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1907. NEW ZEALAND.
EDUCATION: CONFERENCE OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS OF TRAINING COLLEGES.
Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.
LETTER OF INVITATION.
Sir, — Education Department, Wellington, 7th January, 1907. I have the "honour, by direction of the Minister of Education, to invite you to attend a Conference of Inspectors of Schools and Principals of Training Colleges, meeting at Wellington, on Tuesday, the sth February proximo, at 11 a.m.-, in the Parliament Buildings. The following, inter alia, are subjects on which* it is considered that an interchange of opinion would in the present circumstances prove specially valuable, and these are accordingly set down as subjects to which the consideration of the Conference is primarily invited: — (1.) Amendment and rearrangement of matters contained in the Regulations for the Inspection and Examination of Schools. (2.) Conditions of admission to free places in secondary schools and district high schools. (3.) District high schools generally. (4.) The expediency of continuing the present issue of departmental tests in English and arithmetic for examination purposes. (5.) The question of school-concentration and conveyance of children. (6.) The pupil-teacher system. Any suggestions you have to make for additional subjects of discussion, and any proposals for amendment in the matters noted above, I shall be glad to receive at your earliest convenience. Under heading (I) certain proposals will be submitted to the Conference at the instance of the Department. I have, &c, G. Hogbbn, Inspector-General of Schools.
MINUTES OP PROCEEDINGS.
TUESDAY, sth FEBRUARY, 1907. The Conference met at the Parliament Buildings at 11 a.m. Present: Mr. G. Hogben, M.A., Inspector-General of Schools (Chairman); Dr. W. J. Anderson, M.A., Assistant Inspector-General of Schools; Mr. J. Porteous, M.A., Assistant Inspector of Native Schools; Mr. M. H. Browne, Inspector of Technical Instruction; Mr. E. C. Isaac, Inspector of Technical Instruction; Mr. T. H. Gill, M.A., LL.B., Assistant Inspector, Education Department; Mr. D. J. Cooper, M.A., Principal Senior Inspector of Schools, New South Wales (introduced and by unanimous resolution associated with the Conference); Mr. D. Petrie, M.A., Chief Inspector of Schools, Auckland ; Mr. R. Crowe, Inspector of Schools, Auckland ; Mr. James Grierson, Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. R. D, Stewart, Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. C. W. Garrard, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. E. C. Purdie, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. W. A. Burnside, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. W. E. Spencer,
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M.A., B.Sc, Inspector of Schools, Taranaki (Editor of School Journal); Mr. W. A. Ballantyne, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, Taranaki; Mr. G. D. Braik, M.A., Chief Inspector of Schools, Wanganui; Mr. James Milne, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Wanganui; Mr. T. B. Strong, M.A., B.Sc, Inspector of Schools, Wanganui; Mr. T. R. Fleming, M.A., LL.B., Chief Inspector of Schools, Wellington; Mr. F. H. Bakewell, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Wellington; J. S. Tennant, M.A., B.Sc, Inspector of Schools, Wellington; Mr. H. Hill, 8.A., F.G.S., Inspector of Schools, Hawke's Bay; Mr. D. A. Strachan, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Marlborough; Mr. G. A. Harkness, M.A., Chief Inspector of Schools, Nelson; Mr. A. Crawford, 8.A., Assistant Inspector of Schools, Nelson; Mr. E. A. Scott, Inspector of Schools, Grey; Mr. A. J. Morton, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, Westland; Mr. T. Ritchie, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, North Canterbury; Mr. T. S. Foster, M.A., Inspector of Schools, North Canterbury; Mr. E. K. Mulgan, M.A., Inspector of Schools, North Canterbury; Mr. J. G. Gow, M.A., Inspector of Schools, South Canterbury; Mr. A. Bell, M.A., Inspector of Schools, South Canterbury; Mr. P. Goyen, F.L.S., Chief Inspector of Schools, Otago; Mr. W. S. Fitzgerald, Inspector of Schools, Otago; Mr. C. R. D. Richardson, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, Otago; Mr. C. R. Bossence, Inspector of Schools, Otago; Mr. James Hendry, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, Southland; Mr. A. L. Wyllie, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Southland; Mr. H. A. E. Milnes, B.Sc. Lond., Principal Training College, Auckland; Mr. William H. Gray, M.A., B.Sc, Principal Training College, Wellington; Mr. Edwin Watkins, 8.A., Principal Training College, Christchurch; Mr. D. It. White, M.A., Principal Training College, Dunedin. The Chairman addressed the Conference as follows: — Gentlemen: Once more it is my great pleasure to welcome you in the name of the Minister of Education to this periodical Conference of the Inspectors of Schools. I am sure that though possibly it may be that we have not before us questions quite so burning—such as the discussion of radical changes in the syllabus—as we had before us at the last session, yet we have a good many subjects of great interest upon which we desire to secure the benefit of your advice in order that the colony may still go forward, not only in the matter of primary-school work, but also in the other departments of public education. It is a sad duty for me to have to perform to call upon you to note that the uncertainty of life has been exemplified first by the loss of the late Minister of Education, a man who was one of the most prominent figures in our colony in every way —indeed, the most prominent—and whose loss we all deplore alike throughout the entire colony. We have also to note with sorrow the gap left in our own ranks by the death of our friend Mr. Smith, of Greymouth, the Inspector of the Grey Education District. lam sure we feel deep sympathy with all his friends, whether that sympathy is formally expressed or not; and I suppose it would not be out of place that we should also express sympathy with our present Minister of Education in the loss of his father, one who had an unusual tenure of long and healthy life —healthy in every way, not only physically, but healthy from other points of view. We have lost from our midst in other ways several members who were present at the last Conference. Mr. J. H. Pope, for many years Inspector of Native Schools, has retired to enjoy a well-earned rest. I think many members of the Conference knew him for a great many years, and I think it is not too much to say that out of chaos in the Native-school system he by careful, unwearying work and interest in the welfare of the Natives has really contributed more than any one else towards the progress of the Maori race. Mr. J. Smith, of Marlborough, has retired from the inspectorate and taken the Secretaryship of the Education Board. Mr. Goodwin, of Auckland, is also retiring. Mr. Goodwin's career has been a very long one, and lam quite sure we know enough of Mr. Goodwin and his work to realise his faithful and long service in that very large and very important portion of New Zealand. Mr. L. B. Wood, of Christchurch, is also not with us now, having, after doing for many years most excellent work with a vigour always characteristic of him, decided on account of his health to go out of active service. But he cannot altogether separate himself from educational work and institutions, and he is now a member of one or more of the educational bodies in Canterbury. I think,.gentlemen, it is well we should not forget those absent friends. I think we ought to remember them as comrades in the past, and we are glad to say that in sympathy and thought some of them are the comrades still of those who are left to attend our Conference.—(Applause.) These are losses that live in our memories; other changes there are, however, of a different kind, losses in one way, gains in another, about which I have less regret to express. I hope the members of this Conference will not think that there is in my mind any thought of centralisation when I say, as I am glad to do, that we have been able to absorb Dr. Anderson into the Department. We have also to welcome Mr. Spencer, who has been subjected to the same process more recently, and Mr. Gill, a new Inspector of the Department, whose work will be to assist Dr. Anderson and myself in the secondary schools, and in that part of the Department's work which includes the inspection of the district high schools in conjunction with the Inspectors of the Boards. One other duty—a very pleasant duty—l have to discharge before I address any general remarks to you. In confident reliance on your courtesy I have taken a similar liberty this time to that which I took on the occasion of our last meeting, and invited in your name a visitor from the other side of the Tasman Sea to be present at our meetings.—(Applause.) —Many of you have already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Cooper, the principal Senior Inspector in New South Wales. We are glad to see him, and hope we shall hear something from him before the Conference has ended. They have recently taken a great step in New South Wales which I hope Mr. Cooper will not feel hurt if I characterize as a great step forward. —(Hear, hear.) —No one can say that with regard to S3 7 stem New South Wales is not now in the forefront. In its actual work it may have been there before, and I think in compliment to Mr. Cooper we may suppose it was there before. But now in its system it has taken its place in the forefront of educational progress, and I am sure the cause of education in New South Wales will receive great benefit from the great advance it has made in its scheme. Allow me, therefore, in your name to welcome Mr. Cooper.—(Loud applause.)
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Now, gentlemen, I have to make an apology that most weak speakers and chairmen have to make, that 1 have been so absorbed with one thing and another that I have been unable to prepare any written address for you on this occasion. However, Ido not think that that will be any loss to you. To give you a disquisition on various abstract theories of education would be a work of supererogation to a large extent, and to deluge you with figures, many of which you have been for years drawing up yourselves, and which 30U are now looking forward to this month or next to prepare for the returns of the colony, would be neither a compliment nor a pleasure. I think we may therefore, perhaps, just briefly outline one or two things that in the present condition of our educational system need more or less consideration. Gentlemen, you all know the efforts of the Legislature and of the Department, and of this Conference and of the Education Boards, have been directed for some time past to making and establishing a more complete national system of education in New Zealand ; and while I think we probably all agree about one thing—that whatever happens with regard to the control and administration of education it is highly desirable we shall have one national system—we are all agreed also that we should keep an efficient and complete local control. I think we are all agreed about that. Thus I think we may safely say we must have in some matters rather centralisation than a collection of disconnected units. We must have a general sjstem as complete as the sympathies and interests of the people of the colony can make it. But we must have close and efficient and complete local control in a great many of the most important matters that cannot possibly be controlled in any other way efficiently. I do not want to touch 011 these two things, but I think we should all take them for axioms. Well, taking them for axioms, I need not indicate except very roughly to you that we have our primary schools taking children from the age of five years to fifteen, if necessary. We have, following them, our secondary schools, the door to which is open by scholarship and free places to those who are qualified therefor, and by payment in the case of those who reach a lower qualification. We have our district high schools, the proper function of which—and I think a very important one, perhaps scarcely carried out as well as it might be, or as well as I hope it will be in the future—our district high schools, whose proper function and place I take it is in the country. I wish to say that by the way. It seems to me that a district high school in a large town is an anomaly.—(Hear, hear.) —A district high school in a large town would probably have a large secondary department. Experience shows that the secondary department in such circumstances approaches in number two hundred or more. That number is generally considered almost enough for one man in a secondary school, and it is too much to expect a man wdio is headmaster of a school having a primary department of seven or eight hundred or more to exercise in addition effective control and guidance over a secondary department large enough to stand alone.—(Hear, hear.) —The cases in which district high schools were established in two of the large centres of the colon}- were exceptional by reason of merely temporary circumstances arising from the option given by " The Secondary Schools Act, 1903," which is now included in the Education Act of 1904. The option given therein to secondary schools of admitting pupils to free places was not used in the case of the secondary schools in those two centres. The two secondary schools in one of the four chief centres, and one secondary school in a smaller centre, are now the only schools which have not exercised that option and thrown open their doors to free pupils. Of course, there is an alternative way of providing free secondary education in these two towns, and I have no doubt the Government will come to a decision very soon. Negotiations are still going on ; but, of course, if the secondary school does not see its way to exercise the option given it by Act of Parliament in the direction of giving free places in return for the capitation payable under the Act, then the establishment of another secondary school will be necessary, not merely a secondary department of a district high school, but a new fully equipped high school under section 88 of the Act. In the country districts, however, where there is a sufficient number of pupils, I believe the district high school has still an extremely important duty to perform. I have seen during the last two years most of the district high schools of the colony. I have not endeavoured to make a complete inspection of them. I do not think it is our function to do that. The Act says the Inspector-General is to inspect them—that is, the Inspector-General or any other Inspector of the Department appointed for the purpose—but it is rather our function to find out what relation they bear to the general system of the colony, and to endeavour to make them an organic part of that system, and therefore wherever we can we try to visit these schools in company with the Inspectors of the district. I think that is a very good practice. I will not say it should be done invariably ; it may not always be convenient for the local Inspectors to accompany us, but I think that this is (he best arrangement if we can manage it. We want to go with them to confer with them as to the work of those district high schools that we visit, and as to matters to which it is necessary to give attention in order to bring these schools more fully into accord with local wants and with the general system of the colony. Although that may not be the view that some of you have taken, I think the plan is a good one. I have invariably derived a great deal of pleasure in going round with the Inspectors and mutually exchanging ideas.—(Applause.) —While recognising that they have a proper function to fulfil, I regret that I must say I deliberately think the district high schools are one of the weak points in the education system of the colony at the present time. Ido not know that it is the fault of the teachers. Ido not know that it is the fault of the Inspectors. It is because of their difficult position in the system of the colony ; and it is not always easy to say, until the circumstances all become clear to our minds, exactly what position they ought to occupy. The district high schools several years ago were a much simpler problem. Now it has become a little more complex, and I think it .is a subject well worth your deliberation at this Conference. Then we have the technical schools and classes, and I should like for a moment to remind you of one side of the system in which it would appear that the technical-school system might play a very important part. It is not by any means clear that it is desirable or necessary that in the large towns secondary schools should attempt to give very special lines of training to those who come to them. Their aim would seem to be sufficiently wide if they were to carry on the general
