EDUCATION.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 999, 27 August 1872, Page 3

EDUCATION.

From the annual report of the inspector of public Schools in Nelson Province, we cull the following information : —The total number of public and subsidised schools in the Province on the 30th June last was 52 ; having an aggregate total number of 3472 scholars, subdivided into classes as follows : —Under seven years of age, 1002 ; under nine years, 902 ; under twelve years, 969 ; twelve years and upwards, 599. Their attainments are thus classified—Beading, 1017 good, 981 moderate, 1474 beginning ; writing, 591 good, 722 moderate, 1000 beginning ; arithmetic, 349 in higher rules, 678 proportion and practice, 532 compound rules, 958 elementary ; 1099 are learning geography ; 815 history; 1069 grammar. Prom the 3472 scholars whose names appear on the school rolls, 2780 were in attendance during the last quarter of the year, and the average rate of attendance, has been about sixty-five per cent.

Beferring to the kind and amount of work which public schools may fairly be expected to perform, the Inspector advances utilitarian opinion, absolutely refreshing in these days, *L- -i the ruling spirit with which it is sought to endue the minds of youth and teachers, is that successful •' cram " and never ceasing " grind " for honors at sehool is the loftiest aspiration. He «ays:—I believe that this question is grievously misunderstood, not only by the general public, but by writers en education, and above all, by the authors of what are called " Elementary School-books." It needs only a cursory inspection of the pages of the former, or of the questions set and the rules given by the latter to show that they proceed upon the false assumption that children will attend our common schools with regularity until they are fourteen or fifteen years old. Our text-books on every subject are consequently drawn up on a scale ludicrously disproportionate to the actual requirements of elementary schools. The problem really before the teacher of a provincial school is how to give such an amount of instruction as is most likely, not only to exercise the thinking faculties, but to abide most permanently in the memories of scholars who attend school hardly more than three-fifths of their time, and whose school life usually ceases as soon as they have attained their twelfth year. Everything the tea-her does must be subordinated to these •conditions. Hence the number of subjects to be taught must be strictly ilimited. -For this reason I have never 'encouraged the introduction of music, drawing, and other branches, which however desiiable they might be undar different circumstances, would at pre■sent be I'ikely to crowd out something still more essential from the timetable.

Referring to reading as the first essential branch of education, the inspector says: It is to be regretted that the class-books in use Bhould be written, almost without exception, in a style so inflated, and in language so remote 'from "that ordinarily used by the children as to render much of the lesson unintelligible to them, even after the teacher has done his best in the way of 'explanation. I attribute to this cause much of the lifeless and monotonous reading that still exists. The poetry is also usually badly solected. Indeed, a sensible man, understanding -children, who would take the trouble to compile a thoroughly good set of reading-books for elementary schools would be a public benefactor "Writing is "on the whole successfully taught in our schools." Arithmetic also is " very well taught for the most part," but the Inspector reports':— *' In a few of our more advauced schools the arithmetic, though exceedingly good of its kind, appears to me hardly practical enough." "Geography is not satisfactorily taught. In Grammar and English Composition, greater progress has been made than in any other branch. In History defects are apparent.

In the usual brief estimate of the status of each school, the Nelson city schools compare favorably with those x>f outlying districts ; a result no doubt attributable in some measure to greater facilities for the regular attendance of pupils. Some of the •country schools, however, are spoken of in terms of high praise. Westport school does not stand very high on the list. The Inspector reiterating previous complaints. " The subjects in which the school fails most palpably are dictation, penmanship, and, above all, arithmetic." Heading, geography, and grammar are fairly taught, and the school appears to be tolerably orderly. The Inspector says it must be borne in mind that the children at Westport are removed at an early age. He might also with equal jußtico have made some allowance for the subversion of all regular school attendance, consequent on thodisasters experienced in "Westport during the past twelve months. Addison's Flat school had not been inspected, Charleston, Blackett's street school was " found in a singularly backward condition," the present master having only at the time of the Inspectors visit, had charge for three months. The Inspector says " I have every reason to anticipate a very different state of things next year." Charleston Princes street school had suffered from the " loss of many of its best scholars," but those who remained were " well taught and orderly." At St. Patrick's school the attendance

showed the unsually high per ceutage of 83-100ths, the daily average being 54, a large proportion being new comers. Hence the school at the date of the Inspectors visit was " noisy and backward" and although the master was "zealous and apparently thoroughly competent," extra teaching power seemed to be required. Brighton school, under the care of Mrs West, is praised as being " the only civilising and refining agent in the neighbourhood." And "so attached to their mistress are the children, that they have attended at the rate of 91 per cent, through the winter quarter, though the roads that they have to traverse are always difficult, sometimes even dangerous." Iteefton school had not been inspected at the date of the Keport. The receipts by the Central Board for Educational purposes during the year amounted to £7981 ss. 9d., and expenditure, £7902 Bs. 10d, leaving a balance only of £lB 16s lid. The cost per head for educating each scholar for the year has been £4 Is. But to show how largely the size of each school, or, in other words, the density of the population, affects the question of cost per head, the Inspector pointed out that the cost per head in 7 town schools in Nelson, where the average number in attendance is 78, amounts to £2 15 3d only. On the question of revenue and expenditure the Inspector writes:— " The income is at present almost entirely derived from the annual grant of the Provincial Council, the revenue from all other sources being under £250 per annum. There is no reason for expecting that the grant will be increased hereafter, nor is it probable that the rents from Educational Reserves will be largely added to for

some time; . . and after allowing for salaries, books, school-fittings, and repairs of buildings, absolutely nothing is left for the building and maintainance of new schools. . . . The most unobjectionable way of providing lor these inevitable claims, partially at least, is, I think, to make use of the 16th clause of the Education Act, which authorises two-thirds of the householders in any districts to request the Superintendent to levy a special rate for the purpose of erecting schools or paying teachers. In default of this, the only alternative seems to be a resort to school fees, which would require an alteration in the existing Education Act, and the introduction of which I should deeply regret, on many grounds. Should neither of these expedients for increasing the income of the Board be adopted, it would seem that our system has now reached its limits, and must remain, as it were, hide-bound. For, sooner or later, however rigidly retrenchment may be carried out, all applications for adding to the number of our Educational districts, for building new schools, or even for enlarging those already built, must be refused, unless some means are devised whereby a considerable annual addition can be made to the income of the Board."