54

E.—l

REPORTS OF EDUCATION BOARDS FOR YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1887.

[Note. —Minute details relating tc school districts are in some oases omitted. Tables are not all reprinted, the substance o£ mostjjof them being embodied in the tables in or attached to the report of the Minister.]

AUCKLAND. Auckland, March, 1888. In conformity to section 102 of "The Education Act, 1877," the Board has the honour to present the following report of its proceedings during the year 1887. Board. —There has been no change in the constitution of the Board during the past year. The members are—Messrs. James William Carr, James MeCosh Clark, Theophilus Cooper, David Goldie, M.H.E., James Marshall Lennox, William Pollock Moat, M.H.E., Eichard Udy, John Henry "Upton, and Samuel Luke (Chairman). Mr. Clark now retires from the Board, of which he has been a member for the past nine years, including three years of office as Chairman. Forty-seven meetings of the Board were held during the year, with an average attendance of seven members. A committee of the whole Board met once a week for the transaction of routine business, and for the consideration of matters specially referred to it. Public Schools. —There were 249 schools in operation during the year. At the end of the year the number was 246, of which fifty were half-time schools. The number of school districts was 201. New schools were opened at Albert Street (Auckland), Point Chevalier, Karaka, Whangarata, Opua, Euapekapeka, Waharoa (Matamata), Omahu (half-time with Hikutaia), and Whananaki; and the school at Tokatoka, closed in December, 1886, was reopened. The following schools were closed during the year : ITuia (aided), Kaiawai (Miranda), and Katikati No. 4 (aided). Since December, 1887, the schools at Mangapiko, Manukau Heads, and Papakura Valley No. 2 have been closed. There is still a large proportion of small and " non-paying" schools. In December there were no fewer than 109 schools with an average attendance under twenty-five, and there were sixty-four other schools whose attendance ranged from twenty-five to fifty. The disproportionate cost of maintaining these small schools is referred to in another part of this report. Their number seems likely to increase rather than to decrease. Each week brings an application from the residents of some remote village or homestead settlement for the means of educating their children. The half-time system is adopted wherever practicable, and arrangements are made with the teachers to devote three days a week to each half-time school. Teachees. —The number of teachers increased from 648 to 688, classified as follows :— Male. Female. Total. In charge of schools ... ... 181 ... 42 ... 223 Assistants ... ... ... 32 ... 146 ... 178 Pupil-teachers ... ... ... 28 ... 194 ... 222 Sewing teachers ... ... ... 0 ... 60 ... 60 Visiting teachers ... ... ... 5 ... 0 ... 5 Total at 31st December, 1887 .. 246 ... 442 ... 688 Of the head teachers, 157 were certificated, 32 were classified or licensed, and 34 were uncertificated. Of the assistants, 125 were certificated, 20 were classified or licensed, and 33 were uncertificated. This last number includes several probationers, or teachers in course of training. These probationers are generally attached to some town school, in order to acquire such a knowledge of the system as will fit them for appointment to country schools when vacancies occur. The number of uncertificated teachers is being gradually reduced, and their employment in schools for which a certificated teacher can be obtained is now limited to one or two cases. There are, however, several small schools which none but an uncertificated teacher would be willing to accept, and for these the Board can only make the best provision possible under the circumstances. All uncertificated teachers are required to attend the annual examination, unless specially exempted by the Board. Pupil-teachbbs.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held in June, and resulted as follows :—■

Grade. Ixami: ied. Passei FaiL id. first-year pupil-teachers* lecond-year pupil-teachers Mrd-year pupil-teachers (optional) Jandidates for employment M. 11 3 P. 50 53 1 86 Total. 61 56 1 108 M. 10 2 F. 27 31 1 46 Total. 37 33 1 60 M. 1 1 F. 23 22 Total. 24 23 ii 14 *8 40 48 Totals 36 190 226 26 105 131 10 85 96 * These numbers include onl' those em" ilo■ed irior to JaJ iuar 1887.