E.—lb

8

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

WANGANUI. Sir, — Education Board Office, Wanganui, 21st February, 1888. I have the honour to submit my report for the year ended 31st December, 1887. Work op the Year.—The work of the year commenced with the usual heavy compilation of statistics, and with the writing of the annual report. As the number of schools in the district is increasing each year, the time at my disposal did not admit of my inspecting every school. I, however, managed to pay sixty-six inspection visits, principally during the autumn and winter months. This number would have been increased by eight had it not been for exceptionally severe weather on the days set apart for visiting certain schools. During the last week of June I examined thirty-eight pupil-teachers for promotion, and four candidates. Fourteen pupil-teachers presented themselves for the first class, or third year, examination, and thirteen passed; twelve for the second class, and eleven passed; and twelve for the third class, and six passed. That the work of the pupil-teachers is improving is shown by the fact that at the last teachers' examination in this district two out of the three teachers that obtained a full pass in E, and three out of the five teachers that obtained a partial pass, were pupil-teachers. At the same time with the pupilteachers I examined the candidates for the six scholarships offered by the Board. Only twentytwo pupils competed, fourteen boys and eight girls, and only eight of the Board's schools were represented, and two secondary schools. For the three senior scholarships there were twelve competitors, and two were won by Alfred Innes and Bertha Dixon, both of Hawera School,; but the remaining ten candidates failed to obtain the 65 per cent, of the possible marks required by the regulations. The three junior scholarships were won by John Mclntyre, Wanganui Boys'; Matthew McNicol, Warrengate ; and Mary McGovern, Manaia. The money still in hand after the apportionment of these scholarships allowed of the candidate next in merit, Arthur Ward, of Wanganui Boys', receiving a scholarship for one year. During the autumn and early winter months of the year, in addition to paying visits of inspection, I examined eighteen schools. And here I may say that, if more inspection visits and more examination visits alternated in this manner, my work would be lighter than it is at present. When the schools were few in number it was convenient that they should be examined quickly one after another ; but they have continued to increase year after year until now, from the beginning of August to Christmas, examination work is unceasing almost daily from early morning to midnight. But I do not see how to change this unless some schools are for once allowed only nine months from one examination to another, and such a course I should not like to recommend. From the first week of August to the 23rd December I examined fifty-seven schools, being engaged in actual examination on all days but four or five. In the case of every school but the Wanganui Boys' and the Wanganui Girls' I forwarded within a few days of each examination the schedules and my reports to the Board's office, and also duplicate copies thereof to the Committee interested. Also a monthly summary of results was posted in time for each meeting of the Board. I find that it takes about six months to examine all the schools in standards, and that over two months are occupied in preparing questions for standard, scholarship, and pupil-teachers' examinations, supervising the two. last and examining the work done by the candidates, and in preparing the statistics for the year. Allowing, then, for office correspondence, for attending meetings of the Board, and for odd school holidays, little over three months is available for inspection visits. Number of Schools. Attendance. —At the close of the school year seventy-seven schools (including two half-time schools and eleven aided schools) were in active operation, having an average weekly roll number of 6,772, and a working average of 5,265, or 77'7 per cent. The roll number shows an increase of 551, and the working average an increase of 621, on the corresponding numbers of 1886. With regard to the percentage of attendance, it is gratifying to see that it has now taken a turn for the better. In the last report of the Minister of Education it was shown that the working average for the year, calculated as a percentage of the mean average weekly roll number, was lower in this district than in any other in the colony, Taranaki excepted. I now find that it has risen from 74-7 in 1886 to 77'7 in 1887. This 77'7 is, I believe, the highest percentage of attendance that has yet been reached here; but even still it is less than was obtained by five districts in 1886, and 6 per cent, lower than was obtained in Otago in that year.

Standard Classes. Presented. Absent. Exeepfced. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. S7 S6 S5 S4 •S3 S2 SI P. 1 21 67 210 454 414 360 863 3 20 36 44 27 1 5 12 32 41 13 9 35 77 159 100 36 11 24 101 227 229 284 14-6 14-7 13-2 11-8 10'3 8-9 I Totals 2,390 130 104 416 876 * * Mean of average agi i, 12 years 3 :ontlis.