ANNUAL REPORT OF SCHOOLS.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 50, 17 May 1884, Page 6

ANNUAL REPORT OF SCHOOLS.

The annual report of tho Inspector of Schools for Auckland exhibits the steady development of our system of public in Btruction. In the beginning of 1883 there were 204 schools in operation ; at the close, i 217 schools. The average attendance had increased from 12,820 to 13,345. For the standard examinations, 5,327 children had been presented and 5,449 passed. The average age of passing the first standard was 9.2 years ; the second, 10 years ; the j third, 11.95 ; the fourth, 12.8 ; the fifth, 14 ; and the sixth, 15. The numbers presented ; in the higher standards are comparatively small. Only 351 children passed the fourth and 117 the sixth standard during j the year, showing that although these standards are maintained, the school life of the great majority of the children closes under fourteen years of age and before they have passed the fifth standard. In the revision of our education system, which its growing cosllinefis makes inevitable, the attentic n of the Legislature should be directed to these higher standards, and the work and expense which they entail upon the countiy. If these are found to be serious, the a\ ants of the few cleTer,deserving boys might be more satisfactorily met by a larger number of scholarships offered for competition at lower ages, transferring the lads who are really worth advancing beyond the curriculum of a good elementary education into the secondary schools, where the training would be better designed as a preparation for the University coui'se. It is worthy of mention here that sixoutoftwelvescholarships offered by the Board were won by girls in open competition. Those who adhere to the old opinion of woman's infexior intellectual capacity should make a note of the fact. The general results of the year are described favourably. A noticeable advance has been made in drawing (to which the new master, Mr .Robinson, has added mechanical drawing), in singing, and gymnastics. The Inspector says :— " I become every day more and more impressed with the value of gymnastic exercises, especially for girls. J% Several useful suggestions to teachers are made on the subject of ventilation. Objection is also taken to the practice of some School Committees and visitors in undertaking irregular examinations. j With respect to corporal punishment, the Inspector holds very pronounced j views. He says— "A few years ago, what I must call a morbid feeling prevailed as to the punishment of children in public schools. Teachers Mere subjected to a sort of reign of tenor. This tyranny, though by no means dead, has somewhat slumbered for some time back. It now shows signs of re-awakoning. It may be well I should repeat the words I felt obliged to use in my report for the year 1579. But first, I would point out that instances of undue severity on the part of teacher* are very rare, and are easily dealt m ith ; but that the doctrine of the divine right of children to freedom from punishment is fraught with danger to the State. " In my last report I called the attention of the Board to the danger that existed in the growth of a turbulent law-defying element, from the encouragement given to insubordination by parents of pupils, and others who ought to be more alive to the danger of their conduct. This danger still exists. Often when a teacher inflicts a well -deserved and not immoderate punishment, he is assailed by letters in the press. He is perhaps summoned to court, and numbers of people, including the police, busy themselves to procure his conviction. If he escapes a direct fine, he is most likely left to pay his own costs, amounting to some pounds. In fact, nothing can exceed the tenderness of all the \\ orld for the real culprit, who most likely did not get half his deserts, and their bonified indignation at the cruelty of a man who has not shrunk from doing an unpleasant duty. Is it wonderful that teachers shrink from inflicting punishment ? Is it surprising that what is called larrikinism grows apace, where so many act as if it was their special vocation to uncoiiiauo it? .... I fool that I should be nejiltutiii'/ my duty if 1 ilid not speak what 1 know on this in.iMer— one ot vital interest to the community '' "Weagiee with tlic-e ieflection-> in jurt ; a judicious Hogging, administered by u calm master, animated by a sense of justice, is a very wholc-ome tiling, and the Anglo-Saxon race is detenoiating mid 10-in« some of its manliness if boy.* now-a-days go whining about the hardships of a sound thrashing uhich they know in their hearts they thoroughly deserved. But in the hands of a passionate man, who cannot control his own temper, the cane is an instrument tor brutalizing boys and extinguishing their fine sense of justice. Unfortunately, instances are not unknown— and the case in Wellesley-street School a week or two ago, when a child was whipped for obeying her mother, is one of them — where Mr O'Sullivan's reflections do not apply, and some instruction for the prevention of such acts of wrong-doing would be more to the point than a statement which may be taken by teachers who require a cauti-.n as a direct encouragement to their offences. It would in all cases be better if an hour or two w ere allowed to elapse between the commission of an offence and the imposition of the penalty. The teacher would approach his unpleasant task in a more judicial frame mind, and the pupil would be more impressed with a feeling ot the intended justice of ln'.s judge, even it' he could not wholly concur in the appropriateness of the penalty. The injury done to boys by hastily awarded and violent punishments is so great that many people who have had practical experience in the training ol youth are of the opinion that this form of correction does on the average more harm than good, and should be replaced by some other mode of punishment in which the element of passion is less liable to enter.