REPORT OF THE EDUCATION BOARD OF THE DISTRICT OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5353, 24 May 1878, Page 7

REPORT OF THE EDUCATION BOARD OF THE DISTRICT OF WELLINGTON.

Education Board Office, Wellington, 27th March, 1878. To the Honorable the Mini-dor of Education— Sir, -In compliance- with ■ clause 102 of the Education Act 1877, the Board of the Education District of Wellington present to the Hon. the Minister of Education the following report of their proceedings for the year ended 31st December Inst. In this report the instructions contained in a circular letter No. 4 from the'Education Department, dated February 23, 1878, are, as far as possible, complied'with ; and the information ashed for is given in the form prescribed. The Board has held 18 meetings during the year 1877, of which there were 12 regular meetings held on the third, Wednesday in each month. ; ■!.—ATTIKSIUKCB AND TEACHING STAKE. At the close of tho year 1877 there were 80 schools in operation under this Board, containing 5210 children. Tho teaching staff consisted of 56 certificated teachers, 41 uncertifioatod teachers and assistants, 42 pupil teachers, and 8 monitors. At the end of 1876 there were 70 schools in operation, containing 4030 children, taught by ,49 certificated teachers, 44. unoertificatcd teachers and assistants, 26 pupil teachers, and 17 monitors. Tho numerical, increase in the teaching staff is only 11 ; but there are 7 more certificated teachers, 16 more pupil teachers, and 9 loss monitors. fl , We are gratified to say the increase in the attendance is very. large, there being no less than 1160 more children attending at the end of tho year than at the beginning. •TfThe pupil teacher'system is largely dovelop- ' iug; and the number of nnoertificatod 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 tho head teachers and assistant teachers in the service of tho 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 an determined by examination last Juiy. . l A list of the public schools in the education district of Wellington, .with tho 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 tor boys only, and one for infants. Tho boys’ school will accommodate 500, and the infants’ 400. They are built on portions of the Mount Cook Reserve, given to tho Board by the General Government for the purpose. New schools have also been erected at Taonui, Stony Creek, Moutoa, Awahuri, Orofton,, Karore, Halcombe, Matarawa by Wanganui, and at Matarawa by Greytown. Teachers' residences, have been built at Goat "Valley, Greatford, Manrioeville, and the Hutt; and considerable additions have been made to those at Marton, Palmerston, and Peatherstou. ■ in.—NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS REQUIRED. It has already been stated that there is an increase in the attendance of 25 per cent, on last year’s numbers. There is every reason to believe that tho increase next year will bo quite as great. Except in 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 bo 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 yonr 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 Terraco school is about to bo enlarged there will not be nearly sufficient accommodation at Thorndon. A deputation from the Board has already had the honor of representing to you the urgent need of large new schools for boys, girls,' and infants in separate buildings at Thorndon. As soon as the Board can bo 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 Elat, and Kaiwarra ; and larger additions for Mostertou and the Upper Hutt. Teachers’ residences will be required for Ohariu, Peru Bridge, Clareville, Waiugawa, Tawa Plat, and Makara. Additions are also needed to those at Greytown and Tails. The Board 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 Otakx have made out a fair case for the establishment of 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 build-

inga should be erected ; I.—SCHOOL HOUSES. A—Wellington District. Boys’ school, Thorndon,' '£3ooo ; ' Girls’ school, Thorndon, £2OOO ; Infanta’ school, Thorndon, £IOOO ; Newtown, £BOO ; Opaki, £3OO ; Tawa Fiat, £350 j Kaiwarra, £3OO ; Maaterton extension, £4OO ; TjTpperHutt, £4OO : Terrace (Wellington) extension, £BOO. Total, £0350. B—Wanganui District. —Wanganui Boys’ school, £2000; Wanganui infanta’ school, £1000; Wanganui girls’; extension, £SOO ; Mosatown, £250 ; Maxwell, £250; Aramoho, £3OO ; D-Tutaenm extension, £200; Upokongaro( £250 ; Kohi extension, £IOO ; Waverley extension, £200; Turakina extension, £150; Morton extension, £250. Total, £5450. n.—teachkbb’ RESIDENCES. A—Wellington District.—Oharin, £250 ; Makars, £230; Tawa Flat, £250 ; Fern Kidge, £250 ; Taita enlargement, £l5O ; Opaki, £250; Waiheuga, £250 ; Olareville, £250. Total, £IOOO. B—Wanganui District. Mount "View, £250 ; Upokongaro, £250 ; Aramoho, £250 ; Moston, £250 ; Maxwell enlargement, £100; Brunswick; £250 ;, Waitotara, £250 ; Turakina V. enlargement, £IOO ; Awahuri, £250 ; Taonni, £250 ; Stony Creek, £250. Total, .£2450. . These are exclusive of residences for town ‘.teachers.r ... o -

