E.—lβ

28

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

NELSON. Sib,— 6th January, 1892. I have the honour to lay before you my report on the Nelson public schools for the year 1891. The number of schools at the close of the year was ninety-three, ninety of which have been examined ; eighty have also been paid separate visits of inspection ; 5,769 names were on the rolls of the schools when they were examined, 5,469 scholars being present. The total number of scholars attending the Nelson schools at the close of the December quarter was 5,828. The outcome of my examination was, on the whole, satisfactory, though the number of schools where the children acquitted themselves badly (twelve) is larger than it ought to be. It is only fair to state, however, that extenuating circumstances existed which remove all blame from the teachers in four instances. For the remaining eight little.or no excuse was discoverable. Several teachers whose schools have done badly have resigned; others have been warned by the Board that a substantial improvement will be expected next year. In more than one previous report I have taken occasion to refer in favourable terms to the excellent discipline maintained in the large majority of our schools, and to the good behaviour of the children. I have seen nothing since that should induce me to modify this favourable opinion. The improved methods of treating their scholars now generally adopted by teachers are also a fair subject for congratulation. The loud, harsh tones in which it was customary to address a class a few years ago are now seldom heard. It is recognised that a moderately-pitched tone of voice is quite as effective in securing the attention of even a large class as the old-fashioned practice of bawling as though the children were all deaf. The notion, too, formerly so prevalent, that a slip due to carelessness, or, it might be, to want of wits, should be visited, as a matter of course, with sharp and summary corporal punishment, is gradually dying out —though it dies hard. Corporal punishment, indeed, of any kind is now usually, and rightly, reserved for extreme cases of insubordination, bullying, and the other meaner vices. In many instances, especially in our smaller schools, it is being dispensed with altogether. I hold these matters to be of the highest importance, largely affecting, as they do, the tone and temper of so many thousands of children. Much has been gained when the unchecked and, indeed, almost unheeded tyranny that saddened school-life not so many years ago, is condemned both by public opinion and by the improved feeling of the teachers themselves, and that this change has been effected without any noticeable relaxation of discipline. Being conscious that a report which deals only with generalities is both uninteresting and of slight practical value, I again give a short criticism of the way in which the principal subjects included in the syllabus are being taught. Beading has improved, and is still improving. There is, indeed, but little to be desired in the reading of our older scholars, more especially in that of the girls, so far as fluency and correct intonation go. The graces of finished reading need hardly be looked for, and assuredly will not often be found either in the upper classes of elementary schools or, it may be added, of high schools and colleges. Simultaneous reading, it is satisfactory to find, now generally takes that merely subordinate place to which alone it was ever entitled. Writing.—Great pains have evidently been taken, as the results show, to remove from this district the reproach of slovenly handwriting; but, though the general level has undoubtedly been raised, the gap between our best and our worst schools in this respect is still far too wide. Neat and well-arranged paper-work is certainly more common than it was a few years ago, though the want of previous preparation is still manifest in some of our smaller schools. The lack of foolscap for practice is usually alleged in extenuation of any deficiencies of this kind ; but the plea, if well founded, is hardly creditable to those with whom the supply of so inexpensive an article as paper rests. Little weight should be attached to the not infrequent criticism that our scholars do not take away with them from school a current, businesslike style of penmanship. Those who really know anything about the matter are fully aware that this is a plant of later growth, produced only by long practice. A tolerably close approximation to the somewhat stiff and formal style of the copy-heads is all that can be expected from the average scholar. Speed and freedom will follow in due time.

Classes. Presented. Absent, j Excepted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. m. Above Standard VI. Standard VI. V. ... „ IV. ... „ III. ... „ II. ... I. ■•• 16 91 114 221 277 276 270 737 9 9 14 21 10 11 3 6 10 12 13 8 16 34 50 65 46 31 63 65 147 179 207 220 14 3 13 2 12 8 11 8 10 7 9 4 Preparatory Totals ... 2,002 74 52 242 881 11 11* * Mean of average age.