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education of the pupil, while rendering it possible for each pupil to fit himself by his own powers and abilities for the future calling that his parents or schoolmaster choose for him. In the large towns there seems room, therefore, for something else besides the secondary school, and in two of the towns of the colony there are already technical day classes. As far as regards the work that is being done in those classes, I have no hesitation in saying it is very good in both cases. As far as regards accommodation and suitability for school purposes, I am afraid that is rather a different matter. We must be human in our school arrangements, and must make provision not merely for mental training, but also for the physical and natural wants of the boy or girl of fourteen to sixteen or seventeen. That is hardly the case as yet, so that with regard to day technical schools at the present time I think the position wants reviewing, and any recommendation that comes from this Conference will, lam quite sure, be well considered. It seems to me there is room in these large towns for something else besides what is now called the secondary school. We want another form of secondary school in the shape of a day technical school; I do not think its place is properly taken by the district high school in the large towns for the-reasons I have given. Then there are other aspects of technical education. There are the means of going on for those whose parents send them to work at a comparatively early age. I should like to feel that no child went to work in this colony until he had had an opportunity of passing the sixth standard. —(Hear, hear.) —Of course there are a good many considerations to be taken into account, and no doubt it is not quite a simple question. People must live, and must get the help of their children at an earlyage; but I could wish that all children before they went to work should, whether they passed the examinations or not, have instruction of the kind and standard that is prescribed for the class S6. 1 think, however, that a large proportion of these children who go to work early might be caused to attend the continuation classes. Our duty does not end with them when they leave the primaryschools, and if we could give some advantage to the youth of both sexes who attend such classes — could persuade a larger proportion of them to do so —if we could give such inducements as almost amounted to a mild form of compulsion, I believe it would be a great advantage to the individuals and to the community. What I mean by continuation work is .something in the nature of a continuation of their general education. Much better work is being done in giving them technical preparation for their future trades. The two ought to go together, continuation of general education and technical education. There is a good deal more being done in technical education —about three or four times as much, as far as figures go—as there was when we last met three years ago. The advance is very great, but it is not quite so healthy as it might be, because there is not a sufficient amount of continuation work. The free places in technical schools have very largely increased. There are now at least seven or eight hundred. I think there were then about one or two hundred, so that the number has increased very largely, and I am very glad it has, because in those free places we require a definite course to be taken up; it is a very simple course and the requirements are very moderate. They must take some arithmetic, or a substitute for arithmetic in order to do it. It recognises the principle that general education must be continued while technical education is being carried on. Thus the increase of technical free places is an indication that the number of those who are taking definite courses of technical work, instead of merely isolated classes, is on the increase, and this is always a healthy sign. Then we have senior free places in technical schools, in secondary schools and district high schools, tenable until the pupil reaches a standard that we might call roughly the university standard or the standard of a higher technical school approaching university rank. The number of openings for university education or technical education of university rank is very large, larger than it was; the openings are given by means of National Scholarships, Queen's, University Junior, and Taranaki Scholarships. The number is almost two or fhree times what it was three years ago, and last session I am glad to say Parliament sanctioned a vote that enabled all those on the credit list of the University Junior Scholarship Examination to have their fees paid up to £20 a year. I think that is a distinct advance, for another reason lam coming to presently. A bridge still remains to be made for those who have not been through a course in the secondary schools, but have done so well in the technical schools that they ought to have facilities for the highest stage of technical education. I have really no doubt that bridge will soon be made, and it will then be as easy for them to go into the highest grades as it is for those who have gained University or National Scholarships. There are at present in the colony four technical colleges of university rank—the Lincoln Agricultural College, the College of Engineering at Canterbury, the School of Mines of Otago, and the School of Mines in Auckland. All these are affiliated to the University. We have heard that a dairy school of higher rank is to be established very soon, and that I suppose will be the fifth institution, and as the wants of the colony increase no doubt we shall have others. I hope that one of the earliest additions to the number will be a school of domestic science—to train those who are to give domestic instruction to the pupils and teachers in the various parts of the colony. In regard to the next stage—the stage beyond the ordinary degree course in the UniversityCollege or the corresponding stage in the higher technical colleges—we have seen from the newspapers that it is in contemplation to establish research scholarships and higher technical scholarships. To make the national system of education complete, there ought to be at least these two series. The former, the research scholarships, are intended to provide those who have graduated in the University with the equipment required for research, and to pay them in money £100 a year for two or three years for personal maintenance; the higher technical scholarships are meant to make a similar provision for those who wish and are qualified to continue their technical education on special lines beyond the stage to which it can be carried in the ordinary course of the higher technical colleges or of the University colleges. There should also be a few travelling scholarships. Some people have condemned this proposal, but surely, if we cannot provide everything in this oolony, we are not going to be so narrowly patriotic as to deny to our own people the means of getting instruction elsewhere. I put it in this way because it seems to me that that is
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the proper answer to the question whether you ought to give aid to promising students to continue their studies out of the colony. If you come to the individual parent and say, " Are you going to prevent your son from going elsewhere to get what there is no institution to provide in this colony?" if we put that question to ourselves as parents, I think there can be only one answer. Of course, we can take any safeguards we like against abuse of the advantages given, but 1 am expressing my own individual view, which may or may not be the official view, when I say I hope there will soon be some travelling scholarships—a few at all events-to supply one gap which is left, and which should not be left, in the educational system of a colony like ours. I have made an omission I ought to supply at once. I ought to have read the letter of invitation, which you have all seen. Will you kindly take it as read? I want to allude, however, to one or two of the topics named on the list, and to refer to other points not named there that may be worthy of consideration. 1 shall low go rapidly through the different stages of our educational system to which I have referred, and call attention in as few words as possible to what has been done since we last met, and to some things that remain to be done. Since our last meeting, I am glad to say, the Legislature has given higher salaries to teachers and pupil-teachers, so affording an incentive which we cannot overlook, and which, I am quite sure, will lead to an improvement in the profession. We may not have reached the ideal in salaries that we should like to see, but the new scale was a step forward. Then there was the abolition of average attendance as a means of adjusting salaries. Some people do not appear quite to understand that the last Act effected the practical abolition of average attendance as the direct measure of salaries. The practical effect of the present Act and regulations has been to do that, but there is an indirect way in which the average attendance will affect salaries whatever be your system. No system I have ever seen would pay a principal of a large school a lower salary than the principal of a small school. I have never seen such a system, and I do not know that one is in existence that would do that in effect. It is thus only in an indirect way that the size of a school will affect the salary of the teacher; the average attendance now is nothing more than an index of the size of the school, and a man is secure against the results of a fall in the average attendance for two years or more, which would give time enough to promote him if we had a better system of promotion. I think, that is an advance—it was a difficult matter in a system such as ours to secure even that degree of advance. There are a good many people who talk about the reclassification of teachers as if the problem was just as easy in this colony as where all schools and teachers are under a central department. Whatever may be the advantage of an arrangement like that, we have none of us any desire for it in New Zealand. lam glad to say that there are now four training colleges instead of two, and that they have more funds; the increase of the available funds has enabled them completely to recast their organization, and I am quite sure, gentlemen, we can congratulate ourselves that the teachers of the future will have better opportunities_ of being trained in this colony than those of the past have had. —(Applause.) I am glad also to say that the Teachers' Superannuation Act has now been in force for over a year, and has more than realised the best hopes of those who helped to carry it through. The number of members is, I think, over three thousand, and the revenue is larger than it was anticipated at the time it would be. I made an estimate that the annual income would be £32,000, and I think it is about £32,300 or £32,400, so that the revenue is fully up to what we expected it would be, even though some members did not join early in the year. I think that is another thing that will help to improve the profession; it is already inducing many men of ability who would otherwise not have come into the profession to think seriously that it is a profession worth coming into. In connection with the primary schools, one of the most important things I think we ought to consider is the next step forward in regard to the pupil-teacher system. —(A voice: "Abolish it.") W T ith the suggestion to abolish it as at present existing lam heartily in sympathy, but some period of probation for teachers we must have. . The question is what is the next step forward. The question of money is involved, and if this Conference has a recommendation to make, it would be best, I think, to make a recommendation to the Minister of a kind that the Legislature would be prepared to find the money for. I have not been authorised by the Minister to make any suggestion, so that I am expressing entirely my own individual and personal opinion, and not an official opinion; but I suggest to you, gentlemen—l do not say it is the best thing—that the next step is to go rather further in the direction indicated by the last Teachers' Salaries Act and the regulations thereunder, which held out inducements for pupil-teachers to come into the profession, if possessing certain qualifications, with the rank and salaries at entrance of second- or third-year pupil-teachers. We could now carry these ideas further by requiring everybody to be qualified to enter as a pupil-teacher of the third year; we could do that and reduce their working-time to half a day. I think that would be a very considerable step forward. —(Hear, hear.)—lt would maintain also that continuity with the past that we all like to see. Of course, under such a system we should have to increase the number of adult teachers. I do not know whether you all realise that also means other increases right up the rest of the scale. Obviously we could not put a large number of teachers at the bottom of the scale at £80 or £90 a year in place of pupil-teachers. Promotion would be too slow. Ido not wish to hold up before you the financial bogey, but it would mean a certain amount of increased expenditure—it would be better for us to realise that when we make a recommendation. Still, in spite of the increased expenditure involved, I think we ought seriously to consider the desirability of making somewhat easier the conditions under which the young people who are being trained for'teachers have to work and live.—(Hear, hear.) —It would lead to a greater efficiency in the profession, and, if we can do that without too large an expenditure, I feel quite sure speaking only personally and unofficially—the Minister and the House would listen to such a proposal with great attention. There are various other questions to be considered; for instance, the question of the conveyance of children in scattered districts to centralised schools; that is a very difficult question—l do not
