44

E.—lβ

Failure at examination is sometimes attributed to nervousness. Now, though it is a factor for which due allowance must be made at every examination, nervousness pure and simple causes children to fail in only extremely rare cases. Not infrequently, however, it is weakly conjured up merely to cloak the general unpreparedness of pupils. But the examiner, on whose notice real nervousness painfully obtrudes itself, cannot be deceived by a subterfuge so transparent. No doubt the tension on children's nerves, caused partly by close application, and partly by anxiety, does sometimes result, even in the best of schools, in a mild form of examination fever; but even this would be reduced practically to a minimum were teachers themselves to test their schools at regular intervals, and to refrain from shaking the terrors of the Inspector over the heads of the children as the time of the examination draws near. Indeed, by reminding children of the doom that will overtake them at the examination, teachers not only attach a stigma to failure which, in the case of some pupils, might be the best thing that could happen, but also give the ordeal an air of grimness that interferes with the chances of legitimate success. Examination and inspection are supplementary the one to the other. On examination-day the Inspector casts up results expressible in figures, and on inspection-day sees how these results have been obtained. But this is not all. On the latter day there becomes evident that which eludes his grasp on examination-day, and which is too subtle to be expressed numerically —viz., the general tone of the school. The Inspector mentally asks such questions as the following, and in due course finds the answer :Is the teacher in touch with his pupils ? Is there in the school an esprit de corps? Are the pupils honourable in their work and play? Is the work of the school carried on according to a definite plan, or at haphazard? And, again, it is also to be seen how far the school is in touch with the broader aims of general culture; whether, for instance, there is a school library, an interest in natural objects as shown by a school collection, a desire to improve the physique of the pupils by the practice of rational games, a respect for property as well as for schoolmates, and a taste for the beautiful as shown in the drawing-lesson, the singing-lesson, and the cultivation of the school garden. It need hardly be said that but few of the Board's schools have reached this standard of excellence; but it is extremely encouraging to know that an ever-increas-ing number of teachers work towards an ideal equally high, if not even higher. The'pupil-teachers—there are now fifty in the district—being an important factor in the education of our youth, deserve a more than passing notice. Evincing both in practical teaching and in their literary course a spirit at once ardent and conscientious, they in many respects do admirable work. Head masters, as a rule, are not slow to recognise their youthful energy and to direct it into useful channels. Cases of neglect, however, have come directly or indirectly under our notice. In more than one instance pupil-teachers have had but scant justice from head-masters by whom their studies have been for a longer or a shorter time either entirely neglected or treated in an indifferent and perfunctory manner. The examination of the work done by some of the pupilteachers at midwinter leaves a strong suspicion that they are left to grope drearily through set tasks, whereas the Board rightly expects for them thorough and methodic teaching. How else are they to acquire a practical knowledge of their calling? The literary course prescribed by the Board, if steadily and systematically followed, will not prove too hard for the average pupil-teacher; and, as there is no training college in this district, there is no reason why at the close of the last year of their apprenticeship the majority of pupil-teachers should not pass the E examination. We could name head masters who carry their pupil-teachers far beyond the requirements of a bare pass at the annual examination; and surely so much can be expected of all to whom the welfare of promising young lr.en and women is entrusted. Wo would not for a moment have it understood that book-lore is the primary aim of pupil-teachers; compared with health and general culture it is a secondary one. With judicious and sympathetic guidance, however, these aims will not only not conflict, but will stimulate and strengthen each other. With respect to the cases of neglect mentioned, we would strongly recommend the Board to make a rule that when at any time head-teachers cannot carry out the Board's instructions to the letter, they shall intimate the fact to the Board's Secretary at once. Many of our schools are now conducted by young women, who have completed their terms of apprenticeship as pupil-teachers under the Board. We willingly testify to the faithful and able manner in which they discharge their duties. Bitter complaints are sometimes heard from teachers in various parts of the district regarding the irregular attendance of a too large proportion of their scholars. The evils of irregular attendance are manifold and far-reaching. Children that are the victims of the habit acquire, in the worst possible way, only a smattering of knowledge ; they are grossly unjust to their class-mates, whom they tend to drag down to their own level, and they are the worst of the many plagues that afflict the honest teacher. They gradually come to regard the school as a prison, the teacher as a bore, and study as a nuisance; and when they leave school they will probably become ignorant men and women, useless members of society, and undisciplined citizens. Some of the best teachers in the service fight manfully against a habit so fatal to the wellbeing of their schools. It is, however, but little they can do in the way of checking it, unsupported as they often are by parents and committees. We refrain from reporting in detail on the subjects of instruction, that having been fully done during the year in connection with the examination of each school. Nor do we attempt to forecast the results that the adoption of the modified syllabus is likely to produce in our system of primary education. Appended to this report are the usual tables. We are, &c, James Hendry,] t , The Secretary, Education Board, Invercargill. Geo. D. Braik, j * Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing (2,900 copies), £52 10s.

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