_ IV.—-NORMAL SCHOOL. The time has now arrived, in the opinion of the Board, when in order to obtain the beat results, with the most judicious expenditure of public money, it is desirable that something fhpgd be done to provide -Normal school train- I ing for teachers. > The Board think that one training institution for the whole colony would be the beat, for this purpose ; but if it is impracticable to confine the work to one institution, then they will look fora fair share of the sum of £6ooo.voted by Parliament for Normal: schools ; and, should the grant: be made, 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 in the-spare rooms of • the Mount Cook boys’ school, - The proposed new schools at Thorndon and Kaiwarra. could be built so as to serve as model schools,- and there could ‘be attached one or two suitable rooms which .might serve for some time as the lecture and -students’ roomsof a Normal school, - In this undertaking the Board might hope for the co-operation of the Wanganui Board, -and perhaps-of others.* Beyond the cost of for.. students and the Normal masters s stipend -there would be-no - great annual charge ; nor would the original cost of xhe extra buildings required be great for a year or two. They could then: bo used as class-rooms for the practising school, and a suitable Normal school could he built on a suitable site. 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 the first, introduction of standards into the colony. Tho four standards are altogether unlike other standards then in use. They aro pot at intervals of two years; work, and they cover eight years’ instruction. Every child Ms individually examined and classed. The standards have worked well; they have been most useful in classifying tho scholars, in securing work of a better order, in directing the teachers to a more profitable employment of time, and in " testing the instruction more' accurately than could have been done by "any system of class examination. A syllabus of tho work of the standards will ho found in the Inspector’s report attached to this report as Appendix A. After reading the syllabus of tho standards, timprineipairgabjecta taught and the extent to which they are actually learned in tho public schools will readily be gathered from tho table of results. ■'* - -

JClist of the branches of instruction; taught in the different public schools, and the number of scholars in each school learning each subject, is attached to this report as Appendix P. 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 as contemplated by tho Act are much needed in Wellington city—one for boys and one for girls. Special grants of land and money would be required for these schools. Tho Board, in making those recommendations, are aware that sufficient primary school: accomodation should first be provided. Still tho want of these schools, which would teach the elements of a more liberal education, is much felt. Good schools of tho kind could be made almost, if not altogether, self-supporting, it the' first outlay for buildings could be got over. 'There is no public school in the Wellington or AVanganui district which can be looked upon .as' a district High school serving as a step from the primary school to the Wellington College ; and the want of sqch schools will become daily' more and more apparent. The Board therefore urge upon you the necessity of making duo provision for establishing such High-schools.

VII. EXAMINATION ■ AND CLASSII'ICATIpN OF ; ■-’■TKACHKK*"' . . An examination of teachers for certificates, and of all pupil teachers for classification, is held annually in the month of July,, Xhe report: of tho examiners on the results of the examination last July is given in Appendix B. This report was confirmed and approved by the Board. Itwotild 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 uniform classification. VIII. —SCHOOL BOOKS. . ORDEU3 A2CD BEOL'LA.TIONS NOW IN rOUCE. The information sought for by the Education Department under these headings will be found in the copy of the rules and regulations of the Board forming Appendix Gto this report. It is recommended that Collins’ series be substituted in the list for the Irish series, Nelson’s beingretained. IX. CENEIUt STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE.

