Waltotara, £250 Turakina V. enlargement, £IOO ; Awahiiri, £250 ; Taonui, £250 ; .Stony Creek, £250. Total, £2450. These are'exclusive of residences for town teachers. -I- ! ,

iv,—NORMAL - j The time has now arrived, in the opinion ofthe Board, when,in ’order to obtain the best' results with the most judicious expenditure ofpublic money, it is desirable that something; should be done to provide Normal school train-; ing for teachers. The > Board think that one j training institution-for the whole colony would be the best for this purpose'; but lif it is im-! practicable to confine the work to one inatitu-| tion, then they will look for a fair share of the; sum of £6QOO voted.by Parliament for Normal; schools ; and, should the grant ha made, 1 they hope to utilise it in a way which will be a; great benefit to tho service, by appointing a’ Normal master who can begin with a class at once iu the spare rooms of the Mount Cook: boys’ school, i The proposod‘-new. schools at Thorndon' and Kaiwarra could be built so as to servo as model schools, and there could be attached one or two suitable - rooms which; might serve for i some time as the lecture and students’rooms of a Normal school.' ! C :

■ In this undertaking the Board might hope for the co-operation of the Wanganui Board, and perhaps of others. Beyond the cost of maintenance for students and the,Normal master’s stipend there would- he no great annual charge ; nor would tho original: cost of tho extra buildings required be great for a year of two. They could I then be used as class-rooms for the practising; school, and a suitable Normal school could bo built on a suitable site; ‘ .', ;' ; j V. —STANDARDS AND SUBJECTS TAUGHT IN ! ■ '- ' SCHOOLS. ■' ’

At the beginning of 1874 the Board adopted, four standards of examination drawn; up by the Inspector, and this is believed ’ to' have' been tho first introduction of standards into the colony. The four standards are altogether unlike other standards then in use. They (ire s4t at intervals of two years' work,' and they cover ‘ eight years’ instruction.' ; Every child'is individually 1 Examined and classed. *' ThO : standards have worked well!;'; they have been most useful in classifying the] scholars, in securing work of a'bettor order, ip., directing the teachers to fl'mOre profitable em-, ploynieut of time, and in l testing the'iustru<j-' tion more accurately than could have beep done by any system of ]clSss examination. A syllabus of theiwork of‘thoptapdards will Ije

found in the Inspector's report attached to this report as Appendix A* - - After reading the;syllabus of the standards, the principal subjects taught and the extent to which they are actually learned in the public schools will readily he gathered from the table of results. ■ ' _ 1 A list of the branches of instruction taught in the different public schools, and the number: of scholars in each school learning each ject, is attached 1 to this report as Appendix:! 1 . This information has been compiled from the returns sent in by the teachers and local committees in: reply to a circular letter from the Education Department. VI,—DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS.

