THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8103, 24 March 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1906.

The annual report of the Inspectors of Schools in the Wellington Education Board district is to band, and contains a deal of information that is interesting to even the casual reader. At the close of 1904 the number of schools returned aa being in active operation was 152; during 1905 Ave new sohools were opened, and three were closed, making a total of 154 in operation at the end of the year. Though there is an inorease in the total number of children in the district who are receiving instruction, there is a shrinkage in the numbers of Standard VII., Standard 11., and the primary classes. For 1904 the roll numbers in these classes were 696, 2,076 and 5,108, respectively; and for 1905, 513, 2,019, and 5,091. The falliug-off of the numbers in

Standard VII. is satisfactorily accounted for by the opening in the city of the teohnioal olasses, which are recruited mainly from passed Standard VI. pupils. For the Catholic Schools the totals were 1,255 ou the roll, and 1,168 present at the annual visit. For 1904 the corresponding numbers were 1,266 and 1,219—a deorease for* 1905 of eleven ou the roll, and of fifty-one at the annual visit. It is satisfactory to note that there has been an improvement since 1903 in the average attendance for the whole district, or an inorease of i per cent, in the average attendance since the appointment of a truant inspector, some eighteen months ago.

The report reads: "Taking the district as a whole, progress in educational matters continues to be of a satisfactory nature. As a body, our teaohers are imbued with a high and proper sense of responsibility, and are earnest in their efforts to discharge their duty towards the children committed to their care." In the English sabjects the Inspectors found that reading, on the whole, was satisfactory, as far aa fluency and expression are concerned, but faults in pronunciation and enunciation are still too prevalent, and, in some localities, reprehensibly so. The results in composition, judged by the essays in set subjects, are reported to be very creditable, and in schools in whioh Nature Study and Observation Lessons form prominent features of the teacher's scheme of work, some really excellent and original composition is done. ***** The report complains of a weakness in handwriting. "Writing," say the Inspectors, "as a subject in I school method has not in the past formed a sufficiently important part of a teacher's training. Few pupil teachers appear to have any higher idea of teaching writing beyond putting a headline on ,the blackboard. This is one of the faults whioh the new Training College may be looked to to remedy." Inter alia, it is stated that what was formerly known as Elementary Soieneo has, in this district, been lately displaced by Nature Study and Elementary Agricultural Knowledge." A few of the larger schools with laboratory accommodation have taken up Chemistry under the Manual Teohnioal Act, and are doing highly creditable worK. In connection with the Junior Scholarship examination the Inspectors "are strongly of opinion that the Science subjects would benefit by receiving more attention than at Dresent is given to them in the Junior National Scholarship examination. The papers for this examination are issued by the Department, and are naturally considered as an interpretation of the syllabus and a guide as to the standard to which instruction in pubiic sohools should attain. We are fully altve to the danger and evils of teachers attaching too much importance to examination requirements and results, but, at the same time, while we have examinations in our sohools, it is advisable that they should give to eaoh subjeot of the syllabus its due share of consideration, and we do not think that one or two odd questions in a General Knowledge paper are calculated to encourage teaohers who may have made'some speoial branch "of elementary science, such as Physics, a prominent feature of their programme."