Total expenditure .. .. 31,010 10 - The income of the Board from all sources has been £32,953 08 7d, and the total expenditure £43,010 16s sd, showing a debit balance of £1057 18s lOd at the close of the year 1877. ■ The amount of indebtedness £1057 10s lOd is derived from a debit balance of £1732 Is 8d on the old account, leas a credit balance of £674 10s lOd on the now account, as shown by the auditor's certificate. Item £5026 10s lOd by balance on the expenditure side of the accounts is made up of the original amount of overdraft at the bank (£5000), plus the amount of debit balance at the end of 1876 (26 4s lOd). Item £3506 Ss on the side of income represents a sum paid by Government as a compensation for the loss of rates. Item £96 15s 5d is the amount of arrears of rates collected. A sum of £75 appears on the expenditure side of the account as a payment to the Trust and Bean Company to form an insurance 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 £lo2lßs 3d. X. —EDUCATION EESEBVES FUND. A separate balance of receipts and expenditure of the Board for the year in respect of education reserves will be found in AppendixH. The whole available income from this source amounts to £197 18s. 4d, ' , XL— SCHOLABSHU’fi. The Board is very badly endowed with scholarships. The Governors of the Wellington College offer four scholarships affording free education to boys from the primary schools. The following scholarships have been awarded by them : —• Dec. 1875 .1 William Field, Aramoho school

1876 .. Joseph Ludwig, Thomson ~ „ ~ Kenneth "Webb, . ■ „ t> 1377 .. Reginald Greviile, ~ - - ~ ~ William Callagan, „ ~ , „ „ .. William Kidler, „ , The Governors of the College finding that the leading candidates for the past two years have been close upon each other in marks obtained, and that they are all candidates from Wellington city for whom boarding would not be 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 be- found in the regulations of the Board Appendix G. 12.— INSPECTORS KEPOUT. . 27th March, 1878. Sir,—Owing to the very large amount of extra examination work_ caused'Joy the increased attendance, the increase in the number of schools to visit, the extra labor involved in the modification which the standards have undergone, and the further time required for examination of the higher standard work, I have been unable to completely overtake the work of examination this year. I. was able to examine all the schools in the Wanganui district, many of the schools in the Porirua and Hutt districts, and to get through the greater part of the work in the city schools, before the end of 1877. Since Christmas, I ave completed the examination of the Wolington city schools, except the infant departments ; and also examined . all the larger schools in the Wairarapa. The returns of these and a few other schools are for tho month of February. There are still eight small schools uusxamined, whose returns cannot be included in this report. I shall, however, endeavor to see them as soon as possible, and if necessary specially report on them. They contain in all about 200 children, numbers not sufficiently large to affect my general statement of the whole results for the year. . CENEHAI, STATEMENT OP THE BE3DLT3 OP EXAMINATION. ; , _ There are now 80 schools established under the Board, of which 78 have been in operation during the past year. The new school building at Crofton, although completed, has not’ yet been opened, and tho comparatively new school-house at Marangao has been closed throughout the year for lack of 'sufficient children to form a school. At the beginning of the year there were 70 schools under the control ef tho Board, so that 10 new schools have been-opened during tho year. Of tho 80 schools now under the Board 42 .are in the Wanganui district, and 38 are in tho Wellington district; but the number of children attending the3S Wellington /schools more than doubles the number attending the 42 Wanganui schools. The standard of education taken as a whole is higher in the Wanganui schools than in the Wellington schools. .The Wanganui district schools, with few exceptions, are more evenly efficient; whilst in the ; Wellington district there are some exceedingly good in results, ancl others exceedingly weak. The total number on the rolls at'the end of the year was 5234, an increase on Inst year’s returns of 1154. I have examined 953 more children this year than last year, and about 200 more are yot to bo examined. On comparing tho .syllabus of tho standards this year with" that of last, it will bo seen that the standard has been raised. The results of examination in the work of tho amended standards may ho thus stated Exclusive of the eight .small schools representing r about 200 children, which have yet to ho examined, there is an increase of 40S passes in Standard 1., 303 in Standard 11, 141 in Standard and 38 iu Standard IV. Including all tho school?, the lowest estimate will give an increase! of 500 passes in Standard 1., 350 in Standard 11., 141 injotaudard 1111, and 33 in Standard IV. Stated broadly the results will

