79

H.—l

Results. Standards ... IV. 111. 11. I. 0. Total. Passed ... 1 ... 4 ... 30 ... 23 ... 17 ... 75. I do not, on this occasion, propose to report on the buildings, premises, and the industrial work. Several suggestions, made in last year's report, appear to still require attention. J. P. Restell, May, 1878. Inspector.

2. ME. HAMMOND'S REPOET. Sic,— Education Office, Christchurch, 25th March, 1878. I have the honor to submit my general report for the nine months from 31st March to 31st December, 1877. During this period I have held fifty-six standard examinations of schools, with a total of 6,043 scholars present. Pull reports on these examinations have been submitted to the Board, and copies forwarded to the School Committees. A considerable number of visits of inspection have also been made. "With two exceptions, all the schools in the district assigned to me have been examined, and a few have been examined twice. The results are embodied in the accompanying schedule. The work,of inspection was arranged to cover the full year. Most of the examinations held in the earlier part of the year were made on six months' work, and the results consequently show very little improvement on those of last year. Another three months would have enabled mo to re-examine these schools, and doubtless the average classification would have been higher than that shown in tho schedule. lam happy to be able to report a satisfactory improvement during the year. This improvement is principally in the higher standards, as shown in the following table, which gives the classification of the scholars examined this year and last: —

The above table and the schedule, however, do not show the most important part of the improvement made, which lies in the quality of the work presented. In the large majority of schools, the quality of the work throughout shows a most marked improvement on that of former years, and in many cases is all that the most exacting Inspector could desire. I attribute this improvement in a great measure to the introduction of the standard system of examination. The teachers are unanimous in their expressions of satisfaction at the working of the system. Our principal schools are rapidly attaining good discipline and thorough organization. I regret I am not able to report any improvement in the work, or diminution of the large percentage, of scholars below Standard I. In spite of every effort made to insure due attention to this long-standing defect, the infant classes in most of the district schools are comparatively neglected, and the efficiency of the infant department in the large schools is infinitely below that of the other departments. Great efforts have recently been put forth in the direction of providing proper accommodation and appliances, but in the absence of trained infant mistresses I do not expect proportionate improvement in the attainments and organization. In most cases the teachers are working honestly and well, but very few show any special aptitude or ability for this branch of tuition; and, as a rule, two or three years are taken to do the work that, in a well-organized infant department, would easily be accomplished in one. I feel confident that the results would fully justify any expenditure the Board may be able to make for the purpose of providing more efficient infant teaching. I have endeavoured to make the standard examinations as thorough as possible; and, in order to do justice to the teaching in the higher classes, considerable time has been spent both in the conduct of the examinations and subsequently in examining the papers and compiling the reports. The strict interpretation of the syllabus at first taken as a basis for examination has been adhered to, and the improved quality of the work presented has enabled me to deal less leniently with inaccuracies. In the three higher standards the examinations have been conducted almost entirely by means of written papers from set questions. The examination of Standard 111. has been principally oral; but where the classes were large I have had recourse to written answers, in order to save time and to insure greater accuracy in the results. The examinations of Standards 11. and I. have been entirely oral. As a guide in determining the quality and scope of the work done in the upper standards, I have appended specimens of questions actually set at examinations during the year. I have found considerable benefit accrue from a judicious use of the aid of the teachers in the conduct of the examinations, and from giving teachers every opportunity of seeing the full results of their scholars' work. As was anticipated, most masters have found the syllabus sufficiently comprehensive to require their whole energies ; but in a few schools extra standard work has been taken. West Christchurch stands alone in having followed a very complete advanced course, which places it on an equality with the grammar schools of other provinces. The course comprises—Latin (four books each of Cassar

Standard. VI. V. IV. III. II. I. ielow Standard I. Classif 1876. 18 161 477 898 1,253 948 2,014 -cation (passed). 1877. 42 218 587 838 1,081 971 2,019 Approximate percentage, 1876. 1877. •3 ... -7 2'8 ... 3-8 8'1 ... 102 156 ... 146 21-7 ... 18-8 164 ... 169 349 ... 350 5,769 5,756