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Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 304, 16 March 1878, Page 4

appear never to have realised the tact that it is one thing to he a scholar, and another thing to be a teacher, willing to manage hall:"a dozen children, and another to be a master of method and a systematic controller of numbers. Perhaps the greatest danger, with which education systems are threatened, is likely to come Ironi tuose, wiio, being scholars themselves, arc not practically sensible of the facts just laid down. A school-master to be of any value must have acquired a knowledge of In's profession—a knowledge which experience will increase, but will not necessarily supply. No man can take up such work at will, and succeed at once.

In one or two former reports, I have drawn attention to the fewness of the girls attending in proportion to the boys. I notice now that the attendance of boys is double that of the girls at Kakaramea and Hawcra, but that the girls are increasing ah Carlyle, although the proportion of boys to girls even there is as 3 to 2. In a preliminary report to your Board made at the time of inspection, 1 suggested plan for additional accommodation, with cap rooms and lavatories for Hawcra and Carlyle schools, and these suggestions, 1 trust, have been of use. The fitting up of gymnastic apparatus have, I believe, been decided upon by your Board. I rccommenu the construction of either a lean-to to the school, or of an open shed for gymastic exercises, which would also serve for shelter in wet weather. A better supply of books and slates for the infant classes is needed in all the schools. The infant children are too young to take good care of their own; and, I think, it would be well for each school committee to provide them for school use only. I bog to call tiie attention of your teachers to the increased importance of keeping very neat and carefully marked registers. In one or two schools sumo improvement could be desired in this matter. At least one secondary school will soon be required lor the District. 1 trust, when it is established, duo provisions will be made for granting exhibitions from the primary schools. Such exhibitions lorm the best possible prizes for diligent pupils, and enable any clever boy to rise to eminence—thus creating emulation m others, and benefitting the state by the increase of usefulness, which is sure to accompany the highest education. I will now give a brief sketch of the woik of each school ;

Tlie Whenuaknra school has only been opened since the beginning 1 of July, and is at present attended by 19 children, only a few of whom had received any previous teaching. Six had passed Standard I at Carlyle, and six others passed at my visit. One had previously passed Standard 11. and one other passed at the hue examination. Henry (Jontts also passed Standam 111. lie showed himself an intelligent boy, and would have obtained more marks had not the oral teaching of this school been for some time suspended. It bas been my misfortune re meet Mr Weiss in Unco diiferent schools for the first time in each. Therqwas evidence of the careful teaching of reading, ana I was pleased to lind that the elements of freehand drawing wore specially taught. The work was confined to elementary geometrical forms. _ . The Manutabi school has doubled in attendance during the year. The present master has been only six months in charge, and must he allowed some time to gain experience, before he can be expected to produce good results. Half the pupils are under 8 years of age, so that very little can be expected from them. A better black-board is much needed. The writing should Improve, and the arithmetic showed weakness in back work. The master appears anxious to do good service. I have pointed out to him what method should be adopted ; and, 1 hope, in time, the school will make really good progress. The Kelemarac or Normanby school was being carried on in the old building, although the new one was ready for occupation. 1 instructed Mr Harre to move at once in to the more commodious and more airy quarters. During the year Mr Weiss has been replaced by Mr Ilarre, whom 1 saw last year in charge of the school at Hawera. Throughout tiie school the writing was remarkably good, and of the same character as at Hawera, so that, 1 think, the good writing in both schools is mainly due to Mr Harre. Spelling was not so good. The work generally in the first two Standards was quite satisfactory in all sections. Two excellent recitations were given for Standard 11, two of the host in the district. I was very well satisfied with the school on the whole. The Kakaramea school has been under tbe same teacher, Mr Brown, since it was first opened. During the past year the attendance has increased from 25 to 81. Except in one very remarkable particular the results me good, and in all respects they are satisfactory. Although there are 25 children of sufficient age lo pass Standard I, only 14 have so passed. This is accounted for by the newness of settlement, and by the short term of service on the part of the master. Exceedingly good work was done in the upper classes, live candidates in so small a bdiool having passed Standard HI., general lv doing good work in all sections. Ada Ilawkcn and Alexander Williamson are possessed of considerable arithmetical ability and knowledge. Both candidates obtained full marks also for English composition. When it is borne in mind that all the five Standard HI, candidates passed Standard H. one year ago, and that Margery Williamson obtained IGG marks at 10 years of age, there is sufficient evidence of the value of the leaching power. Arithmetic and writing are well taught throughout the school. In reading, the aspirate is sometimes omitted, especially in the junior classes. The children should sit facing the tiro-place, with their backs to the main lights, in this school. An easel is needed and more desks. On the whole, the condition of the Kakaramea School is very satisfactory. Hawera School is under Mr Thompson, a master who holds a good diploma from the Canterbury Board. He bas only been three months in charge, and cannot be bold responsible for good or bad results. _He impresses me as being a teacher of ability and method. More I cannot say. Although the township has grown, the school attendance is about the same as last year. There appears to me less popular interest in tbe cause of education in Hawera than in any other part of your district. This may arise from disappointment, as the Hawera school lias not yet prospered. The school is young, 23 being under 8 years of age and only