thus shew an ; incr&Ue of one-fourth ilist year's numbers on the roll, of one-fourth the number of children examined, of one-fourth the Standard I. passes, and of two-fifths the Standard 11. passes. The number of passes in Standard 111. has increased by seven-eighths of last yen's: number,; and the Standard IV. passes have trebleddii number., : Considering.the rife in the standards anil. the increased numbers examined, I hole, upon the results in Standards I. and II; as fairly satisfactory on the whole, and the results in Standards 111. and IV. as highly satisfactory. L think'the'time has now. arrived when your Board may begin to expect children to pass standards according to their ago. I have, therefore, for the first time given a return of the number ot childeren of age to pass each of the first three standards. A comparison of the actual number of passes in any, standard with the number of'children in each school of age to pass that standard will give, a. closer means of testing the work of the school-than per ceutage results oh the' whole number attending irrespective of age. But the -data in the latter case are certain, whilst the comparison by age rests upon more uncertain data, as the ages of children are often difficult to obtain. About 50 per cent, of the total number on the hooks have passed Standard 1., and about

•25 per cant, have passed Standard 11., Considering the increased .difficulty in passing the standards and the 1 largo’increase in numbers attending, the results, as stated in a previous paragraph, are fairly satisfactory iu the lower standards!' ‘ These • results. would have bean greater if some of the larger country schools in the Wellington district had.been in a higher state of • efficiency. It will be seen from the table of 'results appended to , this report that, there are 3201 children over eight years of age, and therefore of age to pass Standard I. Now 2539 children, or fourtiftbs of the whole number,' have actually posted Standard 1,, so that this standard is being nearly .reached,' In a few schools this standard is fully reached, and in one or two large schools it has been quite overtaken, thereby proving the standard to be fairly set and capable of being generally reached. , There are altogether 2161 'children over ten years of age, and therefore old enough to pass Standard 11. The standard at present is attained by 1153 children, or father more than one-half the number of age. to pass it. , Standard 11. has been overtaken iu one or two small schools, but not in any large one. There are 895 children over twelve years of age, and therefore old enough to pass Standard 111. Of this number 309 have actually passed the standard, or rather more than one-third. I thus briefly sum up' the whole results in the work of these standards. ■. Four-fifths of the children of age to pass Standard 1., dnehalf of those of age to pass Standard 11., and one-third of those of age to pass Standard 111. are so classed.

Although, for reasons presently to be set ferth, there is scope for better work as a whole, still it will be evident from the following table, showing the results of the past four years, that the work of education is, progressing by rapid strides in the district under the management of this Board'

From this table it will bo seen-that I have examined twice as many • children in 1877 ns were examined in the beginning of 1874. There are more children classed now in Standard 11. than wore classed in Standard I. at thoi beginning of 1874 ; and more children now classed in Standard 111. than were classed in Standard 11. at the examination in 1874. The rapid advance in higher work is very remarkable.! Standard 111. results .have increased sevenfold in four years, and Standard IV. results eightfold in three years. SPECIAL STATEMENT OP THE ' RESULTS IN THE WANGANUI DISTRICT. Although I am in possession, of very detailed. information touching the whole work of the schools, I shall for special reasons confine my notices of the sohools this year to a collective statement, giving particulars in a few necessary cases only. . i Most of the schools in the Wanganui district are in a fair average condition of efficiency, and very good work has been done during the past year in many of them. The' following are in the front rank of the satisfactory schools : —Foxton, Marton, Tutaenui, Makirikiri, Mataongaonga, Mars Hill, Brunswick, and Waitohi. The girls’ schools , at Wanganui, and the schools at Waverley,' Turakina Valley, Greatford, Upokongaro, .Kaitoke, Waitotara, and Maxwell are doing very satisfactory and improving work. I was pleased with the work done for the time school had been opened at Moutoa, Karere, Brownlee,: Kohi, Matarawa, Moston, and Awahrirl. The Turakina school isgood’in many subjects, and Mrs. Boddy is evidently a painstaking and useful teacher for the infant classes. Brills school is improved, ! but the results are not high. Feilding, although not altogether, weak,. has very low results in Stendard 11, and like Sandon a large number of pupils classed, as unsatisfactory ; but in this 'school, as at Paliner-. ston, there area shifting jjoprilation and much irregularity of attendance to contend with. The Palmerston school,, under the painstaking teaching of the late Mr. Waite,'was beginning to show very good work. ’ The work done by Standard 111 and IV candidates was excellent. in all sections ; and though.'milch remained to he done in. the school to produce high average results in all standards, it was very pleasing to me and very gratifying to Mr.'Waite to find that such useful work had. evidently been done, and done well. The late Mr. Waite waq an efficient, painstaking, conscientious servant of the Education Board, and was much respected by his children.; "I am pleased to state that the efforts made to improve; the’,'condition of the .Wanganui boys’-sehool have been successful in producing better general results, although I should like to have seen the work in the upper classes of a better order. There was a marked falling off in the work at the Sandon school, and the changes made in the teachers at,Mount View, Goat Valley, Halcombe, Glen' Nevis; and Denlair will

