E.—lβ

36

III.—Class and Additional Subjects: General.

IV.—Class-subjects: Comparison of School Groups.

Note. —A " town " school is taken to be one with at least three adult or certificated teachers employed in it. In defining " single-handed" schools a sewing-mistresa is not reckoned. " Best subject " means " best " exolusive of geography in Standard 11. When marks in two or more subjects are equal, each subject is counted.

V.—Statistics of Classification.

In our school world the special feature of the past year has been the coming into operation of the Manual and Technical Elementary Instruction Act of 1895. The importance of the event, if measured by the influence it has so far exerted on the practice of our schools, could scarcely be taken to justify more than a passing reference ; but, however small the initial influence, and however imperfect the provisions of the Act may be, it marks a new departure in the conception of the educational responsibilities of the State. There is no doubt that the chief question of the day is how far existing educational methods and courses of instruction may be modified in the direction of extending the hand and eye training of the elementary school, and of giving the artisan a more intelligent grasp of his craft through instruction in the scientific and artistic principles underlying its operation.

llass-subjects. Additional Subjei its. Number of Schools obt; fining Mar! :s. Subject. Average Marks (0-100). u 6 p°warf S . 50 t0 60 - 30 t0 50 ' Subject. Number of Schools, Under 30. Total. j-rammar listory ... jeography (S. II.) Science, objectlessons, &c. Cental arithmetic 42-2 45'6 636 46-0 28 43 123 45 ■H 52 24 59 81 71 32 66 34 21 1 19 187 187 180 189 Eepetition of poetry Drill ... Singing ... Sewing ... 189 139 144 180 360 12 29 94 54 189 Comprehension of reading-lessons 190

In Twe: ity-fonr " Schools. Town " In Eight Inte: ;y-seven i rmediate chools of Size. In Sevi han :nty-nine :led Schoi Single)ls. Subject. Number of Schools with Fifty Marks and upwards. Number of Schools with Subject as Best Subject. Number of Schools with Fifty Marks and upwards. Number of Schools with Subject as Best Subject. Number of Schools with Fifty Marks and upwards. Number of Schools with Subject as Best Subject. Average Marks (0-100). Average Marks (0-100). Average Marks (0-100). jrammar ... Fiistory Geography (S. II.) ... Elementary science, object-lessons, &c Vlental arithmetic ... 48-5 55-9 693 56-5 15 19 21 22 3 12 44-2 47-3 680 50-0 33 45 76 56 2.1 32 38-1 41-0 56'4 38-0 24 31 50 26 82 32 15 43 27 40-9 7 2 391 24 10 31-3 10 If,

Standard IV. and upwards. Standards I., II., and III. Preparatory Division. Mean of Average Age, Standards I. to VI. .887 .888 .889 .890 .891 .892 .893 .894 .895 .896 18-2 19-3 20-4 22-4 24-4 26-1 28-2 30-1 31-4 32-3 45-9 459 44-6 44-8 44-3 439 42-3 41-2 40-8 40-1 360 34-7 35-0 32-3 31-3 300 29-5 28-7 27-8 27-6 Yrs.mos. 11 9 11 8 11 8 11 8 11 7 11 6 11 6 11 5 11 4 11 4