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mean only from the point of view of administration, the point of view that concerns the Department and the Boards more nearly. We can all see there are several different points of view. It would be a great benefit to the children to amalgamate the small schools into fewer large schools; but it is not always possible. The condition of the roads and the distances to be travelled have to be taken into account. It is a difficult question to know how to manage that without incurring the charge of extravagance in the expenditure of the public funds. Physical instruction is becoming more and more prominent, not that it need take up a large part of the school time. The care of the health of the children demands that we should see that physical instruction is given in the schools. You know, gentlemen, that a proposal lias been before the House of Representatives for some time that there should be a medical inspection of school children; 1 think it would be not out of the way if we were to discuss thai important matter from the points of view of the Inspector and schoolmaster as well as from the point of view of the Department of Public Health. I might mention just for a moment the School Journal, because it will give an opportunity of explaining the place it should occupy in the school system. In doing so, I do not intend to hinder you from discussing the advisability of anything I may say on that point, I for one think there is nothing to be feared from the full and free discussion of this or any other question by those who come to this Conference having in their minds the full responsibility of the positions which they occupy. Ihen discussion is perfectly safe. We come here willing to arrive at the best working conclusion we can arrive at. Well, gentlemen, what is in contemplation is this, that the School Journal shall contain matter from month to month suitable, according to its respective parts to Standards i and II in one part, to Standards 111 and IV in another part, and to Standards V and VI in another part. A child would not, therefore, have to buy a history reader or a geography reader There would be a sufficient choice of work for a teacher to find enough to occupy the child* in addition to what is contained in the ordinary literary reader, in the time devoted to reading In tact he would need nothing but his ordinary literary reader, which ought to be as good as possible a book of questions in arithmetic, and the School Journal. I think it might be advisable tor each child to have one book of geography before he left school—a good reference book of geography—and a good reference book of history, and we might possibly manage that he should have one book dealing with agricultural and rural matters, which would be a book of reference in those things too. _ I think you have become aware as well as myself that some change was inevitable A demand has arisen for universal school-books; there was some force in it, and a good deal to be said against it. We do not want a dead level of uniformity if we can avoid it. At the same time a good many arguments have been brought to bear outside—we are not responsible for them—as to the question of the cost of school-books, and it seemed that this was one of the ways in which the question could be solved. We shall, however, be very glad to receive any hints from you, gentlemen in regard to this matter. " J b The basis of admission to free places in secondary schools is an important thing At the present time there are between five and six hundred scholarships given in the colony. There are also other free p aces admitting to one form or another of secondary education which,"together with those five or six hundred, bring up the total number of free places "to something like 5 500 When yon consider that this shows that there are nearly twice as many getting secondary education as there were five or six years ago, you will see we have made a considerable advance as far as numbers are concerned. I think it is my duty, though, to warn you of one danger that is constantly present to the minds of one or two of us whose duty it has been to inspect the secondary schools, and to deal with the allotment of the free places as far as the Department takes a share therein The actual inspection of the schools shows us there are some of those pupils with regard to whom it is extremely doubtful whether the State will get any benefit by sending them to secondary schools, and more than doubtful whether the persons themselves will gain anything, probably the conditions tor admission to free places should be made stricter. That is a real danger ; it will always be unpopular to draw the reins a little tighter, but if the interests of the country demand it it will become our duty to do it. As to how we should do it, is, I think, a matter upon whicli we should invite suggestions from you. There was a small informal conference held last year, or the year before—a conference of Boards, and representatives of Boards, Inspectors, and others—and though no definite resolution was passed with regard to the final form of the admission, th° Department was requested to make the door really a little wider than it was before by admitting some who were over the age of fourteen to secondary education on a certificate of proficiency The way it was put was that 10 per cent, of those admitted to free places in the secondary schools'might come under that qualification. But the Department at the same time thought it might remove nLufd X £ I" ,° f wh ° paSSed a special examination for free places, or qualified under the National Scholarship Examination. The arrangement that exists now is not an ideal one, because some of the pupils go in for two examinations when one should be enough and yet at the same time, in my opinion, it admits some pupils too easily.—(Hear, hear )—I made a suggestion at that conference, with which I think the majority of the conference were in accord candiJ hZ cHd r°l e ™T mltion for th « wh ° le colony-a qualifying examination-on which "7 f!l ree + pl f e m , a secondary school, district high school, or technical school: that there should be no limit of age for free places, but that the examination should be sufficiently hard to reject those who were obviously unfit, and yet give all those who were fit for secondary education a chance to get it free. You will see, gentlemen, that the regulations which were made afterwards taking the age-limit away entirely from the Department's examination really carried out hat idea, though they still left the-other doors for admission to free places open. There is std atLL e f " eSS r + 8m SO T mX f , ay it ~ that We let in SOme who will not so ™>«h benefit from a S ttL 1I" T "^r 18 f !n f th6y WeDt to WOrk alld attellded the continuation schools th™^Sff T y hear.)-That is the proper place for a good many of them. I hope there will be time to discuss that. p say kto thS mim .- er ° f f holarshi P B g iven on competition, a great change, lam glad to say, is to be noted in proportion ; whereas nine-tenths of the free places were formerly given by com-
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petition, now less than one-tenth are given by competition. The position has altered very much. The nine-tenths are given on qualifying examinations. I think that is a great improvement. We want to give every one that is worth it the next higher step. The sorting process of course goes on with the senior free places. It is not to the interest of the State or of the individual that every boy or girl who has had two years of secondary education should be kept at school away from work for another two or three years. It is not necessary or desirable. Naturally the number of persons qualified for free places will be smaller as you go up the ladder. Some people have felt great heartburnings because the number of those qualifying for senior free places is very much smaller than the number qualifying for junior free places, but you, gentlemen, understand it must necessarily be smaller. That is one of the points upon which the cry of overstrain has been raised. If in a mistaken conscientious desire to do his duty a schoolmaster tries to prepare a candidate who is not fit for a senior free place to gain one, I do not think you could put that down—any resulting overstrain — altogether to the system. That sort of thing will happen whether the examination is competitive or qualifying. There will always be a number of pupils who will try to get through examinations nature has not fitted them for. There will always be parents who will wish their children to do so, and conscientious teachers who will desire to do what they perhaps wrongly think to be the best for their pupils. We want to get the co-operation of teachers to send forward those only that are really fit for the next stage. We want the secondary-school teachers of the colony as well as the primary ones to help us, and all those engaged in education to make a proper selection. The ideal selection is that made by the teacher, provided the school is under proper inspection, but we cannot use that method at present. You know very well what would happen in a good many cases if the teacher had to nominate. One teacher told me he would often have to nominate one who was unfit owing to outside influence or to other circumstances that he really could not overlook, and therefore we are not prepared yet, I think, in this colony for what may be an ideal system of nomination—by the school, selection by the teacher. What we want to do as far as possible is to carry out the present movement to substitute the qualifying examination for the competitive. I think we shall get better selection too if we do that, if we get the teachers to act more and more with the Inspectors in assisting in selection. In regard to district high schools, 1 have already touched upon their purpose and their place. You will excuse me for being almost, bluntly candid when I say that one of their weak points is the character of the programme of work many of them take up. In the country schools the programme, to my mind, is not sufficiently in accord with the actual life around. I say this with confidence, because in nearly every case where I have been accompanied by the district Inspectors they have agreed with me in my opinion. Why should not those schools in every case be places where, besides the nature-study, we should have something that is a distinct beginning of the agricultural instruction we all so much need. Ido not believe the intellectual training of the pupil would suffer at all. A good course, practical and theoretical, of agricultural instruction should be taken up in every one of our district high schools, and I would also say the same of a good many of the secondary schools of the colony. What would be lost by taking up in a practical and intelligent manner agricultural subjects and dropping certain other subjects like, say, electricity and magnetism—good enough in themselves, no doubt—but subjects which seem out of place in the programme of the schools referred to? Igoto a dairying district and find there is no science taught leading up to dairying at all, and I find instead electricity and magnetism and typewriting.—(Laughter.)—Well, gentlemen, we want to do more and more what I am sure we shall have your co-operation in doing— attempt to make the programmes of our district high schools more and more in accord with the needs of the children, with regard to their present surroundings and their future life. Some people have thought you are debarring them from following any occupation but that of their fathers. Not so. If you intelligently train them in accordance with their surroundings, if you teach them the science of what is nearest to their mental environment, then you give them the best mental training to suit them for any path in life.—(Hear, hear.) —I am very glad to see that in some of the district high schools at least they have gone somewhat further, they have made a good beginning in agricultural subjects —a promising beginning. I need not name the districts concerned, because there are several in which that has happened, and I am very glad to say the Boards have chosen special experts to assist the teachers and Inspectors, and all those organizing the various forms of agricultural instruction, in their work. That is a step forward. I think some of the secondary schools might take up work of that sort too. I have hinted it to some of them, and Ido not think we shall suffer at all if they do so. Agricultural instruction generally I shall not refer to. It is a very large subject, and what we have to see to is that we make it possible for pupils to take up this agricultural work after they leave the primary and secondary schools. They may do while at school such work in their science and in their nature-study as will help them considerably afterwards. Now, I have to apologize for making so many discursive remarks, but it seemed to be my duty to call attention to some of the weak points in our education system. So many people have been telling us what a fine system we now have—what a complete system —that I have sometimes felt afraid we might think we were approaching perfection. Ido not think we have come very near it just yet. We have made a good many improvements, but I think it just as well we should review some of the points that will need very urgent attention. I hope we shall still go on improving. After all I need not remind you, gentlemen, that the personm,el of the people who are engaged in the teaching of the children of the country is the most important thing, and we should endeavour to get teachers of the highest personal character and the highest personal ability. With all the fears and misgivings that from time to time overwhelm me and make me feel like Elijah in the wilderness, I am consoled by this reflection that, taking things altogether, we have really a good body of teachers in the teaching profession, and it is their personnel that matters more than anything else, whatever we do or whatever our methods may be. It is the impress of one mind and character upon another that matters, and, whatever we can do, I know we shall never forget that to secure that is the highest aim of all organization, method, and regulations.
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I hope this Conference will make some important contribution to the progress of education in this colony. I feel quite sure you will take up these questions, as far as you have time for them, with a desire to produce something practical. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr. Strachan, seconded by Mr. Mulgan, " That the meetings of the Conference be open to the Press." Mr. Hill moved, and Mr. Bakewell seconded, " That Mr. Richardson be Assistant Secretary " ; and, on the suggestion of the Chairman, Messrs. Tennant and Richardson were appointed jointsecretaries. Messrs. Mulgan, Goyen, and Hill, with the joint-secretaries, were appointed a Standing Orders Committee; and subsequently Dr. Anderson was added. It was agreed that all motions be handed in writing to the Secretary, and that divisions be taken by a show of hands. The Conference decided to sit from 10 a.m. to 12.45 p.m., and from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. daily. Mr. Richardson proposed, and Mr. Spencer seconded, " That proposers of motions be limited to 10 minutes, and succeeding speakers to 5 minutes." —Carried. The Chairman read a letter from the Secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute conveying the greetings of that body to the Conference. Message from the Minister op Education. The Chairman read the following telegram : — " G. Hogben, Esq., Inspector-General of Schools, Wellington. " Please convey my greetings to the Conference of Inspectors and Principals of Training Colleges, whose labours I hope will be for the benefit of education in New Zealand. Regret I cannot attend first meeting to convey this message personally. " Geo. Fowlds." Free Places and Scholarships at Secondary and District High Schools. The Conference went into committee to consider the conditions of admission to free places in secondary and district high schools. Mr. Hill moved, and Mr. Fitzgerald seconded, " That in clause 2, paragraph (6), all the words down to the words ' free place ' be omitted." —Lost: Ayes, 16; Noes, 22. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) adopted as printed. Mr. Strachan moved, and Mr. Morton seconded, pro forma., " That in clause 2, paragraph (d), the word ' proficiency ' be deleted, with a view to inserting the words ' competency for Standard Vl.' " —Motion lost on the voices. Mr. Goyen moved, and Mr. Richardson seconded, " That all the words preceding 'he has obtained' be deleted from clause 2, paragraph (d)." —Lost on the voices. Mr. Strachan moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, " That the proviso be omitted from clause 3, paragraph (iv)." —Motion lost. Conference adjourned at 4.30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, 6th FEBRUARY, 1907. Conference resumed at 10 a.m. It was intimated that notices of motion must be handed in at 12.45 p.m. daily. Setting-up of Committees. The following were appointed members of a committee to consider the Regulations for the Inspection and Examination of Schools: Messrs. Petrie (convener), Goyen, Fleming, Gow, Harkness, Foster, Braik, Hendry, Mulgan, White, and Hill. The following were appointed a committee to consider matters referred to it concerning the appointment, training, and education of pupil-teachers: Messrs. Fitzgerald (convener), Morton, Bakewell, Wyllie, Milnes, Gray, Watkins, and Spencer. The following were appointed a committee to deal with matters referred to it concerning secondary education: Messrs. Ritchie (convener), Bell, Strachan, Bossence, Purdie, Gill, Crawford, Strong, Isaac, and Browne. It was decided that the remaining members of Conference form a committee to consider general matters referred to it by the Conference or the Chairman, Mr. Stewart to be convener. Free Places and Scholarships at Secondary and District High Schools. Conference then went into committee to continue the consideration of conditions of admission to free places in secondary and district high schools. Mr. Stewart moved, and Mr. Petrie seconded, " That clause 5 be referred to the committee on secondary education." —Motion agreed to. Clause 6: Mr. Braik moved, and Mr. Purdie seconded, "That the following words be added to subclause (i): 'or be a holder of a certificate of competency for Standard Vl.'" —Motion negatived: Ayes, 11 ; Noes, 30. Subclause as printed agreed to. Mr. Strong moved, and Mr. Braik seconded, " That the words ' provided that every junior free place shall be tenable for at least two years,' be added as a proviso to subclause (ii) of clause 6." —Motion negatived, and subclause as printed agreed to. Subclause (iii) agreed to. Clause 7: Mr. Fitzgerald moved, and Mr. White seconded, "That this clause be referred to the secondary education committee." —Agreed to.
