42

B.—lβ

chemistry. Sewing and the other additional subjects, with the exception of singing, are taught in a very satisfactory way. In a large number of schools singing also is very fairly taught, and in a few well. The infant-classes—-a term which includes all the classes below Standard I.—are tor the most part well taught. They read readily and in good style, and receive a thorough training in tables and counting. Their instruction in the smaller schools has made great advances during the last two or three years. The large infant departments of the city and suburban schools are in general very well conducted, and their excellent condition reflects great credit on the mistresses charged with their control. Looking at the schools as a whole we have every confidence that they are doing sound educative work. As a body the teachers are anxious to employ the best methods, and most of them strive to mould their teaching on inductive lines. The government is good so far as the order and the behaviour of the pupils are concerned. If the attention during lessons is not equally satisfactory, it is because classes are large, and the power to influence and control numbers is a somewhat rare gift, and one but little considered nowadays in the selection of teachers for important and responsible positions. It is true that year by year a good many of our pupils fail to pass the standard examination, but the significance of this fact is greatly exaggerated in popular estimation. The majority of those who fail are in point of proficiency but little below those who barely pass. It is one of the evils of the standard-pass system that it creates a momentous distinction where is but little real difference. In a series of papers or answers of nicely graduated merit the examiners have to draw a line between those that pass and those that fail. Those just above the line, and those just below it, are really of nearly equal merit; but, as soon as the verdict of pass or fail is pronounced, this is wholly forgotten. The boy who answers fairly and passes becomes a sort of hero ; the one who is perhaps 5 or 10 per cent, below him fails, and is thought to have learnt next to nothing. To suppose this is, however, a very great mistake, for the difference in ascertained attainments between the two is very often no more than 5 or 10 per cent., and the difference in their actual attainments may be nil. Those who know the real state of the case can have no doubt that many of the pupils of our schools who do not pass have yet received a very fair education —an education quite equal to that gained not so many years ago by the average pupils of the schools of this district. A great and growing obstacle to the success of the schools arises out of the ceaseless and often unmeaning migrations of teachers. The work of education is interrupted and marred by these changes to an extent that is but vaguely realised. We venture to say that the genuine promotions that are made in a year could be all made by a wise centralised authority with not more than a fifth of the changes that now take place to bring them about. The loss of time, the waste of effort, and the expense to teachers that result from these changes, rank among the most serious evils in connection with our education system. As regards the improvement and embellishment of the school grounds, we can report some progress. When teachers take root in a district the gardens and surroundings of the school are usually in good order ; but where the spirit of migration rules the fences and plantations are frequently neglected, and a smiling garden is rarely seen. This is much to be regretted, but it can hardly be otherwise. What a man sows he likes also to reap. In our last report we referred to the unsuitable line of study often adopted for the class above Standard VI. We cannot say that there has been much improvement in this matter, but we take every opportunity of bringing the adoption of better arrangements under the notice of teachers. We have, &c, D. Petrie, "J Wm. Tayloe, I Inspectors. The Secretary, Otago Education Board. P. Goyen, j

SOUTHLAND. Sib,— Education Office, Invercargill, 4th March, 1892. We have the honour to lay before the Board our general report for the year ending 31st December, 1891. . . We made 117 examination, and 121 inspection visits. The examination results tor the year are shown in the following table :—

Table A.

Classes. Presented. Absent. Excepted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. M. .bove Standard VI. ... Itandard VI. V. „ IV. „ III. II. I. Preparatory 63 282 693 984 1,305 1,183 1,069 3,026 13 20 32 51 36 27 10 43 64 95 39 16 56 207 209 297 71 47 203 423 679 862 1,037 979 14 5 13 5 12 6 11 5 10 2 9 3 Totals 8,605 179 267 887 4,183 11 10* * Mean if averaj ;eai , r e.