PRIMARY EDUCATION.

Lake County Press, Issue 978, 5 September 1901, Page 7

PRIMARY EDUCATION.

A YEAR'S PROGRESS. [From the Dttxedin Evening Stab.] WELLINGTON, August 29. The twenty-fourth annual report on the Department of Education was presented to Parliament yesterday. For the last eight the capitation grants have been paid SpViO education boards on the " working average," the Order-in-Council authorising such payment having been renewed from time to time. It has now been finally decided to discard the "strict average," and to adopt the working average as the basis of pavment to boards. The working average "for 1900 was 111.748, being an increase of 1,432 on that of 1899, which was 110,316. In 1898 the average was 111,636, and in 1897 112,328. The average of the weekly roll numbers throughout the year shows a further falling-off from that of 1899, which was less than the vear before, the figures being 132,897 for 1900, as against 133,540 for 1899—a decrease of ! 643.

1 The number of children under nine years of age was 235 more at the end of 1300 than December, 1899. On the other hand, the number of children over fourteen vears of age was 407 less than in the previous vear. Taking the several education districts of the colony, an increase is shown in the average attendance at the schools 1900, as compared with 1899, in all the districts of the North Island and in Grey and South Canterbury in the South. In "all the other districts of the South Island there has been a decrease. The increase in the working average for the North Island is 1,806, and the decrease for the South Island 375, the net increase for the whole colony being thus 1,431. The greatest increase (956) is shown in Auckland, which is more than one-half the gross increase for the colony; the next being Wanganui, with an increase of 342. In regularity of attendance there has been an improvement in every district except Nelson, which remains the same as in 1899, and Marlborough and Southland, which show a- slight falling-off. In Grey and Westland the high figures which were attained in 1899, 89 per cent, of the ayerage roll number respectively, have increased to 89.1 and 87.5. Otago, with an attendance of 86.9 per cent, of the number on the roll, stands at the head of the larger education districts. The number of Maori and half-caste children attending the public schools remains practically the same as in 1900, showing an increase of 126 in the number of halfcastes living as Europeans, and a fallingoff of 125 in the number of Maoris. The apparent difference in the numbers may be due merely to a different method of classification. The proportion of boys to girls remains the same as in the previous year, 45.9 per cent, to 48.1 per cent. The number of children below the age of ten is to the number above that age as 52.1 to 47.9. The proportion of pupils in the preparatory classes shows an increase for the year. The proportion in Standard Classes V. and VI. has also increased. The other classes present a slight decrease. The percentages of pupils in the Standard Classes I. to VL for the years 1899 and 1900 were respectively 70.84 and 69.97 for the whole colony. " Of those present at examination there passed in Standard 1., 93.3 per cent. ; in Standard 11., 90.4 per cent.; in Standard 111., 84-7 per cent, ; in Standard IV., 84.3 per cent,; in Standard V., 81.7 per cent,; and in Standard VI., 76 per cent. The corresponding figures for 1899 were 96.4, 93.4, 81.1, 77.0, 75.5, and 80.3. It will thus be seen that the percentage of passes in Standards I. and 11., which in both years were examined by the headteachers, is less for 1900 than for 1899, and that the percentage of passes in each of the Standards 111., IV., and V., which were examined by the head-teachers for the first, time last year, was greater than in the preceding year, the difference being most marked in Standards IV. and V. It is difficult to say how far the higher percentage of passes in these standards may be set down to the willingness of teachers to pass children more easily than the inspectors have been accustomed to pass them, and how far it is due to the easier conditions on which a pass may now be secured. Probably the latter (says the report) is the predominant cause, for the reports of the inspectors of sohools do not appear to reveal any general desire on the part of head-teachers to exercise greater leniency in this respect. For Standard VI., a pass for which secures a " certificate of proficiency," the inspectors were in both years the examiners, and the lower percentage gained seems to indicate a somewhat greater stringency in the conditions for securing a pass. The lowest average at which Standard I. was passed was eight years and six months in the Merlborough and South Canterbury districts. Standard V. (" the standard of exemption") was passed at the average age of twelve years and nine months in South Canterbury, and of thirteen years and seven months in Taranaki; these two being the lowest and highest average ages respectively. The number of schools open at the end of 1900 was 1,674, or 29 more than were open in December, 1899. The total average attendance for the fourth quarter of 1900 was 111,498, against 109,950 in the corresponding quarter of 1899. The mean average attendance per school therefore rose from 66.3 to 66.6. During the past year twenty-two schools were closed in various parts of the colony. In December, 1900, there were employed in our public schools 3,586 teachers (exclusive of sewing mistresses). Of these, 2,631 were adults and 955 pupil-teachers. The corresponding numbers for December, 1899, were 2,592 adults and 1,022 pupilteachers, so that there is an improvement in the staffing to a slight extent of the adult teachers. At the end of 1900, 1,216. were men and 1,415 were women. Of the pupil-teachers, 206 were male and 749 female. The number of adult male teachers was 4 less, and the adult females teachers was 43 more than in December, 1899, and the numuer of male pupil-teachers was 24 less and of females 43 less than at that period. There were, however, vacancies in the case of 8 adults and 11 pupil-teachers. Adding these to the number actually employed, we get 30.9 as the average number of children in attendance to one teacher in the last quarter of 1900. The proportion of pupilteachers to adults employed at the end of 1900 was 1 to 2.76, or. roughly, 4 apprentices to 11 adult teachers. The weakest districts in adults in proportion to pupilteachers are Hawke's Bay and Wanganui, where the pupil-teachers are to the adults as 1 to 1.5; Wellington being slightly better with 1 to 1.9. Omitting the districts where small schools not having pupilteachers are numerous, the strongest in adult teachers are—South Canterbuiy, 1 pupil-teacher to 5 adults; Otago, 1 to 4 95; and Southland, 1 to 4.4. The total of all salaries at the rates paid at the end of the year was £356,875. This includes the salaries of pupil-teachers and sewing mistresses, as well as all salaries, Louse rent, .ind other allowances paid to adult teachers. The average salary per teacher (including those named) was therefore £94 19s 7d, which is £1 4s 2d more than tbu: corresponding amount in Derem-