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Mr. Stewart proposed, "That the committee report progress"; seconded by Mr. Morton and carried. Conference then resumed consideration of questions on the order paper. Mr. Braik moved, "That the standard of education required for admission to a free place at a district high school should be a certificate of competency in Standard VI " ; Mr. Hill seconded. —Motion negatived: Ayes, 11; Noes, 30. Dr. Anderson moved to add, with consequential verbal alterations, to clause 4 of Conditions of Admission to Free Places in Secondary Schools and District High Schools, " Provided that on the recommendation of the head teacher of the secondary school, and subject to the approval of the Inspector-General of Schools, the junior free place may be extended for a third year, but in no case shall a junior free place so obtained continue beyond the holder's seventeenth birthday."— Motion agreed to. It was agreed that Dr. Anderson and Mr. Spencer be added to the secondary education committee. Mr. Morton moved, " That the question of a refund of expenses or of a grant of free railwaypasses to pupils attending the Junior National Scholarship and free-place examinations or centralised examinations conducted by Inspectors of Schools for certificates under clause 24 et seq. of the Regulations for Inspection remitted by the Wanganui Education Board be referred to the secondary education committee." —Motion carried and question referred. Mr. Mulgan moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, " That the Junior National Scholarships be awarded on the results of an examination in the subjects prescribed for the Sixth Standard in the public-school syllabus." —Carried unanimously. Mr. Mulgan moved, and Mr. White seconded, " That the examination for junior free places in secondary schools be held at the same time and place as the examination for Junior National Scholarships."—Agreed to. The following motion by Mr. Mulgan was referred to the committee on secondary education : " That the Junior National Scholarships be open to all persons of either sex not over thirteen years of age on the first day of the month in which the examination is held." Consideration of the following three motions by Mr. Mulgan was postponed: — " That the Senior National Scholarships be awarded to persons of either sex who, being under nineteen years of age, obtain credit at the Junior Scholarship examination of the University of New Zealand." District High Schools. —" That paragraph 2, clause 16 of regulations for staffs and salaries (district high schools) be deleted." Teachers' Certificates. —" That in case of teachers' certificates the division within the class shall be determined —with the limitations noted in clause 5 of the regulations for teachers' certificates—on the efficiency and practical skill shown— i.e., on Inspectors' marks alone." The following motions were referred to the general committee: — "That first aid be a compulsory subject in the examination of teachers." — (Mr. C. F. Bossence.) " That, inasmuch as lessons on health are prescribed in classes S3 to S6, it is desirable that a paper containing questions on hygiene should be set to candidates for the Class D certificate."— (Mr. T. S. Foster.) Amendment and Rearrangement of Matters contained in the Regulations for the Inspection and Examination of Schools. The following motions were referred to the regulations committee: — " That clauses 22 and 23 of the Regulations for the Inspection and Examination of Schools be deleted." " That clauses 34 and 35 of the Regulations for the Inspection and Examination of Schools be deleted."— (Mr. F. H. Bakewell.) The following motion was referred to the general committee: "That schools in which a recognised and an approved course of deep-breathing exercises is being given are meeting all requirements with regard to physical culture."— (Mr. F. H. Bakewell.) Manual and Technical Instruction. The following motion was referred to the secondary education committee: "That the Manual and Technical Instruction Regulations dealing with agricultural, woodwork, and cookery classes be amended to allow such classes being conducted in country schools by itinerary teachers, and that either twenty two-hour lessons on consecutive school days or forty one-hour lessons be deemed to qualify for a grant under duly recognised instructors."— (Mr. If. Hill.) General. The question of the medical examination of school-children, remitted by the Health Department, was referred to the general committee. The following motions were also referred to the general committee:— " That in the opinion of this Conference it is desirable that a school Gazette be issued by the Education Department."— (Mr. T. S. Foster.) " That school libraries be fostered by the Department by means of a potind-for-pound subsidy on all subscriptions collected by school-children in any school district." — (Mr. H. Hill.) Consideration of the following motions was postponed: — " That the Government be requested to bring in a Teachers Registration Act." (Mr. Bossence.)
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" That the Department make a regulation requiring every teacher to visit at least one other school during the year."— (Mr. Bossence.) The following motion was withdrawn by consent: " That the Manual of New Zealand Flora, by Cheesenian, be issued free to all public schools, and to teachers at half the published price."— (Mr. H. Hill.) The Chairman conveyed to the Conference Dr. Mason's invitation to attend an exhibition of deep-breathing exercises by Mr. Garliok. The invitation was accepted for 12.30 p.m. on Thursday. Mr. Hill moved, " That consideration of the medical examination of school-children be postponed until Dr. Mason had addressed the Conference"; seconded by Mr. Watkins. —Motion negatived. Conference then adjourned.
THURSDAY, 7th FEBRUARY, 1907. Conference resumed at 10 a.m. Reports were handed in by the conveners of the general committee and of the secondary education committee, and it was decided that these reports be considered at 2.30 p.m. The conveners of the regulation committee and of the pupil-teachers' committee intimated that their committees had not completed their reports. Regulations for Inspection and Examination of Schools. The following motions were referred to the regulations committee: — " That requirements (3) and (4), Geography A, Standard VI, be withdrawn."— (Geo. 1). Braik.) " That in the qualifications for certificates of competency and proficiency, handwork, carrying a due proportion of marks, should be included." — (Geo. J). Braik.) " That the section on moral training be transferred to the section on civics, and (2) that a committee be set up to consider the most appropriate headings under which such instructions should appear." — (Geo. D. Braik.) "That in section 33, Syllabus Regulations, the following words be inserted after the word ' shall ' in the eighth line of the section : ' where facilities exist, take woodwork and cookery lespectively '; and after the word ' physics ' the words : provided that, where the Inspector is satisfied that cookery is scientifically taught, further science shall not lie required of girls.' " — (Geo. I). Brink.) The following motion was, by leave of the Conference, withdrawn : "That the section on physical drill be withdrawn from the syllabus, and (2) that a committee be set up to determine the best form of physical exercises for private schools."— (Geo. D. Brail,-.) Mr. Bakewell moved, "That there be only one certificate for Standard VI"; Mr. Fleming seconded. —Motion negatived: Ayes, 8; Noes, 29. Mr. Bakewell moved, "That clauses 34 and 35 (p. 8 of the Regulations) be deleted."— The motion was, b}' leave of the Conference, withdrawn. Consideration of the following motion was deferred: "That schools in which an approved course of instruction in deep-breathing is given are meeting all requirements with regard to physical instruction." —(/. //. Bakewell.) Scholarships. Mr. Mulgan moved, and Mr. Fleming seconded, " That the Senior National Scholarships be awarded to persons of either sex who, being under nineteen years of age, obtained credit at the Junior Scholarship Examination of the University of New Zealand."—Motion carried: Ayes, 20; Noes, 17. Address by Mr. Cooper, Principal Senior Inspector of Schools in New South Wales. On the motion of Mr. Goyen, seconded by Mr. Hill, the standing orders were suspended for the purpose of hearing an address by Mr. Cooper, Principal Senior Inspector of Schools in New South Wales. Mr. Cooper then gave a highly interesting address concerning educational matters in New •South Wales. At the conclusion of the address the Chairman conveyed the thanks of the Conference o Mr. Cooper for the great pleasure he had afforded them, and also reciprocated the good wishes expressed by Mr. Cooper in connection with educational progress in the colony. Consideration of questions on the order paper was then resumed. Scholarships. Consideration of the following three motions was deferred: — " (b.) That the tenure of a Junior National Scholarship lie two years, with an extension of an additional year if, in the report of the principal of the school at which the scholarship is held, or of the Inspector-General of Schools, the Minister is satisfied that such extension is warranted." " (c.) That in the award and tenure of a Junior National Scholarship it be a recommendation to the Legislature to delete the sumptuary clause which now confines such scholarships to the children of a limited class in the community." " (d.) That, with a view of bridging over the interval at present existing between the Junior .and the Senior National Scholarships, a set of Intermediate National Scholarships be established, open to young people under sixteen years of age, and awarded on the results of the Civil Service
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junior Examination or the Senior Free-place Examination; the tenure to be for a further maximum period of three years under similar conditions, and the qualification the attainment of a position in one or other examination entitling the candidate to a pass with credit.'' — (Dr. Anderson.) The standing orders were suspended to enable Dr. Mason to explain and illustrate a system of deep-breathing exercises as developed by Mr. Garlick. The Chairman expressed the thanks of the Conference to Dr. Mason and Mr. Garlick for their attendance and the interesting exposition given. Consideration of the questions on the order paper was then continued. Technical Education. The following motion was referred to the secondary education committee: "That the Department's grant for agricultural training be increased." — (Geo. D. Braik.) Staffs and Salaries. Consideration of clauses 16 and 21 of the regulations, staffs and salaries, was referred to the secondary education committee on the motion of Mr. Bell. Mr. Petrie moved, and Mr. Morton seconded, "That the minimum salary for the first teacher in the secondary departments of district high schools lie fixed at £200." —Agreed to. District High Schools. Consideration, of the following motion was deferred: " That paragraph (2) of clause 16 of regulations for staffs and salaries (district high schools) be deleted." — (E. K. Mulgan.) Teachers' Certificates. Mr. Mulgan moved, and Mr. Bakewell seconded, '■'. That in the case of teachers' certificates the division within the class shall be determined —with the limitations in clause 5 of the regulations for teachers' certificates —on the efficiency and practical skill shown—i.e., on the Inspectors' marks alone."—Motion lost. General. Mr. Purdie moved, and Mr. Mulgan seconded, " That, where possible, and in order to promote a more thorough organization of the pupils of each standard class, and to render the teaching thereof more effective, all such pupils should (in classes above Standard III) be (aught in the Same school."—Agreed to. Mr. Braik moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, " That every Inspector receive direct from the Department all regulations and amendments to regulations."—Carried unanimously. Mr. Bossence moved, and Mr. Stewart seconded, " That the Government be requested to bring in a Teachers Registration Act."—Motion agreed to. Consideration of the following motion on the order paper was postponed; on the motion of Mr. Bossence, seconded by Mr. Bakewell, " That the Education Department make a regulation requiring every teacher to visit at least one school other than his own every year." — (G. ]'. Bossence.) Dr. Anderson moved, and Mr. Stewart seconded, " That the subject of Mr. Bossence's motion to the effect that the Government be requested to bring in a Teachers Registration Act be referred to the general committee." —Agreed to. Dr. Anderson moved, and Mr. Gill seconded, " That the remits from the New Zealand Educational Institute be referred to the regulations committee."—Motion agreed to and remits referred. Mr. Hill moved, and Mr. Strachan seconded, " That, Mr. Gill's name be added to the regulations committee."—Agreed to. Conference then adjourned.
FRIDAY, Bth FEBRUARY, 1907. • Conference resumed at 10 a.m. A letter was received from the secretary of the Wellington Bowling Club extending a hearty invitation to members of the Conference to make use of the club's green during their stay in Wellington. Letter received with thanks, on the motion of Mr. Hogben (Chairman), seconded by Mr. Tennant. Report of the General Committee. The report of the general committee, as follows, was presented for consideration : — Your committee has the honour to report that it has carefully considered the remits referred to it, and recommends as follows: (1.) Correspondence Classes for Teachers. While affirming the principles of the desirability of the establishment of classes to enable teachers in isolated districts to prepare for the requirements of the Department's examinations for teachers' certificates, that, as the matter depends largely on finance, this committee has no recommendation to make.
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(2.) First Aid as a Subject for Examination for 'Teachers. That, in view of the fact that elementary human physiology is already a compulsory subject for Classes D and C, this committee has no recommendation to make. (S.J Hygiene. That the scope of examination in physiology for Class D be extended so as to include elementary hygiene. (£.) Physical Culture. That the committee's recommendation be deferred until after Mr. Garlick's promised demonstration. (5. j*Medical Examination of School-children. That in the opinion of this committee it is desirable that the medical examination of schoolchildren should be carried out; but the committee is not prepared to indicate the nature or the extent of such examination. (6.) School Gazette. That this committee is of opinion that a school gazette should be issued by the Department. (7.) School Libraries. That the facilities already existing for the formation of school libraries are sufficient to meet the case. (8.) Conveyance of School-children. That centralisation of schools in country districts is highly desirable, and that in a number of cases it could be successfully carried out provided the regulations for the conveyance of children were made more elastic, and a more liberal allowance granted. Ralph D. Stewart, Convener. Mr. Fleming moved as an amendment to clause 1 of the report, " That the Training College Conference be asked to take the question of the training of unclassified and partially classified teachers into favourable consideration"; seconded by Mr. Grierson. —Carried. The amendment was then put as a substantive motion and carried. Mr. Bossence moved as an amendment to clause 2, "That first aid be a compulsory subject in the examination for teachers' certificates." —Carried and report amended accordingly. Clause 3 adopted as printed. Clause 4 referred to the committee for further report. Clauses 5, 6, and 7 adopted. Dr. Anderson moved to refer clause 8 back for further recommendations.—Motion lost and clause adopted as printed. Report as amended adopted by committee of the whole. Progress was then reported, and the report of the general committee as amended was adopted. Report of the Regulations Committee. The report of the regulations committee on the rough draft of proposed amended regulations (clauses 1-25) as follows, was presented. (For " rough draft," see Appendix): — Clause 2. Second last line: Read after " PI " "the next P2, next P3, and so on." Clause 4. Line 1 : " Shall " to be substituted for " should." Clause 5. Line 12 : Delete " any member of." Clause 6. Line 3: Add after " examination " the words " and such of the examination-papers as the Inspector may require." Second last line: Add " the aggregate ages " and the, &c. As a rider to this clause the committee recommends that registers of a suitable nature be supplied by the Department. Clause 8. Line 5: The word " any " to be substituted for words " due proportion." Clause 9. Line 4: Add words " during the preceding twelve months " after " current year." Line 5 : Omit words " after consultation " to " case." Clause 12. Topic XIII to be placed at end of or on back of form. Clause 15. For " Standard V " read " Standard VI " throughout. Clause 16. Committee recommends the following proviso to be placed in the Appendix to the syllabus: "Generally speaking, to satisfy the requirements for a certificate of competency a candidate should obtain not less than 50 per cent, of the possible aggregate." Clause 19. To read, " Obtains at least 50 per cent, of the possible marks in English (including not less than 50 per cent, in each of the branches reading and composition)." Clause 21 : (d) and (c) to be transposed, the latter now to read, " Direct the candidate to sit for the special examination for Certificate of Proficiency held by the Education Department in the month of December in each year, or (d) accept the results of a head teacher's examination as sufficient evidence that a candidate has reached the required standard of attainments, but he may in that case hold such further examination for this purpose as he may deem fit." Clause 22. Line 6: Before word "signed" insert "awarded and." No. Jf. of Invitation Circular. Resolved: "That test cards be issued for Standards IV, V, VI, and VII in English and arithmetic."
