E.—l

82

In the following five schools the percentage of failures was above 50 :— o•. i Percentage of Number Gono° ' Failures. presented. TuapekaFlat ... ... ... 56 ... 30 pupils. Whare Flat ... ... ... 56 ... 21 „ Kyeburn (Lower) ... ... ... 57 ... 24 „ TuapekaWest ... ... ... 61 ... 39 „ Coal Creek ... ... ... 80 ... 32 „ Class Subjects.—ln class subjects the average percentage was 58. 27 schools had a percentage ranging from ... ... ... 70 to 83 58 „ „ ... ~ ... 60 to 69 62 „ „ „ ... ... ... 50 to 59 36 „ „ „ ... ... ... 8 to 49 The following are the seven schools that gained the highest percentage in class subjects : Kuri Bush, 83 per cent.; Tarras, 78 per cent. ; Kakanui, 77 per cent.; Lawrence District High, 76 per cent. ; Goodwood, 75 per cent. ; Roxburgh, 75 per cent.; Te Houka, 75 per cent. The lowest percentages were gained in the following: Kyeburn, 8 per cent.; Eweburn, 13 per cent.; Whare Flat, 32 per cent.; Seacliff, 33 per cent.; Highcliff, 36 per cent.; Strath-Taieri, 37 per cent. ; Broad Bay, 38 per cent.; Kyeburn Diggings, 39 per cent. Additional Subjects.—ln additional marks the average was 63 out of an attainable maximum of 120. 35 schools gained marks ranging from ... ... ... 80 to 97 40 „ „ „ ... ... ... 70 to 79 39 „ „ ... ... ... 60 to 69 69 „ „ „ ... ... ... 28 to 59 . The following are the nine schools in which the additional marks are highest: Albany Street, 97; Anderson's Bay, 93 ; Blue Spur, 91; Tapanui, 91; Lawrence D. H., 88; Lovell's Flat, 88; George Street, 87; Goodwood, 87; Stirling, 87. The additional marks were lowest at the following: Eweburn, 23 ; Tahora, 23 ; Kyeburn, 27 ; Kyeburn Diggings, 28; Whare Flat, 32 ; Adams Flat, 33; Saddle Hill, 34 ; Circle Hill, 35; St. Bathan's, 35. Training College.—The report of the Eector of the Training College is appended. The students in training continue to visit the associated schools for practice in teaching; and, though the Eector does not express any opinion as to the working of this arrangement, the Board has reason to believe that it has been attended by considerable success. Towards the end of the year Mr. Earl, the master of the Model School, was promoted to a higher appointment, and the Board, in anticipation of the discontinuance of the vote for training colleges, decided to abolish the Model School for the present. At the same time the Board cannot doubt that the utility and completeness of the technical training given to teachers at the College are seriously marred by this unavoidable change. The attendance of students during the year was— Males. Females. Total. First-year students ... ... ... 8 ... 26 ... 34 Second-year „ ... ... ... 15 ... 39 ... 54 Third-year „ ... ... ... 3 ... 0 ... 3 Fourth-year „ ... ... 2 ... 0 ... 2 Total... ... ... 28 ... 65 ... 93 The following is a return of the number of students who entered or left during the year, and of their present employment: — Students in 1887— M. F. Total. Left during 1887— M. P. Total. Remaining from 1886 ... 20 39 59 Teaching in public schools 9 18 27 Admitted in 1887 ... 8 26 34 Awaiting appointment ... 0 1 1 Left during 1887 ... 12 19 31 On leave, at University ... 3 0 3 On the books, Dec, 1887 ... 16 46 62 The total cost of the College for the year was: Salaries, £1,195; allowances to students, £1,212 Bs. lid. : total, £2,407 Bs. lid. About 250 students trained in the College since its establishment are employed at the present time as teachers in the public schools of the colony, many of them outside the Education District of Otago. Pupil-teachees.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held on the 19th December and following days. As usual, a considerable number of the first-class pupil-teachers took the matriculation examination of the New Zealand University in addition to the examination prescribed by the Board's regulations. The Board is pleased to find that all of these passed the matriculation examination, and they regard the fact as valuable independent evidence of the sound education which the pupil-teachers as a body are receiving. Fewer of the pupil-teachers failed to pass the annual examination this year than on any previous occasion. This seems due to the fact that the pupil-teachers who have recently entered the service were very much further advanced in scholarship than those who were appointed some years ago. Many of the recent applicants for appointments have passed the matriculation examination of the New Zealand University, and, other things being equal, preference is given by the Board to such candidates.