E.—lb

18

Peepabatoby Classes.—The 1,675 children too backward or too young for presentation in standards were examined by me either individually or collectively, as circumstances required. I am inclined to look upon the preparatory classes in the schools somewhat jealously, because the more I see of the different influences operating to make a successful school, the stronger grows the conviction that the preparatory or initiatory classes constitute one of the most important factors in them. In this district no infants' department is, or has been for years past, so ably taught and disciplined as the Gisborne Infants', and there is no school in my district where the standard work is so thorough as that done by the Gisborne children. The one is the outcome of the other. There are other teaching staffs in the district equally as good, equally as efficient as there is at Gisborne, but hitherto they have had no infants' department of any marked efficiency to help them in laying a solid foundation on wdiich the standard work could be effectively built. Hence lam pleased to recognise the good work that has been done during the year in the infants' departments at Waipawa, Hastings, Waipukurau, Napier, Olive, Makatoku, Hampden, Danevirke, Wairoa, Norsewood, and in a lesser degree at Kaikora, Port Ahuriri, Taradale, Matawhero, Meanee, and Makaretu. In each of these schools earnest lady teachers are at work, and I am convinced that nothing will be wanting on their part to make their several departments as efficient as the one I have ventured to refer to as an example. In schools where the attendance does not admit of the appointment of a suitable teacher for the preparatory classes, the teaching of the little ones is carried on under specially difficult conditions, and the progress, as might be expected, is not good. Still, Ido not see how matters can be much improved as things are at present. The standard children in such schools demand the first consideration of the teachers, and certainly much greater progress would be made by them in the standard work if the young children were not permitted to attend school at all; but were such a course adopted a greater difficulty would arise, for the withdrawal of the junior class in many of the country schools would result in the schools being closed altogether. Effect of New Standaeds.—As already pointed out, the effect of the new standards has been to lower the percentage of passes for the year. But I do not think there is anything to regret in this. It is general efficiency rather than percentages by which the progress of education should be estimated. If the standard work has been as well done as in previous years, when fewer subjects had to'be taken, it shows that either the teachers have worked harder than formerly, or that the tendency of the new regulations is to improve the character of the work required for a pass by insisting on greater thoroughness; but of the alternative I am doubtful. One thing I specially welcome in the standards is the regulation which insists upon "intelligent reading," and which makes a failure in the subject to count as a failure for the standard. If children can be got to read intelligently, the apt teacher will not find it a difficult matter to make them think; but it is the absence of the " reading with intelligence " where much of the weakness of the school work has its origin. The operation of the new rule has caused the failure of many children who were otherwise fairly prepared, but I am satisfied that the rule is a good one, and that it will tend to improve the general character of the work as the children pass into the higher standards. In my last report I drew special attention to the great importance which ought to be attached to reading in the schools, and if the operation of the regulation only causes more time and attention to be given to the subject a great advance will have been made in the work of education. Already an improvement has taken place in the quality of the reading throughout the schools, and, as teachers come to find that the term "intelligent reading" has a meaning in the standard examination, we may expect to find that still greater progress will be made in this, the most important of all school subjects. Deawing.—The introduction of drawing is also a feature in the school course which I am inclined to think will do much good if properly carried out. But care and discrimination are needed, for I find its introduction into the school work to be often surrounded with many and grave difficulties. The requirements at present are beyond too many of the teachers, and the progress of the children in such cases is necessarily slow. Still, I might say that, on the whole, a fair beginning has been made. In schools wdiere the teachers know little or nothing about drawing, my aim during the year has been to show them how the subject may be taught by them with fair success. Nor have my suggestions and teaching been in vain. Drawing has always been a compulsory subject in the pupil-teachers' syllabus of instruction, and its instruction as a standard subject has produced little inconvenience in the larger schools, where it has often been taken as an additional subject under the old regulations. The admirable rule which the Board has adopted of paying the railway fares of pupil-teachers outside Napier to enable them to attend the Saturday classes for drawing and singing which have been established is one I should like to see extended so as to include assistant and even principal teachers who hold no certificates of competency for teaching subjects like drawing and singing. Exceptionally capable teachers are now available both in Napier and Gisborne for the carrying on of such classes, and the expenditure of a comparatively small sum of money would be amply repaid by the improved character of the standard work in this direction. In all the schools, I have examined the drawing books done by each pupil, in the same way as I usually do with the copy books and exercise books. In the First Standard, where drawing is a pass subject, I have tested the children's knowledge of perpendicular, oblique, and horizontal lines by asking a pupil here and there in the standard to draw these lines at my dictation upon their slates or the blackboard. Although the result in some schools has not always been satisfactory, so long as a start has been made I have failed no standard, pupils for weakness in the subject, but intimation has been given that the full demands of the syllabus will be required another year. Otheb Standabd Subjects.—l have little to complain of as to the way in which the other pass subjects of the syllabus, including writing, spelling, dictation, grammar, and geography, have been prepared. I fear, however, that the pass and class subjects form somewhat too wide a compulsory syllabus for the pupils in the smaller country school. Ido not wish it to be understood that the work for each standard is beyond the capacities of Ordinary children, but lam convinced that many of those who are now passing through the schools would be able to look b.ack upon their