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Thursday's Order Paper. (a.) Withdrawn. (b.) Lost. (c.) Adopted (now provided for in Sheet 2 of the draft regulations : see Appendix). Suggestions from Institute. Consideration deferred. The Conference went into committee to consider the report: — Clause 1. Adopted as printed. Clause 2. Committee's recommendation agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. Clause 3. Adopted as printed. Clause 4. Mr. Goyen moved as an amendment, " In general the classification of a school shall be determined immediately after the visit of the Inspector, of which notice is given as prescribed in clause 1; provided that in schools in the vicinity of secondary or district high schools, it shall be determined at the beginning of the year."—Amendment negatived, and clause as printed agreed to: Ayes, 12; Noes, 26. Clause 5. Committee's recommendation agreed to, and clause as amended by committee adopted. Clause 6. Committees amendment and recommendations agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. Clause 7. Adopted as printed. Clause 8. Resolved, That the words "a due proportion" in the rough draft be deleted, and the word " any" be substituted therefor. —Clause as amended adopted. Clause 9. Resolved to omit the words " oral or written " in the second line. —Committee's recommendations agreed to; clause as amended adopted. Clauses 10 and 11 adopted as printed. Clause 12. Committee's recommendation agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. Clauses 13 and 14 adopted as printed. Clause '15. Mr. Petrie moved, as an amendment to committee's recommendation, " That the standard of exemption be the Fifth Standard."—Amendment negatived: Ayes, 14; Noes, 26. Committee's recommendation agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. Clause 16. Mr. Petrie moved, as an amendment to committee's recommendation, " That 45 per cent, be substituted for 50 per cent."—Amendment negatived. Committee's recommendation agreed to. Clause adopted as printed. Clauses 17 and 18 adopted as printed. Clause 19. Committee's recommendation agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. It was agreed that a note be placed in the Appendix, or attached to this clause, suggesting the following allocation of marks for a certificate of proficiency: Reading, recitation, and comprehension, 150; composition, 150; spelling and writing, 100. Clause 20. Adopted as printed. Clause 21. Recommendation of committee agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. Clause 22. Recommendation of committee agreed to, and clause as amended adopted. Clauses 23, 24, and 25 adopted as printed. Mr. Fleming moved, "That there be inserted in the regulations a note to the effect that the knowledge of the work of any standard in English and arithmetic presupposes a knowledge of the work of any previous standard." —Motion agreed to. The committee's recommendation that test cards for Standards IV, V, VI, and VII in English and arithmetic be issued was agreed to. Progress was then reported, and the report of the regulations committee as amended was adopted. It was resolved that the Conference adjourn at 4.30 p.m. to meet again at 8 p.m. Mr. Hogben having to leave, asked that Dr. Anderson take the chair. Report of the Subcommittee on Secondary Educaton, Free Places in Secondary Schools, and District High Schools. Conference then went into committee to consider the report of the secondary education committee, as printed: — Clause 5 (present regulations) approved. Clause 7 (a). Amended by inserting after the words " this purpose " the words " provided that the holder has passed the examination for senior free places or an equivalent examination." In line 2 of the proviso, " £40 " shall read " £45." Clause 7 (b). Mr! Spencer's motion—No. 3, page 1, of order paper—approved. Clause 7 (c). Amended to read, " who, whether under sixteen or not, has passed with credit the Civil Service Junior Examination, or the special examination for senior free places, or has passed the Matriculation Examination." Clause 14 (ii). Line 3 and line 7: That "two" read "one." Clause 15. Line 2: That after the words "high school" be inserted the words "technical school." Line 6: That after the word " accordingly "be inserted the words " for any remaining period of the tenure of his free place." Clause 16. Line 7: Delete from "he" to "school," and substitute therefor "he had been admitted to such school originally."
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Order Paper. That, re the question raised by the Wanganui Education Board (page 1, B), it be a recommendation that, to candidates who qualify, coach and railway fares to the nearest examination centre be refunded. Sheet 2. No. 4 (Mr. Mulgan) approved. Sheet 3. (F) (Mr. H. Hill) not approved. District High Schools. Page 153, clause 16, line 4 of proviso: That after the words " Standard VI " be inserted the words " and has paid the prescribed fees." Thos. Ritchie, Chairman. Clauses 5 and 6 adopted as printed. Clause 7 (a). Committee's recommendation agreed to, and subclause as amended adopted. Clause 7 (b). Committee's recommendation agreed to, and subclause as amended adopted. (Mr. Spencer's motion reads as follows: "That clause 7 (h) be amended by inserting after the words ' senior free places ' the words ' due allowance being made for such subjects of instruction as cannot be readily tested at a general examination.' ") Clause 7 (c). Committee's recommendation agreed to, and subclause as amended adopted. Clauses 14 and 15. Committee's recommendations agreed to, and clauses as amended adopted. The committee rose at 4.45 p.m. to meet again at 8 p.m. Committee resumed consideration of the secondary committee's report. The committee's recommendation concerning the remit from the Wanganui Education Board was agreed to. (The remit reads as follows: " The question of a refund of expenses or of a grant of free railway-passes to pupils attending the Junior National Scholarship and Free-place Examinations or centralised examinations conducted by Inspectors of Schools for certificates under clause 24 et seq. of the Regulations for Inspection.") Discussion took place on the committee's report concerning one of the motions by Mr. Mulgan appearing on the order paper of the 6th February, which reads as follows: "That the Junior National Scholarships be open to all persons of either sex not over thirteen years of age on the first day of the month in which the examination is held." Mr. Mulgan moved as an amendment, " That the Junior National Scholarship be open to all persons of either sex resident in the colony of New Zealand, and not over fourteen years of age on the first day of the mouth in which the examination is held."—Amendment, lost. Mr. Fleming moved as an amendment, " That all the words after ' that ' be omitted, and the words ' that paragraph (g) of clause 74 of the Act be omitted ' be inserted." —Amendment lost. Mr. Strachan moved, as an amendment, " That the Junior National Scholarship be awarded as at present, except that the age be raised to fourteen years."—Amendment carried and adopted as a substantive motion. Committee's recommendation re Mr. Hill's motion was agreed to. The motion reads as follows: "That the Manual and Technical Instruction Regulations dealing with agricultural, woodwork, and cookery classes be amended to allow such classes being conducted in country schools by itinerary teachers, and that either twenty two-hour lessons on consecutive school days or forty one-hour lessons be deemed to qualify- for a grant under duly recognised instructors." Committee's recommendation re district high schools approved. The committee further recommended that the annual capitation for school classes in elementary agriculture be increased from 2s. 6d. to ss.—Recommendation agreed to and clause adopted. The committee recommends that clause 21, staffs and salaries, be amended to read, " The teacher of the secondary department in any district high school shall not be employed in the primary department of such school or vice versa without the written sanction of an Inspector of Schools."— Recommendation not approved. The Chairman moved to report progress. Progress reported accordingly, and report of secondary education committee as amended was adopted. Conference then went into committee to consider the report of the pupil-teachers' committee, as follows: — Report of the Committee on the Pupil-teacher System. Your committee beg to recommend the adoption of the following: — 1. The gradual abolition of the present pupil-teacher sj-stem. 2. The establishment in the near future of a system of education and training of teachers which shall include: (a.) An adequate course of instruction at a secondary district high school, or other school recognised for this purpose by the Education Board of the district. (b.) A period of probation of one or (in special cases) of two years during which practice in teaching will be carried on concurrently with study; half the day to be devoted to teaching in schools selected by the Education Board of the district, and half the day to study. (c.) A course of two years at a training college, or, under special circumstances, a course of three years. (d.) A period of probation as a responsible teacher in a public school for at least one year, on the completion of which to the satisfaction of an Inspector of Schools, a classification certificate shall be issued.
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Your committee further recommend' — (a.) That with the view of gradually restricting the operation of the present pupil-teacher system, full advantage be taken of the provision for substituting a certificated teacher for two pupil-teachers, and that the scope of that provision be extended. (b.) That the pupil-teacher course tinder the present system be limited to two years, and that the minimum qualification for entry be the Civil Service Junior Examination. W. S. Fitzgerald, Chairman. The report was unanimously adopted. The Chairman moved to report progress. Progress reported accordingly, and report of pupil-teachers' committee was adopted. Further Report from the General Committee. Conference then went into committee to consider a further report from the general committee, as follows : — /. Physical Culture. That as the Conference lias been afforded an opportunity of judging as to the value of deepbreathing exercises, the committee considers it better to leave the matter in the hands of the Conference. 2. Teachers' Registration Bill. That in the preparation of a Teachers Registration Bill the following provisions should be embodied : — (a.) Sufficient opportunities for registration should be given to all persons at present practising their profession ; such persons should be required to show that they have been acting as teachers for a reasonable period, and also, within six months, to make application for registration. (b.) The Inspector-General of Schools should be appointed Registrar, and should formulate the necessary regulations to l>e approved by the Governor in Council. (c.) That all persons entering the profession subsequent to the passing of the Act should be required to submit themselves for examination in literary attainments and school method, as provided in the regulations. (d.) That every school should be in charge of a registered teacher. Ralph D. Stewart, Convener. Progress was then reported, and the further report of the general committee as above was adopted. By request of the Conference, the Chairman gave an explanation of the contents of Sheet 2 of the rough draft of suggested amendments in regulations (see Appendix), after which Mr. D. White moved, and Mr. Strachan seconded, " That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is inadvisable at present to make any alteration in the form of the syllabus or programme of instruction." —Carried. Leave was given to Mr. Purdie to move without notice, " That Inspectors of schools and other permanent officers of Education Boards be brought under the operation of the Teachers' Court of Appeal Act"; motion moved accordingly by Mr. Purdie, seconded by Mr. Mulgan.—Carried: Ayes, 21; Noes, 4. Mr. Hill moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, " That this Conference desires to convey to the Inspector-General of Schools its heartiest good wishes on his projected visit to Europe, and trusts that his holiday will be so extended by the Government as to enable him to visit not only Europe, but North America, Japan, and Australia, for the purpose of studying the different schemes of public instruction as carried on in those countries, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Minister of Education."—Carried unanimously. The Chairman announced that a book on "Physical Culture " was in course of preparation, in which consideration was given to deep-breathing exercises. Conference adjourned at 10.45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oth FEBRUARY, 1007. Conference resumed at 10.30 a.m. In the absence of the Inspector-General the chair was taken by Dr. Anderson. Mr. Harkness asked leave to move a resolution.—Leave granted. Mr. Harkness then moved, and Mr. Braik seconded, " That the University Councils be asked to consider the desirability of arranging for university extension lectures, on a popular basis, in places outside university centres."—Carried. Conference then proceeded to consider the orders of the day on Friday's order paper. Regulations. Dr. Anderson moved, and Mr. Tennant seconded, " That civics be regarded as a subject of such importance as to require in every case a definite course of lessons, however short the programme may be, beginning in S3 with the familiar figures of the policeman or the postman, or the topics suggested by a letter, and comprising within its scope a fairly complete elementary knowledge of the duties of every citizen in relation to his fellows and to the State; the instruction throughout to be of as realistic a character as circumstances may permit."—Carried.
