E.—l

78

18th, and 19th December. As usual, a considerable number of first-class pupil-teachers entered for the matriculation examination of the Now Zealand University. This examination, occurring at the same time with the Board's, and a number of first-class pupil-teachers having entered for it, to induce them to take up the work of matriculation instead of that prescribed for their class by its own regulations, the Board decided " that first-class pupil-teachers be allowed to take the matriculation examination of the New Zealand University in place of the examination prescribed by the Board's regulations, and that such pupil-teachers shall be held to have satisfied the requirements of the Board if they pass the matriculation examination, or obtain at the examination a sufficient number of marks to satisfy the Board's Inspectors that they have attained the proficiency required by the Board's regulations." The following table shows the number that was presented, the number that passed, and the number that failed in each class : — ' Presented. Passed. Failed. First class... ... ... ... 18 ... 14 ... 4 Second class ... ... ... 32 ..'.• 31 ... 1 Third class ... ... ... 50 ... 38 ... 12 Fourth class ... ... ... 35 ... 25 ... 10 In accordance with Regulation IX. three pupil-teachers were removed on account of twice failing to pass the examination for promotion to a higher class. The supply of female candidates for the office of pupil-teacher is considerably in excess of the number required, while there is still great difficulty in getting suitable boys to enter the service. School-buildings.—The sum expended on school-buildings was £12,105 4s. 7d. During the year the Board gave much consideration to the important subject of school-ventilation, and its allied subject of school-heating, and early in the year appointed a committee to make inquiries and report on this matter. The committee held several meetings, called for a number of returns, visited several schools, and finally brought up a report, which was adopted by the Board. The following are the recommendations: (1.) That no school in Dunedin be built in future to receive more than 750 scholars ; that no school outside Dunodin be built for more than 500 pupils. (2.) That in future the aim of the Board shall be to allow for each child in average attendance the minimum allowance of superficial space of 12 square feet, and of cubic space 200 cubic feet; that the number of children allowed on this scale be painted in a conspicuous place in every school- and class-room. (3.) That in this climate open fireplaces are most suitable for warming and ventilation. (4.) That, while retaining the method at present in use of windows opening inwards at the top, the lower part of every window should be constructed as a sash. (5.) That for the admission of air Tobin's tubes are to be recommended, and where there are sash-windows, the insertion of a three- or four-inch board under the lower sash. (6.) That as outlets for foul air the archimedean cowls at present in use are suitable, especially if care is taken that they act in calm weather. Fireplaces can be utilised in summer by burning a lamp or gas-jet in the grate. (7.) That in suitable weather school- and classrooms should be emptied every hour for five minutes, doors and windows being meanwhile thrown open to flush the rooms with fresh air. Inspection.—The reports of Messrs. Petrie, Taylor, and Goyen, the Board's Inspectors of Schools, are given in Appendix G. With the exception of three new schools open towards the end of the year, all the schools in the district were examined, and all but one visited for inspection, though in the latter connection several were found on the Inspector's arrival to be closed, thus necessitating his return to the same locality. To prevent a recurrence of this the Board passed a resolution making it obligatory upon head teachers to intimate to the Secretary the dates of the holidays observed in their respective schools. Of the 172 schools examined twelve gained a gross percentage of 90 to 98.; seventy-three, a percentage of 80 to 90; fifty-four, a percentage of 70 to 80; twenty-five, a percentage of 60 to 70; seven, a percentage of 50 to 60; one, a percentage below 50. It appears from this statement that in point of quality of instruction four-fifths of the schools range fromTEair to excellent, and the rest from inferior to fair. In the former category are included all the larger schools, so that the proportion of children receiving an elementary education varying from fair to excellent is greater than that indicated by a comparison of well- with poorlytaught schools. Whilst there is obviously large room for improvement in the teaching and management of a considerable number of schools, it is evident from the tables given in the report, as well as from the general reports of the Inspectors, that the majority of teachers are, upon the whole, slowly improving the condition of their schools. In all 12,161 pupils were entered in the schedules for examination : of these, 11,724 were present, and 9,006 passed the standard for which they were entered. The number of absentees was 437, or 3"6 per cent, of those presented. The percentage of passes in standards is the same as last year's—namely, 77. The following tables, which contain in all the summaries of the examination results for the year, do not require any special comment. Table I. shows the number of pupils presented for examination, the number passed, the number absent from examination, the percentage of passes gained in each standard, and the number of schools in which each standard was represented :—

Table I.

Standards. Presented. Passed. Absent. Percentage of Passes. Number of Schools. Average Age. itandard I. itandard II. itandard III. itandard IV. itandard V. Standard VI. 2,645 2,636 2,637 2,069 1,065 672 2,401 2,128 1,804 1,387 728 557 86 91 123 84 40 13 9] 80 68 67 (58 83 168 170 167 162 135 106 Ycai's. Months. 8 11 10 3 11 5 12 3 13 1 13 11 Totals ... 11,724 9,005 437 77