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Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 453, 23 August 1879, Page 2

The Education Report -which was laid on the table of the House some weeks ago, deserves a passing notice now that the press of more exciting topics is, for a time, over. Those who in years to come shall wish to study the state of educational matters in Hew Zealand in 1878 will find no reason to complain of this report. Everything from the examination papers of teachers, down to the number of square feet on every school floor, is given. Since the last report the number-of schools has increased from 730 to 748, and this notwithstanding that 17 small schools have been closed. The average attendance for the last quarter -of 1878 was fully eighteen per cent.

higher than that of the last, quarter of 1877. In 1877 the average attendance per school throughout the colony was 57.2, which in 1878 was raised to 67.7. The average per school is dragged down greatly by the Auckland district. For 9,000 scholars it has 198 schools, whilst Otago, with 13,400 scholars, has only 134 schools. No less than 42 schools in Auckland have less than 15 pupils out of the 193 schools, 96 have less than 25 pupils, while 50 more have 25 and less than 50 pupils. Thus in Auckland there are 146 schools smaller than the Kaikaramea or the Whenuaknra Schools, but 30 of this number are half-time schools. There are 9 schools in the colony with upwards of 500 pupils, five of them being in Canterbury and four in Otago. The immense mnuher of small schools must of necessity render eclucittion expensive, and at the same time imperfect. It is satisfactory, however, to note that during 1878 the number of schools with less than 15 pupils decreased by no less than 20; while those having 15 and under 20, and 20 and under 25, decreased 8 anil 9 respectively ; while those having 25 and under 50 increased by 43. There is therefore a prospect of many of the small schools growing into large ones, and of education becoming cheaper and better. The table showing the cost per scholar is rather astonishing. In Westland it is £lO 10s 2 : fd ; there should evidently be a baby tax in that district. Wanganui, however, is a good second with an average cost of £8 2s 3_|d per pupil. The other districts vary down, Otago with £4 17s per pupil. We have no doubt that this, the cheapest education afforded by our Public Schools, is also the best.

The teaching staff of the colony numbers I,Gil, an increase of 211 on 1877, yet in ’77 there were only 29‘8 pupils per teacher, while in ’7B there were 314. It is evident, however, that there are still many children of school age who are not attending any school; out of 105,208 children in the colony, only 62,SGG attend the Public schools; 14,011 attend private schools, and 9,G84 are returned under the very unsatisfactory head of “ receiving tuition at home.” These figures, however, still fall short of the

number of children in the colony by 18, QUO. It is evident thou that the Millennium is not coming quite as quickly as many persons are accustomed to hope. A glance at the subjects of instruction will make this clearer. Only one child in every nine is learning elementary science. It is only by means of science that the nineteenth century differs from the ninth, and it is oidy by a general knowledge of it that wo can hope to keep side by side with countries like Germany and America. Yet it is amazing what an amount of indifference there is to this subject of subjects both on the part ot the authorities and on the part of the parents. The table showing the number of scholars learning each subject reminds one of Falstaff's celebrated bill, “ but one half-penny worth of bread to this intolerable deal of sack !” Another thing in this same table calls for remarks. It is, that while more than 33,000 learn vocal music, and more than 20,000 learn drawing, only 3,304 learn domestic economy. We do not wish in the least to disparage the music and drawing, but we cannot but regret that those matters which above all others tend to give health, comfort, and happiness to the Ironies of the people, should bo so much neglected. Only a healthy public opinion can remedy matters of this kind. No Government will ever be strong enough to make them compulsory subjects ot education unless the mass of the people first feel the necessity. One other table calls for a remark, namely, that showing the ages of scholars. It is painfully evident that children in this colony leave school*at a very early ago. About two-thirds of the pupils are under ten years of age, somewhat less than one-third are between ten and thirteen, only 5,446 are between thirteen and fifteen, and only 1,019 over fifteen, and these are chiefly girls. It is evident, therefore, that while a large proportion of the rising generation may more or less perfectly master the three R.’s, very few indeed will possess anything like an advanced education. No doubt many of the last mentioned number are pupils whose early training has been neglected. No doubt, also, the small number attending after the age of fifteen is a powerful argument in favor of establishing Secondary Schools, for many smart boys advance as far as the primary school can carry them before they are fifteen, and for lack of facilities have to let their education drop just as it is becoming useful.