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Dr. Anderson moved, and Mr. Ritchie seconded, "That in history, as a reading subject, biography be largely employed, and the main object observed be the creation in the minds of the children of vivid pictures of life in earlier times, with limited regard to the sequence of events, but with the introduction, wherever it may be found expedient, of great events having a more or less direct bearing on the rights at present enjoyed." —Carried. The following motions appearing on the order paper were withdrawn and referred to Mr. Spencer, Editor of the School Journal: — " That it be a recommendation to teachers to so direct their reading-lessons in social and descriptive geography as to give children vivid pictures of the life of the people in various parts of the world, and of climatic conditions in relation to animal and vegetable life, to interest them in exploits of travel, and to cultivate a sense of Imperial unity." — (Dr. Anderson.) " That in geography as a teaching subject it be a recommendation to teachers to include the following: (a) The observational and mathematical geography (or nature-study) now included in Course A; (b) an elementary knowledge of the geography of New Zealand, studied with special reference to the main physical features, the larger centres of population, the means of communication within the colony, and the productive industries of the various districts; (c) the great lines of oceanic and continental communication, as illustrated by imaginary voyages; (d) the sources of the most important New Zealand imports."— (Dr. Anderson.) The following motion was carried: " That schools in which an improved course of instruction in deep breathini* is given are meeting all requirements with regard to physical instruction." — (./. H.'Bakewell.) Staffs and Salaries. Mr. Bakewell moved, and Mr. Braik seconded, " That in the regulations for the staffing of schools the average attendance be based on the computation of the average daily attendance." — Carried. The following motions were withdrawn : — " That in the case of side schools an extra assistant be granted in lieu of a pupil-teacher as at present." —(•/. //. Bakewell.) " That in any school where the average attendance for six months is higher than the grade for which the school is staffed, the staffing be increased in accordance with the average; the same conditions to apply in the decrease of a staff in schools where the attendance shows a falling-off for a period of six months."— (Mr. Hill.) Mr. Goyen moved, and Mr. Mulgan seconded, " That the adult staff allowed by the present scale is inadequate."—Motion, after some discussion, withdrawn.. Scholarships. The following motions were withdrawn :— " (a.) That the tenure of a Junior National Scholarship be two years, with an extension of an additional year if, on the report of the principal of the school at which the scholarship is held, or of the Inspector-General of Schools, the Minister is satisfied that such extension is warranted. " (b.) That in the award and tenancy of a Junior National Scholarship it be a recommendation to the Legislature to delete the sumptuary clause which now confines such scholarships to the children of a limited class in the community. " (c.) That, with a view of bridging over the interval at present existing between the Junior and the Senior National Scholarships, a set of Intermediate National Scholarships be established, open to young people under sixteen years of age, and awarded on the results of the Civil Service Junior Examination or the Senior Free-place Examination; the tenure to be for a further maximum period of three years under similar conditions, and the qualification the attainment of a position in one or other examination entitling the candidate to a pass with credit."— (Dr. Anderson.) General. Mr. Bakewell moved, and Mr. Gill seconded, " That in the interests of education it is advisable that every Inspector of Schools shall periodically be placed in charge of a public school as headmaster." —Motion negatived. The following motion was withdrawn: "That, in order to prevent the abuse of the privilege of obtaining certificates of exemption from school attendance, every parent or guardian who desires such certificate be required to make application in writing as follows: I, A. 8., hereby make application for a certificate exempting C. D., a child aged years and months, from attendance at a public school from to , for the following reason [or reasons]: . And I further hereby declare that the above-stated reason [or reasons] is [or are] the true and only one [or ones] for making this application.— , Parent or Guardian." —(/. B. Strong.) A motion standing in the name of Mr. Bossence, " That it-is desirable that every teacher should visit at least one other school during the sTear,"5 T ear," was carried. Resolved, That the Chairman have power to confirm the minutes. Mr. Goyen moved, and Dr. Anderson seconded, a vote of thanks to both Press representatives. —Carried. Conference adjourned finally at 12.50 p.m.
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APPENDIX.
Sheet 1. (h'or consideration (it the Conference of Inspectors of He/tools and Principals 'if Training ('alleges, February, 1007.) EXAMINATION AND INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS. ROUGH DRAFT OF PROPOSED AMENDED REGULATIONS (CLAUSES 1 TO 25.) IV.—lnspection and Examination of Schools. 1. Every public school shall, as a general rule, be visited at least twice in every year by a Public-school Inspector. At least ten days' notice of the date of one of these visits shall be given to the head teacher by the Inspector. No notice shall be required for any other visit. After one of his visits in each year the Inspector shall present an " inspection report." A special report may be presented after any visit. In these regulations a " year " means a year beginning with the Ist January. 2. For purposes of instruction, the pupils of every public school shall be divided into classes for the several subjects according to the standards defined by the syllabus of subjects, as follows: With regard to any subject, Class 1 shall include all the children doing the work prescribed for Standard 1 in that subject, and may be called Sl—for instance, SI English will include all the children doing the work in English prescribed for Standard I ; SI arithmetic, those doing the arithmetic of Standard I ; and so on for the other subjects. Class II shall include all the children doing the work prescribed for Standard 11, and may be called S2 : and so on to Class VII. The preparatory class shall include all pupils below Class I, and may lie called Class P. Class P maj be divided, the lower part being called PI, and the next P2 ; if necessary, these classes may be subdivided, as, for instance, into 1M lower, PI upper, P2 lower, P2 upper. 3. The classification of a school shall be made by the head teacher, who shall have full discretion to arrange his pupils in different classes for different subjects according to their ability and proficiency with respect to the several subjects, and to group two or more classes for instruction in one subject. This discretion he must exercise to the satisfaction of the Inspector, who will regard as an element of weakness any undue complexity in the classification of pupils. As a general rule, pupils should be classified according to their capacity and attainment in English and arithmetic respectively, classification in English being determined by proficiency in English and classification in arithmetic by proficiency in arithmetic 4. In general, the classification of a school shall lie determined at the beginning of the year : but, if necessary, promotion of individual pupils from class to class may be made at any other time by the head teacher. As a general rule, in Standards 111, IV, and V, promotion should not be granted in English unless the pupil satisfies the requirements of the standard in reading and composition, and at least one of the subjects spelling and writing ; and also, as a general rule, the classification for English and arithmetic shall not in the case of any pupil differ by more than one standard. 5. (a.) The head teacher shall draw up for each year schemes of work for all the classes in his school, and shall hold thereon not fewer than three periodical examinations of the classes, the last of which, called "the annual examination," shall be held in November or December, and he shall keep for the information of the Inspector a record of the nature and results of these examinations. (li.) These records, as well as the class registers and the copies of the Inspectors' reports and classlists, shall be kept in the school for not less than ten years, and in the case of the closing of a school shall be delivered up to the Education Board to be kept for a similar period as the Board shall direct, (c.) The records, reports, and class-lists shall be open at any reasonable time, except tlie ordinary school hours, to the inspection of any member of the School Committee, (d.) The written questions used at the periodical examinations and the pupils' answers thereto shall be kepi in the school for reference for twelve mouths, or for such less period as the Inspector at one of his visits to the school during the period may direct. 6. Immediately after the annual examination the head teacher shall forward to the Inspector, in duplicate, a copy of the results of that examination : these results shall be set out in class-lists on the forms provided by the Department. The class in which a pupil has been placed for English during the preceding three months shall determine the list on which his name shall appear. The class-lists shall contain — (a) the names and ages of all the pupils on the school roll; (b) the number of half-days on which each pupil has attended the school since the beginning of the year; (c) the number of half-days each pupil has attended the class in which he is placed for English, where thai number is different from the number in (d) ; (d) the class in which each pupil has been placed for arithmetic during the preceding three months; (c) the number of half-days each pupil has attended such class, where that class is different from the class in which he is placed for English; (/) the number of marks (on a scale 0 to 10) gained by each pupil in (1) reading, (2) spelling and writing, (3) composition, (4) arithmetic, anil a note of any special excellence or special weakness shown by him in other subjects (the absence of a pupil shall be indicated by inserting " a " in the proper column for the marks gained by him) ; (g) the class in which it is proposed to place eacli pupil in consequence of the results of the annual examination, taken in conjunction with those of the other periodical examinations and with the general character of his work during the year; (h) a general estimate of the quality of the work done by the class in each of the other subjects; (i) a summary showing the number of pupils on the roll of each class, the number present at the time of the examination in English, and the average age of the pupils in each class. In regard to any periodical examination other than the annual examination, the record shall be held to lie sufficient if it contains the particulars referred to in (a) and in (/) above, and also, in lieu of (g), merely the changes from class to class made as a result of the examination to which it relates.
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7. The Inspector may return the class-lists of the annual examination to the head teacher, and require him to note in the column for remarks the reason for more or less rapid promotion in the ease of any pupil, or to give an explanation in the case of any pupil whose age is much above the average age of the pupils in that class for that school or that education district; and the Inspector may approve or not of the sufficiency of the reason or explanation given. If it appears to the Inspector that the class-lists of the annual examination are complete and duly in order, he shall sign one copy, and shall forward it to the head teacher together with any remarks lie may see fit to make thereon. The copy thus returned to the head teacher shall be the record of the annual examination, and shall be kept in the school in the manner prescribed in clause 5 hereof. 8. In order to satisfy himself of the general efficiency of the instruction given in the school, the Inspector shall at one or more of his visits devote a portion of his time to an investigation of the character of the teaching and of the degree to which the intelligence of the pupils has been developed, and to this end may examine a due proportion of the pupils in any of the classes P to S7 in such subjects as he shall choose. 9. With a view to ascertain the individual progress of the pupils, the Inspector, where he considers it desirable, may hold an oral or written examination of any class in the school on tile work done in the class since the commencement of the current year. Such examination, when held, will be arranged by the Inspector after consultation with the head teacher, or upon direction from the Board, and, in either case, after consideration of any examinations which have been held during the current year by the head teacher or Hie teacher of the class. As the result of such examination, the Inspector may, but only if the circumstances seem to call for such exceptional action, modify the classification of the head teacher by directing that any pupil or pupils shall be placed in any class or classes that he may name. Such modified classification shall thereupon for six months, or such shorter period as the Inspector may prescribe, be substituted for the classification of the head teacher. In such cases the effect of clauses 3 and 4 will be modified accordingly. 10. Every pupil examined in any subject by the Inspector shall be examined in the class in which he has been taught during the preceding three mouths ; but the Inspector or the teacher may exclude from the examination of a class any pupil who lias made less than half the possible number of half-day attendances at the school since the commencement of the current year. Certificates of Transfer. 11. When a child leaves one school for another the head teacher shall furnish him with a " certificate of transfer," showing (1) his name and date of birth as given in the school Register of Admission; (2) the class or classes in which he is placed for English and arithmetic; (3) the number of half-day attendances he has made since the beginning of the current year; (4) the number OI half-day attendances he has made since the date of his last promotion in English and arithmetic respectively; and (5) the other subjects (including military drill) in which he has been receiving instruction. In cases where a child previously attending a school presents himself for enrolment at another school, but is not provided with a certificate of transfer, the teacher of the latter school shall make application for such certificate to the teacher of the school previously attended. Inspection Report. 12. The inspection report shall relate to such topics as the following: I. List of classes and teachers, showing the number of pupils in each class, and the number present; 11. The Inspector's opinion of the degree of discretion displayed in the grouping of the classes, in the classification of the pupils, in the determining of the promotions from class to class, and the organization of the school in other respects — e.g., in regard to the average number of children present at any one time under the instruction of any teacher or pupil-teacher; 111. Marking and keeping of registers; IV. Regularity of attendance; V. Suitability of time-tables; VI. Suitability of schemes of work— method and quality of the instruction in general or in detail; VII. Order and discipline, and the tone of the school with respect to diligence, alacrity, obedience, and honour; VIII. Supervision in recess; IX. Manners and general behaviour of the pupils; X. State of buildings, ground, and fences; XI. Sufficiency of school-accommodation; XII. Cleanliness and tidiness of rooms and premises (including outside offices), condition and sufficiency of school material and apparatus, ventilatiou and warming; XIII. List of class-books used in the school; XIV. Special circumstances affecting the work of the school; XV. Instruction given to pupil-teachers; XVI. Other topics. 13. The report shall be divided into sections, and the section relating to any topic in the foregoing list shall bear the number assigned to that topic in the list. Section I shall show what classes within the meaning of clause 2 of these regulations there are in the school, whether the classes are grouped for instruction, and, if so, how they are grouped, and by what teacher each class is taught, describing each teacher by the position held in the school as "sole teacher," "head teacher," ''mistress," "first assistant," "third-year pupil-teacher," or as the case may be. Any section except Sections I and XIII may, if the Inspector so choose, be omitted or consist of the appropriate number and of a single word, such as " Satisfactory." 14. In expressing his opinion of the value of the work done in any subject, the Inspector shall consider whether the subject is taken by all the pupils in all the classes for which it is prescribed, and also whether it is efficiently treated. Standard of Exemption. 15. The "standard of exemption" under section 4 of "The School Attendance Act, 1901," shall be the Fifth (Sixth?) Standard, and the certificate referred to in subsection (c) of section 4 of the said Act shall be a certificate of competency in the work of Standard V (V 11) or a higher standard.
