Appendix C.j

XLI

E.—2.

status of our teaching staff has been raised, and in competition with other New Zealand candidates in such examinations as the Junior National Scholarship, Junior Civil Service, and Matriculation the best scholars from the primary and secondary classes still maintain very creditable positions. Above all, there has been a distinct gain in the general efficiency of our schools, our estimate of which is shown in tabulated form below :— Good ... ... ... ... 22] For 1910. Satisfactory to good ... ... ... 27 I Efficient ... 90 ... 79 Satisfactory ... ... ... ... 41 J Fair to satisfactory ... ... 19 J Non . efficient 23 31 Of the twenty-three classes as unsatisfactory fifteen are in Grades 0 or I. In spite of the defects to which we have referred in this report, most of which are characteristic of very small schools, we acknowledge that the educational results of the teachers' labours are deserving of credit and encouragement. We have, &c, G. A. Harkness, M.A., A. Crawford, 8.A., The Chairman, Nelson Education Board. Inspectors. GREY. Sir, — Education Office, Greymouth, 30th March, 1912. I have the honour to submit my general report on the schools of the Grey district for the year 1911. Inspection and examination visits were paid to thirty-three public and four private (Catholic) schools. One hundred and twenty-two pupils sat for the Sixth Standard examination, of whom eighty qualified for proficiency and twenty for competency certificates. Last year 127 sat for the examination, and sixty-six gained proficiency certificates, so that the Standard VI work this year shows a very marked improvement. One new public and one private school (Catholic) have been opened during the year. The following table shows the number of pupils on the roll, the number present at the Inspector's annual visit, and the average age of each class for the whole district:—

Four Catholic schools were examined, and the results, which must be considered highlysatisfactory, are shown in the following summary : Roll number, 481; present at examination, 419; presented in Standard VI, 21; proficiency certificates gained, 21. In regard to the district generally I am better pleased with the work this year than on any previous occasion. In the upper standards neat, well-written, and attractive papers were the rule. History is a weak subject in all but one or two of the larger schools. Now that the difficulty referred to in my last report has been obviated by the introduction of a suitable class-book, provided free of cost to pupils in Standards IV, V, and VI, we may reasonably look for an improvement in this subject. Geography.—The work in this subject still leaves much to be desired. If a single, definite, complete programme or scheme, embodying portion of each of the two courses now prescribed, were substituted for the present requirements, the change would help to smooth the path for many of our young teachers. English.—Composition is, on the whole, very satisfactory. A fair attempt is made with the essay-work, and the formal questions are usually well done. Writing is, generally speaking, good throughout the district. Reading and spelling are good in the majority of the schools'. In the smaller schools the commoner faults in connection with the former subject are, of course, occasionally found — e.g., misplaced aspirate, the dropping of the final " g," Arc. —but these rarely occur with certificated teachers. As a rule, the children have a fair comprehension of the matter read. Singing is well taught in most of our schools, although there are practically no facilities for the training of teachers in this subject. Working, as they have been, at a disadvantage, the teachers of our five largest schools have nevertheless, with the aid of their Committees,

yi—E. 2 (App. C).

Classes. Number on Roll. Present at the Annual Examination. Average Age of Pupils in each Class. standard VII VI V IV III II I 'reparatory 47 126 121 177 207 199 224 832 33 122 113 170 201 194 218 743 Yrs. mos, 14 9 13 8 13 0 11 10 10 11 10 1 8 10 7 1 Totals 1,933 1,794 9 5