41

E.—lβ

Coming to the class-subjects, we remark first that grammar is taught in a fairly satisfactory manner in most of the schools. In teaching this subject teachers do not always bear in mind its double purpose. It should train the pupil to reason clearly, and it should also furnish him with an instrument of criticism. The latter or practical side of grammar should be taken advantage of to correct wrong forms of expression, whether they have occurred in conversation or in composition exercises. This, however, only when the pupils have acquired a working knowledge of the subject till then the correct form should be given by the teacher without comment, as there is sometimes a very strong tendency to teach what is right by giving examples of what is wrong. In our mentalarithmetic tests we endeavoured as far as possible to keep in mind the practical needs of the pupils, and also the extent to which the principles of the subject had been taught. In the first two standards the results were usually very favourable, but, whether from inferior teaching or from the total neglect of teaching, the results in the upper classes were often very disappointing. When he is teaching this subject the teacher should always bear in mind the work of the next lower and next higher class. There is every reason, for instance, why pupils in Standard IV should be able to answer plain mental questions in interest. History is well taught in many of our schools, but some of the programmes of the year's work submitted in others were totally incoherent and destitute of definite aim/ In elementary science progress is slow, but not so slow as to lead one to despair of substantial improvement in time. In country districts we should like to see the boys take agriculture and the girls domestic economy, but this of course is a matter for teachers to arrange. The additional subjects are well taught throughout the district. There are very few schools indeed in which the children are not trained to sing. In the larger centres more perhaps might be done in the way of military drill. The pupils of the Invercargill schools, for instance, might take up company drill and meet at some convenient place for an occasional field day There would ensue between the schools a healthy rivalry both as to smartness of appearance and precision of movements. The Educated. —Throughout the length and breadth of the district the children are pictures of health and models of tidiness. They are with few exceptions very well behaved, and they appear to be on the best of terms with their teachers. Some people, judging the product of our schools by the standard of their own solid experience, presage disorder for society and disaster for the State while others, with more reason, prophesy that the land will be full of well-taught boys and girls for whom there are but small material prospects. We confess having seen nothing to convince us that the former state of affairs will eventuate, while, as to the latter, we believe that the training in manual dexterity which is taking root in our schools, and which we hope to see extended more or less to all the classes, will enable pupils to rely for their livelihood as much on their hands as on their brains. Such a prospect would alone justify a national system of education, for, as Huxley says, " A potential Watt, Faraday, or Davy is dirt cheap if he could be secured to the nation at a hundred thousand pounds." It is fit that we should acknowledge the interest taken by several of the Committees in supplying their schools with kindergarten and scientific apparatus, and also the trouble freely bestowed by several teachers and pupil-teachers in learning how to use the apparatus to advantage. We are, &c. James Hendry,) Inspectorg The Secretary, Education Board, Invercargill. Geo. D BraikJ v

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (3,000 copies), £39 4s.

By Authority: Samuel Costall, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9s. Price Is.] 6—E Iβ.

Standard Glasses. Presented. Present. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos. ibove Standard VI. Standard VI. V IV „ HI. II. I. 'reparatory 143 412 729 1,169 1,456 1,209 1,277 2,933 405 694 1,131 1,401 1,165 1,248 348 525 713 1,016 1,112 1,210 13 11 13 3 12 4 11 2 10 1 8 11 Totals 9,328 6,044 4,924 11 7* * Mean of average age.