E.—l.

25. ENDOWED SCHOOLS AND REGISTERED PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS. The following table summarizes the returns furnished by endowed schools and registered private secondary schools with respect to the years 1930 and 1931 : —

Table T.

26. THE CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL. During the year the progress of the Correspondence School has been marked by continued steady growth.and development. At the end of December there were 973 on the roll in the primary department and 286 in the secondary department, a total of 1,259. Of these, over three hundred were in the infant classes. The corresponding numbers at the end of 1930 were : Primary, 860 ; secondary, 166 : total, 1,026. The staff consisted of the headmaster, fourteen primary assistants, ten secondary assistants, and eight office assistants. An attempt has been made to provide a course of study in accordance with the syllabus, and in every possible way to give the children as wide an education as they would receive in a public school. The introductioii of such subjects as nature-study and needlework has done much to improve the course in this direction, the latter subject in particular being much appreciated both by parents and pupils. The secondary department was established in 1929. Of the 286 pupils on the roll during the past year, approximately 10 per cent, were engaged in third-year work of Public Service Entrance Examination standard, 20 per cent, in second year, and the remainder in first-year work. Of the whole number, approximately 67 per cent, were taking examination, and 33 per cent, non-examination courses. In addition, instruction papers and model answers were being supplied to sixtyseven small country schools for the benefit of ninety-four Form 111 pupils in regular attendance. The total number of secondary pupils receiving instruction was therefore 380. The subjects of instruction are English, history and civics, geography, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, Latin, French (from the second year only), general science and agriculture, and bookkeeping. All the members of the secondary staff are University graduates who have specialized in their respective subjects. The organization of the work is very thorough and pupils who have transferred to secondary schools have had no difficulty in taking up the work there in the corresponding forms. The school was examined by both primary and secondary inspectors whose reports indicate that a high standard of efficiency has been reached by the pupils. Of the thirty-six pupils who sat for the examination in Form 11, thirty-three gained certificates of Proficiency and one gained a Competency Certificate, while of the seven pupils of the secondary department who were advised to sit for the Public Service Entrance Examination five were successful in passing. 27. KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS. During the year no change was made in the Department's policy in regard to kindergartens. Financial assistance towards the conduct of these institutions recognized for the purpose by the Department was granted in accordance with, regulations. These provided, firstly, for payment of a capitation grant limited to

31

1930. 1931. Number of schools .. .. .. .. 50 51* Roll at 1st July .. .. .. .. 4,413 4 414 Average attendance .. .. .. .. 4,277-6 4' 162 Teachers (inclusive of Principals)— Men .. .. 1 .. .. .. 122 135 Women .. .. .. ,. .. 151 155 Total .. .. .. 273 290 * One of these schools was temporarily closed during 1931 as a result of the Hawke's Bay earthquake.