!_.—-2.

[Appendix B.

schools : Stratford District High School two, Hawera one, Inglewood one, Eltham one, Midhirst one, West End two, Mangatoki one, Motunui one, Waitara one, Lepperton one. The Bayly Memorial Scholarship was won by a pupil of the Stratford District High School. Teaching Staff. —The number of teachers in the Board's service on the 31st December, 1921, was as follows :— Male. Female Total. Head teachers .. .. .. .. .. 46 28 74 Sole teachers .. .. .. .. .. 22 64 86 Assistants .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 123 137 82 215 297 Pupil-teachers . . .. .. . . 3 25 28 Probationers .. .. . . .. . . 5 26 3.1 90 266 356 Organizing teachers . . .. . . .. . . . . . . 4 Instructors, Agriculture and Dairy Science . . . . . . .. 2 Instructors, Domestic Science . . .. . . . . .." . . 3 Instructors, Woodwork ... . . . . . . . . . . 3 368 The elifficulty experienced in the past in obtaining suitable; teachers for the more remote back country schools is being steadily lessened. One effect of the Dominion grading scheme has been to increase the number of applicants from other Boards Finance. —The credit balance brought forward from 1920 was £3,778 ss. 4d, and the receipts from all sources £169,041 ss. 3d.; total, £172,819 10s. 7d. The total expenditure in 1921. was £166,914 18s. 4d, leaving a credit balance, on the 31st December, 1921, of £5,904 12s. 3d. Buildings. —The new Technical High School at Hawera was opened eluring the year, the' ceremony being performed by the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, while' primary schools we:re rebuilt at Koru, Upper Mangorei, and Manaia, the opening formalities being carried out by tlie Chairman of the Board. A small shelter-shed school was also erected at Moeroa. New residences have been built at Ngae:re anel Okato, and a residence and section purchased at Ohura. Tho new Stratford Technical High School has made: good progress towards completion. This is the only work being carried out by contract. The: following other works were' completed : Additions and remodelling of the: Toko School ; removal of the Ahititi School to a site: nearer the road ; new infants' latrines at Hawera, and similar improvements at Tokaora anel Matapu. A further batch of washhouse conveniences were also installed in ten residences. Twenty-three schools and seventeen residences were painted during the year. The Board's workshop has again proved a great boon in carrying out the general building-work of the Board. A large quantity e>f joinery and general school furniture: has been completed during the year. In some districts the settlors have themselves erected buildings at their own cost, in order to provide accommodation, and great credit is due to these people for the public-spirited manner in which they have not only helped themselves but assisted the: Department eluring the severe financial strain. Lack of adequate accommodation at some of the schools, notably New Plymouth, Waitara, Tawhiti, and Okaiawa, is causing tho Board, some anxiety, but it is hopeful of something being done to meet the position during the current year. Manual and Technical Instruction. —Elementary handwork subjects were taken by all schools throughout the year, though some difficulty was again experienced in obtaining an adequate supply of material. Nature-study and elementary agriculture have been given considerable attention, 157 classes being recognized for capitation purposes during the: year. On the whole good work has been accomplished, particularly in the schools in the Central Ward, where the influence of the Agriculture: Instructors is more manifest —due probably to the. greater facilities in keeping the schools under supervision and the ability of the teachers to attend regular courses of instruction. Technical instruction was carried out at New Plymouth, Stratford, and Hawora, the subjects inclueling English, arithmetic, mathematics, book-keeping, typing, shorthand, invalid cooking, laundry-work, engineering, plumbing, general science, chemistry, agriculture, and dairy science. Manual-training classes have been held in New Plymouth, Inglewood, Stratford, Eltham, Hawera, and Waitara, the subjects comprising principally woodwork, e:ookery, and domestic science. Needlework has been taught in all schools, and where necessary (in Grades 0, 1, and 2) a competent instructress 'has been e:ngageel. Instruction Classes for Teachers. —Saturday classes were conducted at New Plymouth and Stratforel, the subjects of instruction including geometrical drawing, freearm and blackboard eirawing, home science, hygiene, and practical agriculture ; whilst arrangements were made for teachers unable: to attend these classes owing to distance to receive tuition by correspondence. Altogether eighty-one: teachers attended the Saturday classes and fifteen teachers availed themselves of the correspondence course. A winter school for teachers was held at Matiere for those resident in the Ohura district. Twenty-five teachers (and several S7 pupils) attended, instruction being given in agriculture, dairy science, hygiene, mathematics, drawing, vocal music, and school method. Compulsory Continuation Classes. —Compulsory evening classes have boon carried on at Stratford, Hawera, Eltham, and New Plymouth, and the work reported on by the instructors is fairly good. Physical Instruction. —The Department's physical instructors visited all the schools under the Board during the year, and report general all-round improvement both in the ejuality of the instruction given by the teachers and in tho physique and general condition of the pupils. In April a refresher

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