Appendix B.]

E—2.

Fallen Soldiers' Memorials have been erected at a large number of schools by the residents, the Board's consent being previously obtained. In most cases the memorial has taken the form of entrance gates and arches, the principal ones being North-east Valley, Kaikorai, Mornington, Green Island, Oamaru South, and Palmerston. Rather more than the average amount of asphalting-work has been done. This applies both to new work and repairs. Important remodelling-work at Arthur Street School was entered upon before the year closed. School Libraries.- -Subsidies for the purchase of books, pictures, and book-cases were granted to sixty-eight schools, the total amount paid by the Board being £156 Os. lid. Free School-books. —The children of parents in necessitous circumstances and pupils coming to Otago schools from other education districts where different books were used received grants of books to the value of £58 19s. 6d. Training College.—-At the close of the year there were in the College 277 students (202 women and 75 men). Of these, 139 were in their second year and 138 in their first year ; 193 belonged to Otago, 61 came from Southland, 10 from Canterbury, 8 from Hawke's Bay, 2 each from Nelson and Taranaki, and 1 from Auckland. Truancy and, Irregular Attendance.—-The Attendance Officer reports that 126 notices were served on parents or guardians for infringements of the Education Act, 1914, 147 cases of irregular attendance were investigated, seventeen summonses were laid under section 62 of the Education Act, and fourteen convictions were obtained, three informations being withdrawn on receipt of doctors' certificates. The fines amounted to £3 lis. Pupils to the- number of 126 in classes below Standard VI left the city and suburban schools at the end of the December quarter, 1922. Of this number, seventysix had passed only Standard V, thirty-one Standard IV, seventeen Standard 111, and two Standard 11. I have, &c, The Hon the Minister of Education, Wellington. J. Wallace, Chairman.

SOUTHLAND. Sir, Education Office, Inveroargill, 23rd March, 1923. In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board of the District of Southland has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year 1922 :— The Board. —The members in office at the beginning of the year were, Messrs. P. A. de la Perrelle, M.P. (Chairman), F. G. Blake;, G. F. Johnson, H. E. Niven, F. W. Preddy, H. Smith, J. C. Thomson, M.P.. and J. D. Trotter. At the election held in July Messrs. Johnson and Perrelle were re-elected unopposed for the West and Central Wards respectively. For the Inveroargill Urban Area Mr. Blake was opposed by Mr. John Stead, the voting resulting in the election of Mr. Stead. For the East Ward no nominations were received. The Board, in terms of section 18 of the Act, elected Mr. H. Smith, the- retiring member, to fill the vacancy. Mr. H. E. Niven was elected Chairman. An election was held in October to fill the extraordinary vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Stead, the voting resulting in the election of Mr. A. Bain. The Board's representation on other educational bodies was as follows : Southland Boys' and Girls' High Schools Board--Messrs. P. A. do la Perrelle, M.P., and J. C. Thomson, M.P. ; Gore High School Board —Messrs. H. E. Niven, H. Smith, and T. Taylor; Southland Technical College Board -Messrs. H. E. Niven and J. D. Trotter ; Otago University Council—Mr. J. C. Thomson, M.P. ; Dunedin Training College Committee of Advice —Mr. J. C. Thomson, M.P. Meetings. —During the year to which this report refers the Board held twelve ordinary and one special meeting, and the executive committee, which consists of all the members of the Board, met twenty-two times. The attendance of members was very satisfactory. Schools. —The number of schools in operation at the end of 1922 was 191, a decrease of one under the number at the end of 1.921. Now that the financial position of the Dominion has improved, the Board, anticipates that new settlement will progress rapidly in this district, and that with the expansion there will be a demand for educational facilities. If the applications now before the Board for the establishment of new schools and the reopening of schools closed during the early part of the year are granted, the number of schools in operation in this district at the end of 1923 should be at least tw r o hundred. Demonstration School. —The Board desires to congratulate the Department on its action in granting the Board's application for the establishment of Charlton School as a model school for this district. Although we received from the Training College during 1921-23 a larger number of teachers than usual, the proportion of untrained to trained teachers is still too high. The establishment of the model school at Charlton will relieve the situation by giving the inexperienced teacher an opportunity to obtain expert guidance and instruction in methods of teaching and school-management. Attendance of Pupils. —The attendance at the schools continues to increase steadily. The number on the roll at the end of 1922 was 12,4-68, an increase of forty-four during the year, and a record for this district. The average roll was 12,207, and the average attendance 11,063.

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