Two" district high schools ascontemplated by the Act 'are much heeded in Wellington city—one for hoys and one for girls. Special grants of land and money would be required for these schools. The Board, in making theae recommendations, are’"aware that sufficient primary school accomodation should first be provided. Still the want of these schools, which would teach, the elements of a moreliberal education, is much felt. 1 .'Good schools of the kind.could be made almost, if not alto-' getter, self-supporting, if-the"first outlay for buildings could be got over. There is no public school iii the Wellington or Wanganui dis.v trict which can be looked upon as a district High'school serving as a step from the prim'ary school to the-Wellington College ; and the want of such schools will become ; daily more and more apparent. The Board therefore urge upon you Ithu necessity of making'duo provision for establishing such 1 High, schools. VII.—EXAMINATION:' 'AND ‘ CLASSIEICATION OP . ■ ■ ■ ' TRACKERS. . '■ " An examination of teachers for bertifioates, and-of alb 'pupil teachers for : classification, is held annually iu the month of July. The report of the-examiners 1 bn'the results of the examination last July is 'giveu in Appendix B. This report was confirmed" 1 and: approved by the Board..- It would be’ a- great; saving of labor and expense to the several Boards if one set of papers could'be drawn up for the'colony, and all teachers' placed under one uuiform classification. ■ 11 "■ '• • viii.;—school books; t orders and kegula- ! TIONS'NOW IN PoßoE.’’ "■ i” ' -A : The information sought for by tho Education Department under these headings will bo found in the copy of tho rules and regulations of the Board forming Appendix - 6. to;,this report." It' is recommended, ,tpat’ Collins’ series be substituted in the Gist’for the Irish'series, 1 Nelson’s being retained. ' IX,—GENERAL , STATEMENT OP. RECEIPTS AND : ; ".' J EXPENDITURE. ,' ' '' ’ ’ •’ i.NCOMK. ' £_ S. 'I. ■To grants from Government, -ordinary.. 13,325 14 1 Grants from Government; buildings ■'.; :7,399 . 5 II Net-rents’and profits ,of /'education re-‘ ', ■:.-■■ , i 'serves, Ac. .. ".. .'. '.. • . "197 IS-4 School fees collected by Board-.. .; ; 3,287, 310 . mother heads, of: income, viz., Govern- j.. J..../, i ment grant on account of loss of school fees ;. 3,500 8, 0 Contributions to and rotunds of over- "" """" " : payments “ school buildings” .90 4 7 -Refunds overpayments.” teachers’ .sala-, rics’’.. . , -- ■ 39 10 5 .Education rates'" V. ;'' ’ .. 1 1 90 IS 5 :Eefund rates paid -A. .. ..4 5 0 • Balance .. ' .. 1,057 10 10 Total income V. 1 “,. ■ 34,010 10 5

The income' of the - Board from nil sources ’has been £32,953 5s 7d,' and l the total expenditure £43,010 16s sd, showing a debit balance of £1057 18s lOd at tho close of the year 1877. .The'amount of indebtedness; £1057 IQs lOd is derived from a debit balance of £1732 Is 8d 'on the old account, less a credit balance of -£674.10310d,0nths newaocount, as shown by. the auditor’s - .'certificate. ' .

Item £5026 10s.lOd by balance on tho expenditure side of the accounts is made.up of the original' amount of overdraft at tho • bank; (£5000), pin? the amount'of' debit balance, at the end of i’B7'6 (26 4sTod)i Item £3506 8s on tho side "of inoome repre-' sents a sum pan! by Government as, a compensation for the loss'of rates. ,'. ’", ~" Item £96 15s 5d is the amount b! arrears of rates collected. ; ;

A sum of £75 appears .bn the; expenditure side of tho account as a payment to tho Trust and Loan,Company to form an insuraiioe'fund. The Board thus insures its own buildings by depositing a certain sum annually as a sinking fund. The total amount at the end of the year to the credit of this fund, was £lO2 18s 3d.

X.—EDUCATION RESERVES FUND. . A separate balauce.of receipts and expenditure of the, Board for the year in respect of education reserves will be found in Appendix H, The whole available income from this source amounts to £197 18s. 4d, __ XI.~-SCI£OLARSHIP«. ' . Th© Board is vely~enclowecl—withscholarships. The Governors of the Wellington, College , offer four scholarships affording free education to boys from tbe jiriinary schools. The following scholarships have been awarded by them : ' ! Dec. 1875 .. ’William Field, Aramoho school „ 1370 .. Joseph' Ludwig, Thomdon ~ „ ~ .. Kenneth Webb, ~ ~ „ 1377 .. Reginald Grovillo, „ „ ~ ’ ; William Callagan, ~ ~ ~ „ .. William Ridler, ~ The. Governors of the. College finding that the leading candidates for the past two years have been close-upon each other in’ marks ob-tained,-and .that they are all candidates from Wellington city for whom'boarding would not bo required,; have generously- admitted more than the number of scholars originally allowed. The scholarship is held until the scholar reaches the age of 16, ! - The subjects of examination and other particulars will bo found in the regulations of the Board Appendix G. 12.—inspector’s report. ■ The report of the Inspector bn the work of the schools forming Appendix A* will other information’ touching the condition and working 1 of the schools which this Board-thinks . necessary to furnish for your information.—I have, &c., • 1 ’’ -■.'.■■•’l' • . . * Published hi Saturday’s N.’Z. Times. ■ -