FREE NIGHT SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 56, 7 March 1889, Page 5

FREE NIGHT SCHOOL.

It is a matter of considerable importance to the ; general community that our youth should receive the best possible education. Unhappily, many youths are forced, by the pressure of circumstances, to leave school at a comparatively early age, when their primary education has nob been fully completed. For the benefit of these boys, often young men, the Board of Education established a free night school last year. Its success at first, was very marked 9 and during the winter the attendance at times rose to over 150 ; but as the summer months came on the attendance gradually gob' smaller. The decrease, was so .marked that at the end of the last month of 1888 out of a monthly roll average of 80 the average attendance was only 44/2, a result nob calculated to improve the hopes of the friends of the school. With the new year, however, there has been a decided improvement in the attendance,.and the school is now flourishing and promises" to" bo a'n-'-in----T stibution of much importance. The school 'started work on February 4th, and the following particulars taken from the school, rolls will show how it has been advancing.' The first week the number on the, roll was 117 and the average at--bendance 682 ; the second week 135 with an attendance of 938; third week 139, attendance 91 '6 ; fourth week, 145, attendance 946, giving an average monthly - number on the roll of 134, with an average attendance of 87*32, a result that speaks volumes for the energy pf the teachers and the influence of the school. The headmaster,-' Mr R. D. Reid, who has only had charg® this term, is very sanguine about its success, andthinks itmay be the beginningof anight. ■ school system similar to that in vogue in in England and the United States. It is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity fgn boys and youths whose early education hasbeen neglected, an opportunity that parents should not fail bo avail themselves of. Mr Reid has with him as regular assistants Messrs Hall and Hamilton, Mr Robinson visits to give lessons in drawing, Mr Carson in science, and Mr Newton in book-keeping. The subjects of instruction in addition to . the last three are reading, writing, arith-; metic, and drawing in the lower division ; j arithmetic, composition, book-keeping, ! science and drawing (mechanical) in the • upper division. It will be seen that) the education supplied is of a very valuable . character. The school is held every given-; ing in the Newton East schoolroom from ; 7.30 to 9 o'clock, and the only charge mado is 6cl a month to cover the cost of station^, cry.