E.—IB

31

As usual, the following schools, not under the control of the Board, have also been examined: Miss Hooper's, Nelson (17 pupils); Preparatory Division, &c, Nelson College (19); Nelson Girls' College (18); Cabragh House, Nelson (10); St. Canice's, Westport (165); Sacred Heart, Reefton (98); St. Mary's, Nelson (129). The total number of scholars was 457, of whom 441 were present. The work of these schools was summarised as follows: In the case of three of them, good; of one, satisfactory to good : of one, satisfactory ; and of two, fair to satisfactory. Four special examinations were held at different times, and nineteen candidates presented themselves, one for Standard V competency, and the other for Standard VI proficiency certificates. At these examinations sixteen certificates were gained—seven proficiency, eight competency Standard VI, and one competency Standard V. One hundred public and six private schools were inspected by us during the early part of the school year. On the occasion of our visits of inspection we have frequently had to complain of the incompleteness of some of the time-tables in use. This has been the case mostly in the smallerschools, where the chief fault has been the absence of a summary to the time-table. Frequently we have found the work going on under a time-table that evidently was suited only to some former condition of the school, while in other cases there was a decided departure from the routine of work laid down. A rather general weakness in the teaching was the lack of sufficient blackboard demonstration. We cannot too strongly impress upon our teachers, especially upon those of limited experience, the idea that a most powerful aid may be supplied by the blackboard. A further defect was the absence of well-laid-out schemes of work, which are supposed to be drawn up for each term or quarter. During the coming year we expect to see a more general adherence to the requirements under this head. The average weekly number on the rolls for September quarter was 5,606, eleven higher than for the corresponding quarter of last year. At the time of our examinations the number on the rolls was 5,564, and owing to the prevalence of epidemics, especially of influenza, only 5,211 were present. Here, as well as in other parts of the Dominion, the same cause has largely affected the average attendance for the year, which in this district has fallen from 864 per cent. (1906) of the average weekly number on the rolls to 837 per cent. In regard to attendance there is another aspect of the question, to which we have previously referred and to which in another district attention has been more than once directed, and that is the shortening of the school 3 - ear. The Board's by-laws strictly define the length of vacation to be given throughout the school year, and including the odd days specified the whole amount is exactly nine weeks. Should Committees desire to deviate from the fixed holidays the consent of the Board must first be obtained (By-law 46). , If, then, any extra single holidays are allowed for exceptional circumstances arising in connection with certain schools, these should not reasonably total more than an extra week in all. This leaves as a minimum number of weeks forty-two, or 420 half-days, on which ever}' school should be open. Now, an examination of last year's quarterly returns shows that only nineteen of our 116 schools did their duty in this respect by being open 420 times in the school year. One was open 470 times, whilst fifty-two were not open.even 400 times, and one of these for which we can find no reasonable excuse was open only 360 times. Unless the children are given reasonable opportunities, they cannot be expected to obtain the full benefit of the many advantages now extended to them under our educational system, and we contend that it is not unreasonable to demand that the school should be open 420 times, when we consider that this allows of ten weeks' holiday in the year in addition to the full Saturday every week. We admit that, owing to epidemics, this has been an exceptional year, but in the interests of the children we would plead with Committees, upon whom the chief responsibility rests, to see that in future the children under their charge are not deprived of their just rights, in being denied, upon frivolous pretexts, opportunities for improvement. The addition of more uncertificated teachers is due to the opening of several new household schools, so that though the proportion of certificated teachers is absolutely less, many of those already holding certificates have, particular!}' in competition for C certificates, made a decided advance in the direction of improvement of status. Twenty-six pupil-teachers were also employed and of these three are certificated and one has passed the examination. The following summary of results for the whole district is an extract from the Inspector's annual return :—

Classes. Number on Roll. Present at Average Age Inspector's of Pupils Annual Visit, in each Cla<?s. Standard VII ... VI ... V ... IV ... Ill ... II ... I ... Preparatory Totals ... i ... I 131 454 549 658 640 626 647 1,859 5,564 108 443 522 633 622 608 624 1,651 Yrp. mos. 14 11 13 9 12 10 11 11 10 11 9 10 8 11 6 11 5,211 11 3* • Mean of average ag ge.