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Certificates of Competency. 16. (i.) A "certificate of competency" means a certificate that the holder has fulfilled the requirements of some standard of education, prescribed by these regulations and named on such certificate, in (1) reading, (2) writing and spelling, (3) composition, (4) arithmetic, and has satisfied the Inspector that he lias received sufficient instruction in the other subjects : Provided that the Inspector may accept work below the requirements of such standard in one, but not more than one, of the subjects (2) to (i). (ii.) A person may be a candidate for a certificate of competency on one of the following grounds : — (a.) That he is seeking employment in the public service or elsewhere; (b.) That he wishes to enter a secondary school: ('•.) That he is under fourteen years of age, and that his parent wishes to obtain for him a certificate of exemption as prescribed in section 142 of " The Education Act, 1904 " : (d.) That the parent of any child is not satisfied with the classification of such child in the school. [Note. —Under (b) and (c) lie must be a candidate for a certificate of competency in Standard V.] [( 1) Under (b) he must lie a candidate for a certificate of competency in Standard V, and under (c) he must be a candidate for a certificate of competency in Standard Vl.] 17. Immediately on the receipt of the notice of the Inspector's visit provided for in clause 1, the head teacher shall post for public information, in a conspicuous place on the school premises, a notice that such visit is about to be made, and shall call the attention of the children thereto. The parent of any child of school age, or on the roll of any school, who wishes such child to obtain a certificate of competency must give notice of his desire in writing to the head teacher at least three days before such visit; this notice must state on which of the grounds named in clause 16 the parent wishes such certificate to be granted. The head teacher shall, on the day of the visit above referred to, hand to the Inspector lists in duplicate of those on behalf of whom notice has been given to him of the desire to obtain certificates of competency. These lists shall be written on forms provided by the Department. 18. The Inspector shall, at or about the date of the visit of which notice is given as prescribed in clause 1, arrange for the examination of such children as are candidates for certificates of competency in whatever way he may deem fit, and may examine them at their own or any other school; provided that for such purpose no child shall be compelled to attend at any school (not being his own school) more than five miles from his place of residence. The Inspector may, if he see cause, refuse to examine for a certificate of competency any child on the roll of a public school who has not been instructed for at least six months in the work of the standard to which such certificate refers, or in the work of a higher standard; or any candidate who has failed to reach the required standard at an examination held by an Inspector during the previous three months; or any candidate in whose case he is not satisfied of the existence of one of the grounds named in clause 16 hereof. Nothing in this regulation shall prevent an Inspector from accepting at any time the results of a head teacher's examination or the records of a school as sufficient evidence that a child has reached a certain standard of education, and giving his certificate accordingly, whether such child be still on the school roll or not. Certificates of Proficiency. 19. The standard of attainment for a certificate of proficiency shall be the same in all schools. No one shall receive a certificate of proficiency unless he — (a.) Obtains at least 40 per cent, of the possible marks in English (including not less than 40 per cent, in each of the branches reading and composition), and at least 40 per cent, of the possible marks in arithmetic; (b.) Obtains at least 60 per cent, of the possible aggregate marks in the following subjects—viz., English, arithmetic, geography, and drawing; and (c.) Satisfies (lie Inspector that he has received sufficient instruction in the other subjects, as prescribed by these regulations. In the subjects named in (b) the possible marks shall be in the following proportions—viz., English, 400; arithmetic, 200; geography, 100; drawing, 100. 20. The parent of any candidate for a certificate of proficiency, or the candidate himself, must give notice in the manner prescribed in clause 17, and the other provisions of clauses 17 and 18 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply in the case of certificates of proficiency. 21. With regard to pupils and others who are candidates for certificates of proficiency, the Inspector may (a) examine such candidates at the time of the visit of which notice has been given in accordance with clause 1, or at the time of any other visit; or (b) arrange to hold a central examination for all such candidates from places within a convenient radius, due notice of such examination being given (this examination is not to be regarded as a special examination within the meaning of clauses 23 and 24); or (c) accept the result of the head teacher's examinations as sufficient evidence that a candidate has reached the required standard of attainments ; or (d) direct the candidate to sit for the special examination for certificates of proficiency held by the Education Department in the month of December in each year; and he shall give certificates of proficiency to all candidates that in his opinion qualify therefor in any one of the four ways alxive mentioned. Form of Certificates. 22. All certificates, whether of competency or of proficiency, shall be on forms issued by the Department, and shall lie signed by an Inspector of Schools, or by the Secretary of the Education Department or of an Education Board, in accordance with information furnished by an Inspector. In the case of pupils attending the normal school attached to a recognised Training College, such certificates may be signed by the Principal of the Training College.
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Special and Central Examinations. 23. The Inspector may also hold special examinations of candidates, whether of school age or not, for certificates of competency or for certificates of proficiency at any place and time that may seem fit to him, and may require candidates'for such special examinations to give fourteen days' notice of their intention to be examined. 24. By or on behalf of each candidate at such special examinations there shall be paid to the Inspector, or to the Secretary of the Education Board, if the Board shall so direct, the following fees, namely: If there be only one candidate, £1 ; if there be two candidates, 10s. for each candidate; if there be three candidates, (is. Bd. for each candidate; if there be four or more candidates, ."is. for each candidate. But no fee shall be payable in the case of any one examined at a school at the time of the Inspector's visit to such school. 25. The Inspectors of the several districts shall make an annual return, on a form furnished by the Department, showing with respect to eacli public school subject to their inspection the number of pupils in the several classes P to S7, and the numbers present at the time of the annual examination, as indicated in ilie class-lists submitted for their signature under the provisions of clause 6. The return shall also include for each school a statement of the average ages of the pupils in eacli of the classes at the time of such annual examination, and a summary of numbers and ages for the district as a whole The return shall lie accompanied by a report on the public schools of the district, dealing, for the schools generally, with such of the topics named in clause 12 ar it may seem expedient to include.
Sheet 2. (For the consideration of tin Conference of Inspectors of Schools, February, 1007.) REGULATIONS FOR INSPECTION AND EXAMINATION OF SCHOOLS UNDER " THE EDUCATION ACT, 1904." ROUGH DRAFT OF SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS (CLAUSES 'J(i ET SEQ.). Lower Division (P-S2). 26. The following shall be the subjects of instruction in all schools for Classes P, SI, and S2 : (1) English, (2) arithmetic, (3) drawing and handwork, (4) nature-study, (5) moral instruction, (6) singing, (7) physical instruction. Upper Division (S3-S6). 27. Subject to any optional limitations provided for in these regulations, the following shall be the subjects of instruction in all schools for Classes S3, S4, S5, and S6: (1) English, (2) arithmetic, (3) drawing and handwork, (4) nature-study and elementary science, (5) civics, history, descriptive and social geography, and morals, (6) singing, (7) physical instruction. Needlework must also be taken by all the girls in Classes S3 to S6 in every school where there is a female adult teacher, provided that girls who are attending a class in cookery, dressmaking, or laundry-work recognised under the regulations of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act need not take needlework while they are so attending. Class S7. 28. The following shall be the subjects of instruction in all schools for Class S7 : (1) English, (2) arithmetic, (3) civics, (4) physical instruction, (5) one of the subjects prescribed in clauses 23 (a) (1), 24, 25, 26, and 27 of the Regulations for Manual and Technical Instruction, together with one or more of the following: (6) drawing, (7) book-keeping and commercial correspondence, (8) elementary mathematics, (9) elementary mechanics, (10) geography, (11) history, (12) snorthand, (13) Latin, (14) French, (15) German: Provided that in schools situated more than five miles from any secondary school coining under seel ion 87 of the Act, or from any district high school, and in schools attached to training colleges, but in no other schools, (13) Latin, (14) French, and (15) German may be included in the list of subjects from which a selection may be made. 29. In places where there is a district high school or a secondary school coming under section 87 of the Act, and in places from which the pupils can travel daily to such a school, the work specified for Class S7 shall not i>e required. Syllabus. 30. The following is the syllabus of work in the several subjects for the various standards to be read in connection witli the more fully detailed instructions and suggestive notes included in clause et seq. Class P and SI. (1.) English: — (a). Reading: Reading from the blackboard and from books. (6.) Composition: Oral formation of simple sentences upon matter contained in the reading-lessons. Easy " observation talks " and " picture talks." Oral correction of errors in the ordinary speech of the children. Answering to be in complete sentences. (c) Writing: Transcription from script of letters and figures, of easy words, and (where possible) of very easy short sentences used in the reading-lessons and in the oral composition lessons.
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(d.) Spelling: Word-building. Transcription from the script of the words taught in the word-building lessons, and of other easy words commonly used by the children, occurring in the reading and composition lessons. (c.) Recitation of simple rhymes. (2.) Arithmetic: The numbers from 1 to 20 in Class P, and the numbers from 1 to 100 in Class SI, taught by concrete examples; grouping and composition of these numbers; application of the numbers to very easy examples, including in SI shillings and pence, yards, feet, and inches. (3.) Drawing and Handwork : Suitable occupations accompanied and supplemented by drawing on wall boards, slates, or paper (the drawing as far as possible to be from actual objects). In schools with more than one teacher the occupations must include a definite course of handwork, but girls of Class SI who take needlework will be held to satisfy this requirement. The drawing for the First Standard should include drawing, with and without ruler and set squares, of straight lines, angles, rectilinear figures, and actual objects; elementar}- geometrical notions; very simple practical exercises, involving careful setting out and measurement; very elementary decorative arrangements and memory drawing (see clause ). (4.) Nature-study: In schools with more than one teacher, the scheme of work in this division must include a definite set of lessons in nature-study, in smaller schools the "observation talks " may suffice for this requirement. (5.) Moral Instruction : The requirements under this head will be held to be satisfied if suitable stories and fables are treated as the matter of conversation in the English lessons. (6.) Singing: Easy songs in correct time and tune, and at proper pitch. (7.) Physical Instruction : Suitable exercises. St, (1.) English: — (a.) Reading: Two books containing more difficult matter than is required for Standard I, but still well within the comprehension of ordinary school-children of the age of nine. (Itor one of the reading-books a suitable edition of a School Journal approved by the Minister of Education may be substituted.) (b.) Composition : Oral composition as for Standard I, but in general somewhat more advanced in character. Written composition of simple sentences upon subjects dealt with in oral composition. Use of the full stop and note of interrogation. (c.) Writing: Formation of the capital letters. Easy words at dictation. Transcription from print or from script. (d.) Spelling: W T ord-building continued. Spelling of other words in common use contained in one of the reading-books, (c.) Recitation: Not less than 120 lines of suitable standard poetry to be committed to memory in the course of the year and intelligently rendered. (2.) Arithmetic: The numbers up to 1,000 treated as before. The four simple rules, multipliers and divisors being confined to the numbers 1 to 12 and 20; also very easy money sums (excluding farthings), multipliers and divisors not to exceed 12 ; and sums of money in the questions and answers not to exceed £20. (37) Drawing and Handwork: As for SI, but in general somewhat more advanced in character. In schools with more than one teacher, the occupations must include a definite course of handwork, but girls of class S2 who take needlework will be held to satisfy this requirement. In addition to the practice specified for SI the drawing of this standard is to include simple curves and very simple combinations of curves and straight lines (sec clause ). (4.) Nature-study: Treated in the same way as in SI ; but in S2 this work should include elementary geographical notions from actual observation, and the drawing of simple plans of the class-room or school, and of the playground (see clause ). y r 'l „. ' lAs for SI, but somewhat more advanced in large schools where n\ Pi IT •+ r" I Classes SI and S2 are taught separately. S3. (1.) English: — (a.) Reading: Two books, suited to the comprehension of average children of nine or ten years of age; to be read fluently and intelligently, with knowledge of the meaning of the words and with due regard to the distinction of paragraphs as well as of sentences. (For one of the reading-books a suitable edition of a School Journal, approved by the Minister of Education, may be substituted.) (b.) Composition: Oral and written composition suited to this stage; the pupils should be able to tell orally a very simple story and to write several consecutive sentences on subjects that have been dealt with in oral composition exercises, using easy connectives. Analysis into subject and predicate of very eas}' simple sentences containing direct statements; synthesis of sentences to correspond, supplying subjects where predicates are given, or vice versa, and so forming complete sentences. The joining-together .of simple sentences to form easy compound or complex sentences by the use of easy connectives. (The terms "simple sentence," "compound sentence," " complex sentence " need not lie known.) (>.) Writing: Continued instruction in the formation of letters and junctions, and of figures. Transcription of easy prose or poetry, including the use of the full stop, the comma, the notes of interrogation and exclamation, and the use of inverted commas. (d.) Spelling: Word-building continued. Spelling of all common words contained in one of the reading-lxioks ; dictation of easy sentences. Common homonyms, as their, there ; air, e'er, ere, heir ; to, too, &c.
