INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7866, 18 May 1891, Page 3

INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS.

Th- Injectors under the North CanterTb T),".ration Boira prederitc-u their bliry ilnort to the meeting, wnich took ramaWieP" • A ueisLtnki_;be manner P ,iC l.,hth v«»r «-*•» occupied in aauii. ?ffth?XW«» un-Lr the Board. ~_litue Uline( i for standard e!a_jontrql were es. jjurnham InfSk^ul; which is not under the -"* was examinee as miorjuer examination .schedule-, ot the f e * tß 'i« inrluded iii the return contained Kb°° ,a! , of* 1 773 children, of whom <H IU r-er cent, of the whole, were 1 3 - 96 " 2 in the standard elates, and per cent., in the preparatory gjj.oru- thjg nutn (,er, 10,507 passed •* ivlsl f o . D nnaHli for which they were preft VHnd& f-»ed. The officially re- ?'• Percentage of Passes estimated 4°*S_ total roll number, is 5U.57, and the of Failures,' estimated on .percent** _ msnecl f or passes iv Stanthe 'exceptions' deducted, is the highest and lowest respectively l -»t«fned The subjects iv which an ftSl record of the proficiency of WS not demanded, yield in ' Cla.s **?• rfa' an official percentage of 45.5-, BaD of 1.55, and in 'Additional PwSSs" the average marks 57.01, a de"Stable of comparative percentages •«e beeu given, the Inspectors eou- ■-? S_."We have to congratulate the -ffrfrt OB the presentation of a larger SSSon in standard classes, in part *? result of increasing efficiency m tbe «torY divisions ; on clear evidences, tSaai 'beyond the test of pass results, improvement in the preparar nf the three lowest standards ;on a farther advance, in the proportion of Sen retained at school beyond the tonrthstandard; on a further reduction I the number absent from examination ; d-farther slifShl increase and decrease Emectiverj in. the general percentages of "~ses and fa_ a i" es > which, in the absence *-"?! tetcer we have to regard as tbe chief Criterion of progress. On the other hand, we have mainly to regret thac tbe in- „__* of numbers iucluded in tbe M_her classes is not accompanied by evidences of improved preparation. A falli'mr-off has to be noted in the results obtained in Standard VI. and Standard V. Standard IV. maintains a neutral position. Oar general impression of tbe wo. k done v bereaa elsewhere, consistent with the (jmires submitted. The upper parts of our schools have noc been advancing in merit at the same pace as the lower. B re n where passes are granted, the orepixation of children in Standard V. in-Standard VI. too often leaves much tobe desired in point of thoroughness, tot probably we shall not get much further in the better class of work than -e_&ve done, until school government airrows the distance now separating it from perfection, in securing to the stronger uidjraore intelligent teachers the better positions in the service." In alluding to class subjects it was pointed out that a material decline in History was made up in other subjects, bat the total reached was not very gratifying. Additional subjects showed general Improving tendencies. In attendance the returns had been going up with steady ffgularity, and were on a level with the lyerage of the colony. In discipline the Rhools were not improving, partly owing to the growing teudency of parents to tesent the exercise of corporal punish«ent.