31

E.—lb

Table B. — Pass Subjects for the Whole District for the Years 1888 and 1889.

The statistics in the above tables seem to mark a material increase in the efficiency of the teaching; and this advance I may say I expected, from my general impression, derived from daily observation, as to the steady improvement in these subjects. In class subjects and in additional subjects the results of my examinations are almost identical with those for the whole district, published in Table Cof the Appendix. Geography is on the whole the best taught, and is the only one of these subjects in which any substantial improvement is shown. In explanation of the brevity of this report, I beg leave to say that I purposed to embody in it a criticism of the syllabus of instruction ; but, as this subject has just been dealt with by me iii a report which I have submitted to the Minister of Education, the remarks I wished to offer must necessarily come before the Board in another form. I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board, North Canterbury. L. B. Wood, M.A.," Inspector.

2, De. Andebson's Eepokt. Sic,— Christclmrch, 12th April, 1890. I have the honour to present a general report on the past year's work. The year's work to which such a report refers is supposed to end with the close of December, but through the reduction in the staff of Inspectors the annual series of examinations included has extended to the close of March. As usual, the months preceding July were occupied by the Inspectors in completing any examinations left over from the previous year, in compiling returns, in examining candidates for scholarships at the April examination, in preparing a sufficient number of examination papers for use in the ensuing standard examinations, and in paying visits to schools for purposes of inspection. The schools of the northern division of the district, taken by Mr. Wood in the previous year, and comprising the chief suburban schools and those north of Christchurch— in all fifty-eight schools—fell to me in the ordinary rotation. I inspected and reported on fifty-four of these during the months March-June, the four omitted being two at Kaikoura, at too great a distance for an inspection visit, one which received instead an interim examination from Mr. Wood, and one closed temporarily through a change of teachers. The animal examinations began on the 2nd of July, and, the third Inspector being meanwhile withdrawn, it became my duty to join my colleague in the examination of the large city schools. These, with two side schools attached, having a roll number of 5,507 children, were finished about the 17th of August. During the remainder of the period covered by this report I have examined separately seventy-nine schools, with a roll number of 7,496 children, and shared with my colleague and Mr. Veel the annual examination of pupil-teachers and a second scholarship examination, both held in December, but, so far as the work of the examiners is concerned, extending well into January. I submit in tabular form the chief facts of the standard examination results, distinguishing the schools examined jointly and those examined separately. A series of comparative proportions is also submitted, which may prove of some interest now, or be convenient for future reference. The returns for the whole district are contained in the appendices.

Table A. — Pass Subjects, Number examined.

Classes. Presented. Abs. mt. Excepted. Fai led. Pas: .sed. No. of Schools presenting. i I 1889. 1888. 45; 27 103 96 134 129 152 141 158 151 157 156 155 149 160, 156 160; 156 i 1889. j 1888. 108 84 514 483 1 1.291 1 1,140: 2,225: 2,110 3,153! 3,130 3,058 3,047! 2,807 2,894; 7,087 6,839 1889. 1888. 1889. 1888. 1889. ; ; 1888. 1889. 1888. Above Standard VI. Standard VI. V. ... IV. ... III. II. ... I. ... 16 43 96 156 112 75 20 31 94 160 138 112 8 45! 85! 154J 98 36; 8 51 95! 152j 112 58 113 361 593 749. 336 176 105 383 562 838! 379, 223 ... 377i 8421 1,4511 !2,094j ,2,512 2,520 350 675 11,359 jl,980 !2,418 2,501 Preparatory I I Totals ... 20,243,19,727 498 OOO 426 476 2,328 2,490 9,796 9,283

Presented. I Absent. Class. Excepted. Failed. Passed. Scl :inc! Iiools uded. Above Standard VI. Standard VI. ... V. ... IV. ... III. ... II. ... I. ... (a) I Jb) ! (a) 46 ; 44 i ... 177 i 187 4 440 i 463 11 671 : 810 25 794 !l,203 38 814 il,133 21 708 11,062 20 1,857 -,594 ... (b) 3 13 40 65 44 29 (a) 1 14 26 39 24 4 (W 3 20 . 36 49 38 20 ~W i (b) 28 : 50 99 ■■ 134 170 239 161 ! 314 83 | 148 14 i 78 "(a) 144 316 450 556 686 I 670 ! (b) 131 296 495 775 903 935 (a) 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 S (b) 26 54 67 78 79 77 78 79 Preparatory Totals ... 5,507 7,496 119 | 13?003 3 194 108 (, I 166 , < (4 555 | 963 1 1 ' 1,518 2,822 '3,535 I 6,357 6 79 .3 2 I 15 (a) E [amined jointly with colleague. (b) Examined separately.