five being above 12. The teaching of the upper classes appeared to be improving, the writing was of a good and uniform character. The arithmetic of Standard 11. was evidently getting into better order ; but the aritmelic and other work, of pupils presented in Standard 111. was decidedly weak. I cannot say who is responsible for this. In Standard 11. work a good knowledge of geography and grammar was shewn. Mr Thompson had already cultivated a ta-SbC for singing. I did not think the classification of the lower parts of the school, all that could be desired. The master asked for better Eleven children were absent from examination — being nearly three as many as were absent from all the other five schoo's put together. No new candidate was able to pass Standard 111., although three passed last year. The Carlyle School owes its continued success to the services of Mr Dyer. The attendance has been steady and the work progressive and sound. The painstaking ami able reaching of Mr Dyer and Miss Williams have made the Carlyle School one of the mom efficient of the many schools which I have visited this year. The woik is thoroughly good in all classes and ia all branches. The ideal of the standards have been reached, as there arc now 43 pupils at the school over 8 years of age, and there are just 43 pupils who have passed (Standard I. Also, whereas there only 21 children in ihe school over 10 years of age, 24 pupils have passed Standard II ; and this Standard has consequently been exceeded. There are nine pupils over 12 years of age in the school, and just nine scholars have passed Standard 111. This is a matter of very great interest to me. I find that, in four years after passing the Standard, one school in your district has proved the adjustment fair. The master of tins school has, year by year, corrected any imp&mections in his methods. He has had an intelligent class of children to teach ; lie has been fortunate in the services of Miss Williams as an assistant; lie has apparently devoted himself without stmt of _ time to his work in spite of considerable difficulty, and the results are in every respect satisfactory. In addition to the work of the four Standards I examined, with satisfactory results, pupils in Latin (Principal Latina part I), in Drench (DcliJle’s Ist book), in elementary algebra vo simple equations, and in several branches of physical geography. I consider the work in Latin and algebra very crcdiible I'c the time the pupils have been under instruction in these subjects. Some of the Standard passers call for special novice : —Bertie Wmy passed Standard I, at the ago of G years 8 months; William Hirst passed Standard 11. at the ago of 8 years 11 months, whilst John Williams passed that Standard at 7 years 10 months. Agnes Patterson ami Harry Wray passed Standard 111. at a little over 11 years of age, and Alfred Busckc passed Standard IV. at the age of 13.

In concluding this report, I beg to thank your precedeccssor, and the other members of your Board, for their good offices ; and your Secretary, Mr Cowern, for his kindness and co-operation. Should I at some future time visit your district, I shall hope to see your schools in a high state of efficiency, and to feel that the work done in the past has borne good fruit in the future. I append a set of the questions given for Standards 111. and IV. They are a necessary part of the report. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ROBERT LEE, ’ Inspector of Schools. T. Middleman, Esq., Chairman Education Board, Patea.

School. Teacher. On Books. l Present at'Over 8 years. Examina- j Passed nation. ! Standard I. Over 10 yrs. Passed Standard n. Over 12 yrs. Passed Standard III. Passed in Standard IV. No. classed unsatisfactory. New ■nas^es. H K. K" t3 1, Carlyle Mr Dyer 62 61 43.43 21.24 9.9 3 8 25 L* 2. Hawera Mr Thompson 60 49 37.22 14.10 5.1 — 6 14 O *=J 3. Kakaramca... Mr Brown 31 29 25.14 15.9 7.5 — — 12 I—^ 4, Normanby... Mr Harre 25 22 16.11 9.4 5.0 , 11 K c/j 5. Manutahi ... Mr C. Lee 22 22 11.9 6,3 2.0 3 a tr G. Whenuakura Mr Weiss 19 19 13.12 11.2 6.1 — — 8 H GO Total... 219 202 145.111 76.52 34.16 3 9 73

Names of candidates passed ,A m ,3 in Standard III. — s O rS 1. .Ada Hawkcn, Kakaramea 11 0 187 2, Alex. Williamson, „ 12 G 183 3. Margery Williamson ,, 4. llobert Whelan, Carlyle ID 0 16G 13 4 146 5. Harry Wray „ n 2 141 0. Henry Coutts, Whcnuakura n 0 134 7. Agnes Paccrson, Carlyle ii 0 122 8. Thomas Dale ,, 9. Wm. Delamorc, Kakaramea 12 8 121 12 6 120 10. Nina Hawken „ Name of candidate passed in Standard IV, — 12 0 120 1. Alfred Busckc, Carlyle 13 1 122