8.—6

16

Extract from the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. The following table shows the roll number at the end of the year at each of the district high schools :— Boys. Girls. Total. Hastings .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 25 49 Waipawa .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 15 38 Woodville .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 14 32 The work in various subjects at these schools has been very satisfactory, and the, course ranges from beyond Standard VI to the University terms grade. We are satisfied that these schools afford a good preparation for vocational work in the country districts, while at the same time they offer to pupils who desire to enter upon a professional course an opportunity of doing so. Extract from the Report of the Director of Manual and Technical Instruction. The science work in the district high schools at Woodville, Waipawa, and Hastings consists of agriculture, dairy science, and home science. These three subjects form part of the rural course. The rural course includes all pupils in their first and second years. Tho"seience work is continued up to Matriculation standard during the third and fourth years. Owing to the influenza epidemic, the schools closed 'our weeks before the annual vacation] and, in consequence, some of the subjects were incomplete. Waipawa District High School shows a decrease in attendance when compared with the previous year. This was due to the establishment of a Standard VII at Waipukurau, which absorbed about twenty pupils who would, in all probability, have attended Waipawa District High School. From a monetary point of view this meant a loss to the Board of £160 for the year. The scope of the science work taken is up to the Public Service Entrance standard. The work is correlated with the revised matriculation syllabus which comes into force this year. The attendance of pupils was fairly satisfactory—any irregularity being due to mild epidemics and inclement weather. Science apparatus and material are needed at the, different schools, but sufficient is on hand to keep the work going until an order can be sent to England. Some difficulty has been experienced in fitting in time at the various centres owing to the reduced train service, but the, head teachers and secondary assistants have lent valuable assistance. The garden work is not as satisfactory this year as last- - due to the great length of the annual vacation when very little time was devoted to the growing crops. The orchard at Woodville is now thoroughly established and should bear a good crop of fruit next year. WELLINGTON. Extract from the Report of the Education Board. Six of the nine district high schools (250 pupils) undertook the rural course. The reports show that the work ranges from satisfactory to very good. Tim Board trusts that it may be possible to provide at an early date, the means of continuing, under suitable conditions, the work begun in the rural course of the district high school, and to remove, it may be by modification of the syllabus, some grounds of dissatisfaction in regard to the prescribed course. The average attendances for the year 1918 were -Carterton, 37 ; Eketahuna, 31 ; Greytown, 13 ; Hutt, 30 ; Levin, 24 ; Masterton, 101 ; Normal, 12 ; Pahiatua, 29 ; Petone, 68 total, 351. Extract from the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. Six district high schools take the Department's rural course, and three are exempted under clause 6 of the Free Place Regulations. Inspectors' reports which have already been submitted to the Department show that the quality of the work ranges from satisfactory to very good ; but in more than one instance strong local dissatisfaction has been expressed in regard to the compulsory teaching of the rural course. This dissatisfaction is due mainly to two causes viz., the conflict between the rural course and matriculation requirements, and the fact that after two years the, rural course practically comes to a " dead end." Remedies in these matters were, suggested by us years ago : first the establishment of vocational institutions similar to Lincoln Agricultural College, to which pupils from our district high schools could graduate and wfiere they could effectively continue their agricultural training ; and, second, such modification of regulations as would enable the Department's Public Service Entrance and Matriculation courses to be co-ordinated with each other. It must be remembered that Matriculation is the preliminary step to every learned profession ; and where there is a small district high school with only one secondary teacher, parents who do not intend their children to take up rural pursuits are aggrieved that the, children's chances of entrance to such professions as, say, law or accountancy should be jeopardized by the requirements of compulsory training in another vocation'altogether. NELSON. Extract from the Report of the Education Board. There are four district high schools -at Takaka, Motueka, Reefton, and Westport. -The attendance the Westport School increased considerably, the roll number exceeding 100. Difficulty was experienced in staffing the secondary departments generally, and work was carried on under adverse