E.—l2.

EDUCATION DISTRICT OF TARANAKI. Stratford District High School.

Report of Inspector. Owing to the schools being closed at the usual time for examination, I could subsequently devote only one day to the examination of the secondary subjects, and tested English and arithmetic, as to these subjects district high schools are required to pay special attention in order to obtain grants for pupils receiving free tuition. The other subjects were examined by the head teacher. In the matriculation class (senior pupils) there were twelve pupils. One had met with an accident, and attended neither the headmaster's examination nor mine; and from my examination nine others who were attending the Matriculation Examination were absent. Of the two examined in arithmetic, the work of one was excellent, of the other moderate. In English the work of one was very good, of the other satisfactory. In the middle division (four pupils) all were present. In English one paper was excellent, one was fair, and two were moderate. In arithmetic one was excellent, one good, one satisfactory, and one fair. In the modern division— i.e., those not taking Latin—there were fourteen pupils, but only ten were present. Of the four absent, two are pupils receiving free tuition, and satisfactory reasons for their absence should be required. Of the ten examined in English, one paper was good, two satisfactory, three fair, and four moderate. In arithmetic one was good, three fair, two moderate, and four poor. In the junior division (four pupils) three were present. In English one did moderate work, and two poor work. In arithmetic one did good work, and two very poor work. The above remarks refer to the results of my examination. In the matriculation class those absent at matriculation would be the strongest, and, taking the results of the headmaster's examination in conjunction with mine, I look upon the general results as very good. In the modern division, considering the time the pupils have been on the secondary registers, the work was satisfactory. In the middle and junior divisions the work in English was not so strong as I expected, and arithmetic was very disappointing. During the year a change in the curriculum has been made —Latin is optional, and shorthand and book-keeping have been introduced. Eleven pupils have taken the last two subjects, and the headmaster's results show that the progress has b#en good. This commercial course, as it may be termed, is at the option of the parents, and, I am pleased to see, has met with their approval. Next year I hope to see some branch of science included among the secondary subjects. My thanks are due to Mr. Tyrer for the manner in which he has carried out the extra work thrown upon him in examining the secondary subjects, and for the clear and concise way in which his results were placed before me. W. E. Spencer, Inspector.

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(Number of scholars on. roll:—Passed Standard VI. —M. 22, F. 10, M. 1, F. 1, total 2 : totals—M. 28, F. 11, total 34.) 32; ot .ers — i 11 i * i i ii' i , r\f N umber oi Pupils in Subject taught. Class. J Class during Work done during the Year. Subject taught. Subject taught. Number of Pupils in Class. ! Class during Last Quarter of Year. Latin English ... i French Arithmetic ... Euclid Algebra ... Book-keeping ; Shorthand ... I. 13 II. 4 III. 4 I. 18 II. 17 I. 11 II. 7 III. 11 I. 20 II. 14 I. 20 II. 14 I. 20 II. 14 I. 11 I. 11 Via Latina; Principia, Pare II., pages 39 to 51; Csesar, Book II., chapters 1 to 20. Via Latina, to exercise 70. Via Latina, to exercise 33. Nesfield's Grammar and Composition, to page 200; Lady of Shallot; Morte d'Arthur ; Sir Eoger de Coverley. Advanced Standard VI. work and English as for Class I. Chardenal's, Book I. and Book II., to exercise 60. Chardenal's, Book I. Chardenal's, Book I., to exercise 148. As for Matriculation. Advanced Standard VL work. Books I. and II., and exercises. Book I., to proposition 26. As to Matriculation. To easy simple equations. Single entry ; use of day-book, invoice-book, cash-book, ledger. Pitman's Phonographic Teacher, to exercise 45.