'open the way to better work being done in the future. ■ ' ' ' . . The Toxtou school was distinguished by capital infant teaching, very accurate fractional arithmetic in the-higher classes, and, as the; master happily remarked, “ by the absence of; dregs.” In the Waitohi sohoolthe elemen'tarywork was perfect.: I was much impressed with the improved style of work at Marton. At Makirikiri Mr. Locke had ■ worked hard with exceeding good results. Mr. Powell of Mara Hill, Mr. Mair of Mataongaonga, and Mr. Guthrie of Brunswick, are. very hard working and Very successful teachers. The; passes in Standard IV. made in these schools aro highly creditable to the teachers and scholars. SPECIAL STATEMENT OP TUB RESULTS IN THE WELLINGTON DISTRICT. Of the 38 schools containing 3595 children in the district of Wellington, six schools,'representing half the children attehding.in.the district, are in the city of Wellington. All these schools aro now doing" satisfactory work. Three of them have reached a high, standard of efficiency the Tfiorndon, Terrace, and Buckle-street boys’ schools. The ; Thorndon school had, the honor of sending in the. three best, candidates for the Wellington College Scholarships. The Terrace school produced the greatest: number of successful candidates in Standard IV. ; and the ■Buckle-street Boys’ School was distinguished by the rapid rise in higher standard'work. The Te Aro Sohbol'produced the best arithmetician of the year, and generally did better tvork in the upper class uhderMr. Gordon and improved work in all departments. The Standard X. results of this school arq good, and the other standard results about equal to

the average of tho whole district. In the Thorndou and Te Aio schools half an hour each ■ daj 1 J is' taken from tho'ordiuary school hours for the teaching of subjects not included in tho standards. The teachers, therefore, in these schools were under a disadvantage in competing with other schools for standard results. ■ : ■ Tho • results of tho Buckle-street girls school are low ; but this arises not from thu want of good teaching, but ftom tho want of good scbools for girls in past years., With the efficient staff of teachers in this school, I feel sure the results year by year will compare mof6 favorably with those of the boys and mixed schools of the city. The numbers have doubled in tho last-half-year. Mrs. Francis, who has been appointed • to tho now infant school) will, I trust, prove 1 an excellent manager and teacher for so large a school.' ■ . , ~ Besides tho city schools, there arc six -country schools in the Wellington distict each having %nore ' than 120, children on the roll—, : Masterton, Grey town ,' Featherston, , Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Carterton. The Lower Hutt school shows thu best results. The Feathorston and Upper Hutt schools have 'done exceedingly good work under the present management. X was disappointed with, the general results in tho ftlaatorton school,“'espe-' daily Tvith the arithmetic, but the reading and