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(c.) Recitation: Not less than 150 lines of suitable standard poetry to be committed to memory and intelligently rendered. (2.) Arithmetic: The general analysis of numbers up to 1,000,000; notation and numeration of these numbers. The simple rules and their application to easy concrete examples of a familiar and practical character : the relative values of the mile, chain, yard, foot, and inch; of hours and minutes; of the day, week, and year; and of the ton, hundredweight, pound, and ounce; to be known and applied to easy exercises, but no sum requiring a knowledge of measures of length, time, or weight to involve the use of more than two denominations. The compound rules as applied to money sums; multipliers and divisors in money sums not to exceed 99; multipliers, if over 12, to be reducible to factors not over 12; sums of money in the questions and answers not to exceed £1,000. (3.) Drawing and Handwork: — (a.) Drawing: As for Standard 11, but more advanced. The instruction in free drawing is to include simple curvilinear forms. Elementary exercises in drawing to scale. (See clause .) (b.) Handwork: One or more of the following branches —Bricklaying; designing with coloured papers; modelling in clay or plasticine; cardboard-work. Note. —(i.) In schools with more than one teacher the handwork must include a definite course of a character to satisfy the requirements of the Manual and Technical Regulations, (ii.) In the case of girls, needlework shall be held to satisfy the requirements in handwork. (4.) Nature-study and Elementary Science: — (a.) (See clause et seq.) (b.) Geography, Course A. (See clause .) (c.) Health. (See clause .) (i.) In schools under a sole teacher the "observation talks," with such work as is indicated in (b) above, may suffice for the requirements of this section, (ii.) In schools of grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 there shall be either a course of elementary handwork or a definite course of nature-study or elementary science. In schools above grade 10 both must be taken, (iii.) At this stage lessons on the structure of the body and on health may be given. (5.) (a.) Civics and History. (See clause .) '(b.) Descriptive and Social Geography, Geography Course B. (See clause .) (c.) Moral Instruction : Suitable lessons taken in connection with the lessons in English, in civics, and in health. in'l „\ Ugl - ng ,'T +■ \ Exercises suited to this stage. (7.) Pln-sical Instruction : ) Si. (1.) English: — (a.) Reading: At least two books suited to children of 10 or 11 years of age, treated as indicated for Standard 111. (For one of the books may be substituted a suitable edition of a School Journal approved by the Minister of Education.) (b.) Composition: Oral description in consecutive sentences of simple objects or phenomena, or of simple incidents, or of pictures, or the oral reproduction of easy stories and fables. Written composition to correspond. Letter-writing. Analysis, synthesis, and variation of the form of very easy sentences. The recognition of nouns, pronouns, verbs, and of adjectives, adverbs, and equivalent phrases by their functions in easy sentences. Distinction between singular and plural, between past and present, present and future, taught by examples and by the variation of simple sentences. Correction of common errors of the spoken and the written language corresponding to this stage. (c.) Writing : Transcription of prose or of the poetry learnt for recitation, with due regard to paragraphs or to the lines and stanzas of the poetry, and to all punctuation marks. Copying simple invoices relating to ordinary retail trades. (d.) Spelling: Word-building continued; other words from one of the reading-books. Dictation suited to this stage. (c.) Recitation : Not less than 150 lines of poetry as before, but suited to this stage. (2.) Arithmetic: Long multiplication of money; reduction of money and of the weights and measures named below ; simple practice, and the making-out of easy bills of accounts and receipts such as occur in ordinary retail transactions. Tables of money, avoirdupois weight, long measure (excluding poles or perches), square measure (excluding square poles or perches and roods), capacity (pint, quart, gallon, peck, bushel, quarter), time, angular measure. Mensuration—to find the area of a square and of a rectangle with given sides, expressed in one denomination only (as in inches, feet, or yards, but not in feet and inches, &c.) The meaning of proper fractions, with denominator not greater than 20, to be known, and applied to concrete examples in a simple manner. Mental arithmetic and problems adapted to this stage of progress. (3.) Drawing and Handwork: — (a.) Drawing: Free drawing in advance of that for Standard 111. Elementary geometrical operations, construction of rectilinear figures and of circles»and parts of circles of given'radii; drawing to scale; simple practical exercises involving careful setting out and measurement. Decorative arrangements; memory drawing. (See clause .) (6.) Handwork: One or more of the following branches-—Bricklaying;-designing with coloured paper; modelling with clay or plasticine; cardboard-work. Note. —(i.) In schools with more than one teacher the handwork must include a definite course of a character to satisfy the requirements of the Manual and Technical Regulations, (ii.) In the case of girls, needlework shall be held to satisfy the requirements in handwork.
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(i.) Nature-study and Elementary Science: — (a.) (See clause et seq.) (b.) Geography, Course A. (See clause .) (c.) Health. (See clause .) (L) In schools in charge of a sole teacher such work as is indicated under (b) above, together with a short course of easy lessons on the structure of the body and on health, may suffice for the requirements of this section, (ii.) in schools of grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 there shall be either a course of elementary handwork or a definite course of nature-study or elementary science. In schools above grade 10 both must be taken. (5.) (a.) Civics and History. (See clause .) (b.) Descriptive and Social Geography, Geography Course B. (See clause .) (c.) Moral Instruction :As before. (See clause .) (6.) Singing: As before. (7.) Physical Instruction: As before. S5. (1.) English: — (a.) Reading: At least two books suited to this stage, treated as before. (For one of the books may be substituted a suitable edition of a School Journal approved by the Minister of Education.) (b.) Composition : Oral and written composition on suitable topics; the reproduction by pupils in their own words of the substance of a story contained in a ballad or other simple poem; letter-writing. Analysis of a general character, synthesis, and variation in the form of easy sentences; the recognition of the parts of speech and of equivalent phrases and clauses by their functions in easy sentences. The distinction between the various tenses of the indicative, including the perfect forms, to be taught by their use in sentences. Punctuation. Correction of common errors in spoken and written language. (c.) Spelling: Word-building continued, and the spelling of other words from one of the reading-books. Dictation. (d.) Writing: The writing should include the transcription of more difficult prose and poetry than before, and of invoices and other commercial forms in common use. (c.) Recitation : Not less than 200 lines of suitable standard poetry or prose. (2.) Arithmetic: Simple proportion; practice and harder bills of accounts; the easier cases of vulgar fractions (excluding complex fractions); shorter methods in working sums required in earlier standards. The meaning of od, 0% &c, to be known as one-tenth, two-tenths, &c.; that of o'ol, 0"02, (fee, as one-hundredth, two-hundredths, &o. ; that of 011, od2, 0"49, 095, 099 to be known as onetenth and one-hundredth, or eleven-hundredths, &c. ; that of 0001, o'oo2, &c, as one-thousandth, two-thousandths, &c, and applied to concrete examples in a simple manner. Easy sums involving the expression of money and common weights and measures in decimal forms and the converse; multipliers and divisors in all cases to be integers. Mensuration of walls and floors, and other simple rectangular areas, as far as possible from actual measurements. The relative values of the cubic foot and cubic inch and of the cubic yard and cubic foot —to be demonstrated by models. Relative values of the kilometer, meter, decimeter, centimeter, and approximate equivalents in yards and inches. Relative value of kilogram and gram, and approximate equivalents in pounds and grains respectively. (3.) Drawing and Handwork: — (a.) Drawing: Free drawing in advance of that for Standard IV. Geometrical operations; plans and elevations of certain geometrical solids and of objects based thereon; practical exercises; decorative arrangements; memory drawing. (See clause .) (b.) Handwork: One of the following—W r oodwork, work in iron, school gardening, dairy-work, cooking and practical domestic economy (girls). Note.— (i.) In schools where provision for one of the subjects of handwork specified is not found practicable, a suitable extension of the handwork subjects prescribed for Standards 111 and IV may be made, in association with a further development of drawing, (ii.) Any of the above subjects may be taken by S4 pupils as their handwork subject in schools where classes including such pupils would be recognised by the Manual and Technical Regulations, (iii.) In the case of girls, needlework shall be held to satisfy the requirements of handwork. (4.) Nature-study and Elementary Science: — (a.) (See clause et seq.) (b.) Geography, Course A. (See clause .) (c.) Health. (See clause .) (i.) In schools in. charge of a sole teacher such work as is indicated under (b) above, together with a short course of easy lessons on the structure of the body and on health, may suffice for the requirements of this section, (ii.) In schools of grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 there shall be either a course of elementary handwork or a definite course of nature-study or elementary science. In schools above grade 10 both must be taken. (5.) (a.) Civics and History. (See clause .) (b.) Descriptive and Social Geography, Geography Course B. (See clause .) (c.) Moral Instruction :As before. (See clause .) (6.) Singing: As before. (7.) Physical Instruction: As before.
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se. (1.) English: — (a.) Reading: At least two books suited to this stage, or their equivalent, treated as in S5. The pupils of this class may be exjsected to read fluently and intelligently any ordinary passage from a newspaper previously unseen, or other literary matter taken as a test from the works of a popular author. (b.) Composition: Oral and written compositions of a character requiring further mental development, including in both forms the reproduction of the poetry or prose learnt for recitation and of other easy literary pieces; simple business letters. Revision of the subsidiary practice of the earlier standards; further exercises in general analysis and in synthesis, in the conversion of words, phrases, and clauses into equivalent expressions, and in the blending of clauses and sentences, with special regard throughout to the practical aim of securing qualities of good arrangement, and of brevity, clearness, and force in composition. Further practice in the correction of common errors of spoken and written language. (c.) Writing : The copying from print or from fairly legible manuscript of business letters or forms, or of tabulated matter, showing bold head-lines and marking distinctions such as in letter-press require varieties of type. (d.) Spelling: W T ord-building, including the formation of somewhat harder words of English, French, and Latin origin, also of words containing common Greek prefixes and affixes and of scientific and technical words in every-day use. Dictation in correspontlence with the requirements in reading. (c.) Recitation : Not less than 250 lines of suitable standard poetry or prose. (2.) Arithmetic: Vulgar and decimal fractions (excluding sums in recurring decimals); percentages applied to simple examples, including easy direct cases of interest (simple and compound), profit and loss, commission and commercial discount ; compound proportion; easy partnerships. Troy weight : The following terms of the metric weights and measures, concretely illustrated and applied to very simple examples— (a) Kilometer, meter, decimeter, centimeter, millimeter; (b) kilogram, gram; (c) liter (cubic decimeter). Square root; easy mensuration of plane surfaces and of solids bounded by planes. Suitable mental arithmetic; shorter methods of working sums in lower classes generally. (3.) Drawing and Handwork: — (a.) Drawing: Free drawing in advance of that for Standard V. The instruction must include either free drawing from simple models or the drawing of plans and elevations of the geometrical solids prescribed. Practical exercises, decorative arrangements, memory drawing. (See clause .) (b.) Handwork: As prescribed for the Fifth Standard, with similar limitations. (1.) Nature-study and Elementary Science: — (a.) (See clause et seq.) (b.) Geography, Clause A. (See clause .) (c.) Health. (See clause .) (i.) In schools in charge of a sole teacher such work as is indicated under (b) above, together with a short course of easy lessons on the structure of the body and on health, may suffice for the requirements of this section. (ii.) In schools of grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 there shall be either a course of elementary handwork or a definite course of nature-study or elementary science. In schools above grade 10 both must be taken. (5.) (a.) Civics and History. (See clause .) (b.) Descriptive and Social Geography, Geography Course B. (See clause .) (c.) Moral Instruction :As before. (See clause .) (6.) Singing: As before. S7. (1.) English: More advanced work than in S6, including the study of one or more of the works of some standard author or authors —not less than eight hundred lines of poetry or two hundred pages of prose in the year, or an equivalent in poetry and prose. Essays and other composition exercises, including the reproduction, in precis form, of literary and other matter; very elementary commercial correspondence. Further exercises in the principles of composition, including the analysis and synthesis of sentences. (2.) Arithmetic: — (a.) Other (indirect) cases of interest and profit and loss, and generally harder cases of sums required in Standards V and VI. Simple direct cases of stocks ; exchanges : cube root of numbers reducible to prime factors not greater than 11 ; easy oases of present worth; practice in shorter methods generally. Mensuration of the prism, the cylinder, sphere, pyramid, cone; simple eases to be demonstrated experimentally, and, as far as possible, by the pupils individually. (b.) Making out a simple balance-sheet, an easy cash account, a statement of receipts and expenditure, and a personal account, as in retail trade. The meaning of a simple balance-sheet and of ordinary commercial terms, such as "assets," "liabilities," "solvent," "insolvent," "creditor," "debtor," "profit" and " loss," " debit "or " credit " balance. Working of sums arising therefrom. (3.) Civics. (4.) Physical Instruction (military drill). (5.) (See clauses 23 to 27 of the Regulations for Manual and Technical Instruction.) (6) et seq. On the lines of the courses prescribed in the Regulations for the Civil Service Junior Examination. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,800 copies), £10 Be.
By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o7 Price 9d.]
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Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1907-I.2.3.2.6
Bibliographic details
EDUCATION: CONFERENCE OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS OF TRAINING COLLEGES., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1907 Session I, E-01e
Word Count
21,954EDUCATION: CONFERENCE OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS OF TRAINING COLLEGES. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1907 Session I, E-01e
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