E.—2

Changes in the Schools.—The following changes took place in the Principalships of the secondary schools during 1943 : Mr. B. N. Hogben commenced his duties as Principal of Wellington College, and Mr. T. D. Scott succeeded him at the Dannevirke High School. Miss V. F. Townsend took up her duties as Principal of Timaru Girls' High School in succession to Miss L. A. S. Hurle, appointed to the Inspectorate. During the year Mr. J. Hutton resigned his appointment as Principal of Gisborne High School, . and was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel J. Leggat, formerly of the staff of New Plymouth Boys' High School, and recently returned from military duties in the Middle East. Miss A. R. Allum, of Auckland Girls' Grammar School, succeeded Miss D. A. Allan as Principal of New Plymouth Girls' High School. Mr. F. J. Gair, the Acting-Principal of Wairarapa College, relinquished this position at the beginning of 1944 on the return from military service of Major G. C. Hancox, the Principal. Major M. Leadbetter returned to his duties as Principal of Waimate High School, and Mr. D. D A. Bird, who had been acting in that capacity, returned to his position as assistant in Ashburton Technical School. It is with much regret I have to record that Mr. Bird died after a short illness soon after the resumption of his duties at Ashburton. Dr. B. 11. Howard, who had been Acting-Principal of King's High School, relinquished that appointment on the return from military service of the Principal, Lieutenant-Colonel D. S. Chisholm. Many changes in curricula, not so much in the subjects taught as in the time given to them and the value placed upon them, are foreshadowed in the report of the Committee appointed by the Minister of Education in November, 1942, on the Post-Primary School Curriculum. Some schools, anticipating and appreciating the proposed changes, have already begun adapting their courses in languages, sciences, history, geography, and physical education, and there is evidence of a general willingness to implement as soon as possible, within the means at present at their disposal, any changes approved by the Department. The introduction of accrediting, to begin in 1944, has also created much interest. Not for many years has there been so much thoughtful searching of possibilities and responsibilities as during 1943. Now within sight is that freedom from restraint that has bound secondary schools for so long. The question that remains to be answered is whether or not the new opportunities will be seized with boldness and imagination. There is an easy road and a hard one. A school that takes the easy road will continue to accept uncritically the standards and objectives and the curricula and methods hitherto largely imposed from without and will be content with minor adjustments. A school that takes the hard road will reexamine its whole theory and practice, make up its mind about the real needs of its pupils and the means by which they can best be met, and then act courageously in accordance with its findings. Buildings. —There is very little to report under this heading. Work on the new block at New Plymouth Girls' High School has been resumed and an additional dormitory provided at Timaru Girls' High School. Marlborough College and the boys' school at Whangarei have been handed back to the schools by the military authorities, the latter school needing much restoration to refit it for school use. The War.—There was less disturbance in secondary schools due to the war than in the previous year. Marlborough College and Whangarei High School have resumed possession of their buildings. Out of a total of 501 male teachers recorded as holding permanent or war appointments on the staffs of secondary and combined schools, 149, or 30 per cent., were, in December, 1943, still absent from their schools on war service. Of these, 65 were permanent teachers serving overseas, 53 were permanent teachers serving in New Zealand and 31 were holders of war vacancies serving either overseas or in New Zealand. The effect of military service is reflected in the grading list, where the number of men in the D grade is reduced to 50, a low number, due to the lack of new male entrants to the service. During the year five teachers from the secondary scrvice lost their lives on active service. They were Major J. J. G. Britland and Lieutenant D. P. Lindsay, both of Dannevirke High School; 2nd Lieutenant K. J. Barling, of Hamilton High School; Lieutenant D. E. Murray, of Otago Boys' High School ; and Pilot Officer J. M. Paape, of Waitaki Boys' High School. I have, &c., F. C. Renyard, Superintendent of Technical Education.

Table A1.—PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS BY GRADE, and Intermediate Schools and Departments, December, 1943

7

Education District. 2 ti gj, • ■ ________ . CQCO •§§ & a§3 coif? Roll for determining Grade • cq d >» 8® of School. 1 a 1 » I s ■§ 45 t n 3 03 ffi cP d "h £ S. 3 2 W a O § ft a -S'W ? I II I I I 1 f ■§ .S ® H p£ W £ % ■ & O m I 1-8 .. ..16 5 12 13 17 21 10 16 10 120 II 9-24 .. ..165 32 62 62 53 33 114 77 49 647 IIIA 25-30 .. 47 10 7 12 14 3 23 8 14 138 IIIb 31-70 .. ..197 44 44 33 41 27 78 37 47 548 IVa 71-110 .. ..60 11 17 16 18 6 26 22 10 186 IVb 111-150 .. 30 11 7 5 8 5 4 9 5 84 IVo 151-190 .. ..15 4 1 4 9 4 5 5 6 53 VA 191-230 .. 8 3 3 3 4 6 2 1 30 Vb 231-270 13 3 2 6 4 .. 11 3 1 43 Vc 271-310 .. .. 7 .. 3 3 5 .. 3 2 1 24 Vd 311-350 .. .. 5 .. 1 .. 4 2 2 5 .. 19 VI 351-870 .. ..62 7 12 11 29 4 30 13 7 175 Intermediate schools and 10 .. 2 2 2 .. 2 4 1 23 departments Totals .. .. 635 130 • 173 170 208 105 314 203 152 2,090 Note. —Two half-time schools and thirty-eight main schools with side schools attached are counted separately, and are included i» the separate grades determined by the separate average attendance of each school.