‘oral''instruction were decidedly good.' .'The school has suffered from ! serious drawbacks, such as a large and sudden increase of pupils, want of sufficient accommodation to meet the increased numbers, and rather weak teaching power for the lower classes, Xjarger accommodation is being provided and more assistance will bo supplied as soon as possible. I shall therefore hope for bettor results next year. In the Grcytown school there has been good teaching power for all the classes, a competent assistant master, a fifth year pupil teacher, and a second year pupil teacher. The -attendance has been steady ; the school has been subject, to no extraordinary drawbacks; and yet tho work on the whole has certainly fallen off. i ‘ There has-been, I think, a want of judgment .in apportioning the work, so that each teacher has been burdened with the work of two grades instead of being confined' to a larger class for one grade. The head master has aimed too, much .at, passing a few higher standard candidates, and lie has pressed -them on too hurriedly with their work. The character of the [important work was in cases unsatisfactory. There was an absence of expression in reading ; there was a want of method and neatness in the work presented on slates ; copy books were’ in some ■ cases - carelessly written and much defaced ; and old habits of threading pen-holders through slits made in ; the covers of copy books are still encouraged. [With careful teaching of intelligent reading, judicious classification, inculcation of habits of incatness, and a fair apportioning of work -among the teachers with fixed responsibility, :a very great improvement in the school might be loped for. Tho results, though falling 1 off, arc not altogether unsatisfactory, especially in Standard I, and tho school has done comparatively better work in the past' - The Carterton school is in a’, very unsatisfactory condition. ,The general character of the-work is unimproved, There was no section, of ■ the work uniformly good. Tho reading- particularly was lame, mechanical, and devoid of all expression. The results are exceedingly low -although the head teacher has been five years in charge, i The following schools are attended by over 50 and-, leas 'than 100 children :-—-Clareville, Taita, Karori, Tawa Plat, Johnsonville, Kaiwarra, and Pahautauui. Of these the Tawa Flat school well maintains the loading position, under the painstaking ■ and’ successful teaching of Mr. Horne. The Clareville, Taita, and Kaiwarra schools wefe all still low lu : results, but they are under much better management and with good prospects of better work being done. I was much disappointed with Johnsonville school, although the teacher has been only a few months in charge. . The Karori school presents nearly the same features as last year. Satisfactory- work is done in the lower classes, only. . .There was a .breakdown in the arithmetic of most of the candi- ; dates for Standard 11. and 111., aud .the work of the' same candidates .was unsatisfactory in spelling, geography, and ■ grammar. Pahautanui school continues in a fairly satisfactory condition.

Of tlie smaller schools, those at Waihenga, Kaiwaiwai, Fern Bidge and Ohariu are in a very satisfactory condition. In tlie Waihenga school the reading and recitation.were given carefully and with taste and expression ; the writing was beautifully neat, uniform in stylo, and.showed very , careful teaching ; the arithmetic was remiai’kably accurate, and very orderly .in arrangement;. tables were well, known, the classes were mtelligent,Ahe,general knowledge was good, and the general neatness and order were admirable. The work so far as it went at; Fem ' Badge was exceedingly well presented. It. is this quality of work which is valuable and which appears to be lost sight of iu Grey town and Carterton, but is well cultivated in Featherston, and Kaiwaiwai. ' The results at North Makara except in. reading are very.fair ; but at South Makara they are very poor. The style of work is not good. The results: at- Korokoro, Horokiwi Valley, Porirua aud Kaitara X consider fairly satisfactory under their several conditions. TRAINED TEACHERS REQUIRED.

