4

E.—IB

for re-examination in standards already passed, and 809 preparing for the First Standard. The presented and examined number for last year was 909. I am unable to compare the actual attendance at the examinations with former years, as it appears to have been the custom to enter the names only of the scholars who were present and prepared for the examination. However, the attendance for this year was : Examined in standards, 884 ; examined in preparatory, 593 ; reexamined in standards, 248 : making a total of 1,725 present at examination. The absence of so many as 344 children is to be regretted, as the percentage of attendance (83 per cent.) compares somewhat unfavourably with other districts. Examination Eesults.—The following table shows the number of scholars examined, with the number of passes, percentage of passes, and average ages in each standard ; also the number reexamined, with the number obtaining pass-marks, and percentage of same, in standards:—

i . |S J> 1 ■ -si 4* 8,-apJ 1 I" I |« 1° I i! id HS Standard 1 358 284 74 793 8-6 48 38 10 792 Standard II 180 68 112 378 10-1 76 20 56 26-3 Standard 111 199 -68 131 342 11-3 68 15 53 22 Standard IV 105 40 65 38-1 12-8 41 10 31 24.4 Standard V 38 9 23 281 13-5 11 3 8 273 Standard VI 10 3 7 30 137 4 0 4 ...

It will be seen that the number of passes (472) is considerably less than the 609 of last year; but some consideration must be given to the effort required to pass the eighty-six scholars re-examined, who, though previously passed, made the required, marks. A comparison of the percentages in the table made by the scholars will show that, though examined and marked under the same conditions, the quality of the work was much inferior. Indeed, many will require at least another year before teachers can, with any fairness to themselves or hope of success, present them for successful examination. An effort was made to prepare as many as possible for the lower standards, leaving the scholars working in the higher ones to revise the subjects in which they were weak. For this purpose I distributed among the teachers nearly 8,000 Fourth and Fifth Standard examination papers in arithmetic, grammar, and geography, which I had in leisure hours for some years past been preparing for publication. It will be necessary to acquaint you that test questions, printed on cards, were used in the standards above the second. An arithmetic card was given to this standard, and the sums wrought out on the scholars' slates. Two cards were used in the grammar and the geography tests of the Third, with a like number in arithmetic for the Second, the Third, and the Fourth, while one set of each for the remaining subjects and standards did service throughout the district. In every case the spelling and dictation tests were selected from the Beaders in use, and to all standards excepting the First they were dictated by the teachers themselves. That the scholars in this standard did not suffer at my hands is borne out by a much higher percentage of passes. The children's answers were given either on slate or paper. Each was allowed a full use of the slate for drafting work. As far as possible care was taken to prevent any copying. Very rarely was I compelled to reprove for this offence. That the questions could be well answered, and that the pass-marks are fairly within each scholar's reach, are best seen by the passes made and the actual work done by the scholars in schools reported upon as doing good work. I leave to those persons who maybe doubtful in this matter acomparison of the examination papers laid before you. As a teacher of some years' experience, I have had opportunities of dealing from time to time with occasional cases of neglected or inefficient instruction ; but I little thought that any portion of this colony, with its educational system now in operation since 1877, could contribute such to so large an extent, and also be so far behind in the possession of its advantages. Subjects of Iksteuction. —Beading is decidedly the best-taught subject. A want of fluency in many of the lower classes, faulty articulation, and inaccuracy in a few schools, with the absence of taste and expression in the higher classes generally, are the chief points to which teachers should direct their future efforts. More attention to word-teaching in the preparatory class before sentence-reading is entered upon, and frequent patterns given, with correct expression and explanation, will, I am sure, if insisted upon, make the subject less irksome to the children, as well as remedy the defects alluded to. The dictation tests were better answered than the spelling ones. Indeed, the results in both subjects would have shown a high return but for the miserable way in which both had been taught in sixteen schools. The percentage of passes in these was 42 per cent., while the remaining nineteen passed 75 per cent. I regret to bring under your notice the fact that these subjects had been sadly neglected in the schools referred to. lam glad to be able to report marked improvement in the writing of several schools. Especially at Lower Kent Boad, Stratford, and Tikorangi the subject is taught with much success. In the schools named one uniform style is evident. Every copy shows that instruction with careful attention to detail is given. Courtenay Street School follows very close upon these, though many letters in the specimens are imperfectly formed. In the preparatory classes at the Central School tne subject is being well taught. As long as the present system of teaching writing through " copying a headline" is followed little real progress can be made. A constant use of the blackboard, and an intimate acquaintance with the treatment of common errors in form, size, slope, and