E.—2

It is fitting that Mr. Milner's great services to education should here be put on record. His tragic death at the end of his career has removed a remarkable personality- from the educational scene. During the year there has been much experiment in the secondary schools and the impending changes in the post-primary curriculum have been studied with much care by the great majority of teachers. There has been a happy spirit of co-operation amongst all branches on the teaching service, and this has nowhere been more evident than in the two refresher courses in social studies held in January of this year at the Feilding Agricultural High School and at St. Andrew's College, Christchurch. At these courses teachers of the secondary, technical, and primary services met and discussed the implications of proposed changes. The conduct of these courses was vested in a committee appointed by the three teachers' organizations and the Principals of the four training colleges. The thanks of all interested in education are due to the governing authorities and the Principals of the two schools at which the courses were held. Buildings.—Although the problem of accommodation has been partially solved by the use of prefabricated class-rooms, some progress is being made towards the provision of permanent buildings. At Epsom Girls' Grammar School, work has begun on the new school. New rooms have been provided at Auckland Girls' Grammar School and Thames High School. A block providing for domestic science and art is in progress of building at New Plymouth Girls' High School. At Wellington Girls' College the building of a block of twelve class-rooms to form part of the new school is now in progress. Christchurch and Otago Boys' High Schools have new woodwork-rooms, and at the Christchurch Girls' High School a group of four class-rooms is being added. Progress is being made in the building of the Southland Girls' High School. The hostel accommodation at Epsom Girls' Grammar School and Waitaki Boys' High School has been extended. Facilities for sewing and laundry work are being provided at Timaru Girls' High School. The War. —The year has seen the return to teaching service of a number of teachers who have been engaged in active service overseas, particularly in the Pacific zone. There still remain on service with the Armed Forces overseas or in New Zealand 80 teachers of the secondary or combined schools. Of these, 51 are serving overseas and 29 in New Zealand. The following have lost their lives on active service : Major W. N. Wood, King's High School; Flying Officers W. R. Baillie and R. W. Herron, both of the relieving staff of Otago Boys' High School; Sergeant T. H. Hendra, of Waitaki Boys' High School; Sergeant N. J. Hosking, Ashburton High School; and Sergeant R. J. Corkill, Correspondence School. Teachers decorated for military service include Brigadier J. T. Burrows, D.5.0., who received a bar to the D.S.O. and the Greek Order of Valour, and Temp. Lieut-Colonel A. W. F. O'Reilly, of the Correspondence School, who was awarded the Military Cross. Lieut.-Colonel H. G. Dyer, Whangarei High School, Major H. H. Craig, Rotorua High School, and Major J. H. Kempthorne, Otago Boys' High School, were mentioned in dispatches, the last-named on two occasions I have, &c., F. C. Renyard, Superintendent of Technical Education. The Director of Education, Wellington.

Table A1.—PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS BY GRADE, and Intermediate Schools and Departments, December, 1944

2—E. 2

9

£ Education District. c3 «- M „ ■ ; & to -t« •§8 g- fgS co-g ltoll for determining Grade • ft d >» iz 43 ' - ' of School. -g | w o g' J a>o etf «§ «3 g a a "2 iS •o ° f -3iHP=wisg<3o<g I 1-8 .. ..15 5 13 9 11 18 20 18 8 117 II 9-24 .. ..159 32 04 62 63 34 110 75 51 650 IIIA 25-30 .. 46 10 6 12 7 5 26 10 19 141 IIIB 31-70 .. ..197 42 41 33 39 23 72 41 43 531 IVA 71-110 .. ..62 15 16 16 19 6 25 14 8 181 IVB 111-150 .. ..30 7 7 4 7 6 7 12 7 87 ■ IVo 151-190 .. ..14 6 1 5 9 4 4 4 5 52 VA 191-230 .. ..11 2 4 5 4 .. 8 2 1 37 Vb 231-270 .. ..11 4 1 3 5 8 3 2 37 Vc 271-310 .. .. 8 .. 2 2 6 .. 4 3 1 26 Vd 311-350 .. ..5.. 2 3 4 3 2 3 1 23 VI 351-870 .. 62 7 12 10 27 3 30 14 6 171 Intermediate schools and 10 .. 2 2 2 .. 2 4 I 23 departments Totals . . .. 630 130 171 166 203 102 318 203 153 2,076 Note.—Two half-time schools and foity-one main schools with side schools attached are counted separately and are included in the separate grades determined by the separate average attendance of each school.