In comparatively few schools is the work that of a teacher, trained for his profession. The contrast between a aeliool working with good method and that of a school under an untrained or unprogressive teacher -is very great. It surely must be an established truth in educational as in other matters that if the work is to be done it should be well done, and to, attempt the: work without skilled -labor , simply means that it will be imperfectly done. I have already had the pleasure of re-, commending a scheme for beginning the work of formal training which has been embodied in your report to-the Minister ©f Education, and which I trust will be adopted. Many of ,the teachers in charge of schools would ha glad of an opportunity of seeing the work of model schools, and of 'learning the best methods of imparting instruction, .. This also.-cquld be arranged, for., "That one large 1 training college for the colony would do. the best work there can be no doubt; but practically such an arrangement'would not, I fear, ho generally acceptable, and the loss of;time in bringing it about-would be-a matter of-serious consideration. f I am therefore of opinion’that in the educational interests of-this-’district it would be best to ask for a share of the sum. appropriated, for’normal schools, to appoint a’noi'raal' master,' to -constitute- the’schools 1 at Tho'rndou and Kaiwarra practising-sohools, and to open a class for students in training at. once. PllOl'OSEli TO AND MOJIIFIOATXONS oVthe standajids;' ' : r Tho four Standards. which have; been in operation four years’ have worked, well and are working well. I could not have devised stan-, dards better'suited to the requirements of the time. ' I have taken a whole year to consider whether more standards are necessary, and I -have arrived at the conclusion that the number may be’enlarged ilo as to give ; an annual in-;, torost in thd passes to all or nearly all the children in school between the ago of 7 and .13, The present Standard IV. pass, with modifications, will be retained under a new name—tho scholar’s cirtificate' examination. Practically there will then he six standards in which all children may be classed before leaving school, and a higher examination for the best scholars of the most advanced,.schools. ; -The general system of marking, passing by sections, and tho methods of, examination will be retained. The system remains, the classification is changed by, an increase;of classes and sections and ■ by a modification of , the work . in; - the sections. At the next examination pupilspassed in old Standard I. will be required to. pass hew Standard 11., those passed, in old Standard 11. .will bo required to pass new Standard IV.p and pupils - passed- inf old Standard 111. will be required to pass new Standard VI. , Two .-fifths of, the, maximum marks in each section will be required to pass a candidate, and, 120 marks in all out. of. a maximum of 200 for each standard.,- lTo“ ;pnpil-,will-Be expected :to pass a standard who.is under age or who has not attended 250 halt days', since passing the previous standard ;, and. no scholar of any age will be expected to ad--vande more than one standard each year ; but candidates of. .any - age may . bo presented- forany standard, and returns will show the status of the school and not merely the per coutago of now passes made each year, - . CONCLUSION. Schedule A, attached to my report, gives the details of tho proposed new standards, and schedule B those of the old standards.. “-Schedules 0 and D show the number of children of ago to pass each of the bid standards, and the. number actually passed in the four standards of each school examined. The Wanganui and Wellington- school results are’ separately col- 1 lated; for tho convenience of the new Boards; In schedules IS and I’ will bo found lists of the higher standard candidates passed this examination.—l have, &c.,‘ ' - ; . tßoueut -Lee,; ! Inspector of Schools. The Hon.-G. J. Pharazyn, - -‘ ; - “ i Chairihan.of the ’■ - - Wellington Education Board.

INCOME. £ s. d. To grants from Government, ordinary.. 18,325 14 1 Grants from Government, buildings ., 7.890 11 Net routs and profits of education roserves, &o • • • 197 IS 4 School fees collected by Board ... ... 3,287 3 10 Other heads of - Income, viz., Govern- . meat grant on account of loss of school fees .. .. 3,500 8 0 Contributions to and refunds of over- . payments “ school buildings ” ' 90 4 7 Refunds overpayments “teachers’ aala39 10 f 5 Education rates .. ... .. 90 13 0 Refund rates paid .. 4 0 Balance* .. 1,057 10 10 Total income 34,010 10 5 • EXPENDITURE. £ (?. d. By balance, December 31, 1876 .. 5,020 4 10 Office, Secretary’s salary 400 0 0 „ Inspector’s ,, 400 0 0 „ Allowance' to members of Board : 111 7 0 ,, Printing, advertising, &c., &c. 207 10 3 By schools, teachers’ salaries and allowances : . .. , ..' 14,992 3 7 Schools, rents and rent allowances . 41 8 0 Law expenses other than reserves , . 22 13 s School buildings 11,952 11 10 Other heads of expenditure, viz.: 1 nspector’s travelling expenses .. US 10 9 Departmental (contingencies) 147 15 7 Interest 238 9 8 , Insurance account 47 b 2 Trust and Loan Co., to form insxirancafond 0 0 t School requisites .. .. . 100 u 9 1 Collection of school fees 27 4 Rates and taxes (refunded) ., ' 4 5 0 recovery of education rates 4 0 0

No. on At ExamPassed in Standards Books, Illation. I. 11. III. IV. Beginning 1S74 23S1 900 247 —• — End 1874 3147 ,f 25891444 445 45 — ,,1875 - 3470 2993 10(30 ,057 111 7 ; 1878 4080 3072 .2123 850 - ICS - 17 j , 1377 5234 4025 2529 1153 309 55