ber. 1899. excluding the salaries of mowing mistresses and pupil-teachers and house allowances paid to teachers. Where residences are not provided, the average salary paid to adult teachers would appear as £l2O 4s 3d. Of the total number of 2,652 adult teachers (exclusive of sewing mistresses) employed in the public schools), 2,369 were holders of certificates, 15 othere had passed the certificate examination, 68 had gained a partial pass, 35 had failed, 144 had never been examined by the department. On the general account the net deficit of all the boards is £5,983 17s 7d, which is less by about £1,400 than the deficit at the end of the year 1899. The largest deficits are shown by Wellington (£4,3919s 8d), Otago (£2,308 17s 2d), North Canterbury (£2,222 0s lid), Wanganui (£973 13s 9d). Two other boards also show deficits. Auckland has changed a deficit of £1,033 4s lid into a credit balance of £1,358 2s Id. Six other boards show credit balances. On the whole, eight out of the thirteen boards have improved their position on the general account during the year. The Wellington Board, however, have gone back £1,230 8s 9d during the year. The improvement that has taken place in the majority of districts appears to be due principally "to the improvement of the average attendance and to reductions in salaries. On the two aecountstogether —building and general—there appears to have been an improvement for all the boards of £3,439 3s lid.

The special vote for schools in newly settled districts, etc., has been distributed this year in a somewhat different mode from that followed in former years. Instead of waiting for all the claims from the different districts to be sent in before making a distribution of the total amount available, claims have been dealt with on their merits as they have been received. Boards have been asked to supply fuller particulars in regard to the schools they propose to establish. Ona effect has been apparently that boards do not now make applications for grants prospectively, but wait until the need for new schools is well defined, and the work of building can be immediately begun. Some of the applications under this head were not finally dealt with until after the close of the financial year, and since the 31st March further grants have been, made, amounting in all to £2,423. The distribution of the ordinary votes for school buildings was made as follows : —■ Auckland, £9,500; Taranaki. £165; Wanganui, £3,925; Wellington, £5,200; Hawke's Bay, £2,600 ; Marlborough, £9OO ; Nelson, £2,000; Grey, £775; Westland, £750: North Canterbury, £6,000; South Canterbury, £1,800; Otago, £6,000; Soudilandl £3,400: balance to native schools, £500; total, £45,000. The following distribution was made of the special vote- for schools in newlv settled districts : —Auckland, £1,426; "Wanganui, £807; Hawke's Bay, £435; Marlborough, £l/4; North Canterbury, £301; Southland, £207 ; native schools, " £2,463; undistributed, £19,187: total, £25,000. On the question of deficiency of scluiol buildings the report says:—Out of 1,571 schools 88 were being carried on in buildings not belonging to boards, whilst in 1899 there were 77 out of 1,544. The number of schools without residences increased from 517 to 525." Allowing ten square feet per child, 55 schools were overcrowded, even taking the average attendance, and not the number on the roll. The vote for the training of teachers increased last year from £6OO to £I,OOO. It was divided equally between the Normal Schools at Christchurch and Dunedin. In other districts (notably at Napier) attempts have been made to provide in some degree for the training of teachers, but taking the eoleny as a whole the provision made for this important need seems to fall short of what is adequate. Pending a final solution of the question, the need for training teachers in the hand work prescribed for "school classes" under the Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1900, has been met temporarily by grants to the boards for this purpose, amounting in all to £1,875, out of the vote for manual and technical instruction, by grants of apparatus and material for teachers' classes, and by the concession of free railway passes to enable teachers to attend the instruction given thereat. When last year's report was printed 1.011 model rifles had been distributed amongst the education boards, and 100 to the Industrial Schools at Burnham and Caversham. There have been distributed since: Auckland, 1,350; Taranaki, 20; Wanganui, 385; Wellington, 304; Hawke's Bay, 307; Westland, 50; the Industrial School at Nelson has received 50; and the native school at Waimana 36. The total number distributed up to the present time is therefore 3,613.

Inspectors of schools, head-teachers, and other experts are now practically agreed that the next step in advance should be the abolition of the individual standard pass except in Standard VI., and that .it the same time there should be a modification and a rearrangement of the syllabus of instruction in such a way as (1) to reduce the range of requirements in small schools; and (2) to facilitate the introduction or extension of hand and eye training and the more practical treatment of all the subjects in the school course. The number on the books of the Government Industrial Schools at the close of the year 1900 was 1,163, or 55 more than in "December, 1899. On the books of the private industrial schools there were 540, or 20 less than at the end of the previous year. The inmates on the books of the four Government industrial schools in existence at the end of 1900 were distributed as follow : —Auckland, 94 ; Burnham, 562 ; Caversham, 494; Te Oranga, 13; total, 1.163. Of those belonging to private industrial schools there were on the books of St. Mary's (Auckland), 127; St. Joseph's (Wellington), 82; St. Mary's (Nelson), 307; St. Vincent de Paul's (Dunedin), 24; total, 540. Out of over 1,100 that have passed out of the control of the schools 90 per cent, at least have turned out well. Regulations dealing with industrial school matters generally, and applying to Government and private schools alike, will be issued gradually. A greater degree of classification of industrial schools' inmates is proceeding. In futherance of this scheme a site, with about 400 acres of good land, has been secured at Horowhenua, near Levin, for a boys' industrial school, and it is hoped that part of the new premises will be ready for occupation in the beginning of 1902. Most of the industrial school boys proper (i.e., exclusive of those requiring reformatory treatment), who are in residence, are at present at Caversham. When the Horowhenua School is open these inmates will be taken thither. It is intended that the latter school shall consist of a set of cottage homes. Further progress in the direction of reclaiming those who have started on a wrong path in life is needful; it is accordingly proposed to give Boards of Education the power to establish separate truant schools, and thereby to check at its outset the nomadic habit that so often lends to juvenile delinquency. It is hoped also that the introduction of more definite industrial training into the schools, such as that given, for instance, in the workshops lately erected at Burnham, will still further increase the -•hances of success in the treatment of those committed to the schools. On account of the earnings of inmates belonging to Government industrial schools

there was on December 31, 1900. a balance in the Post Office Savings Bank of £11,137 Is Id, and on account of inmates on the books of private industrial schools £1,526 18s 7d. During the year £1,377 16s 6d was withdrawn for inmates of Government schools, and £B7 5s 6d for inmates of private schools. At the end of 1900 there were 45 children (25 boys and 20 girls) at the Sumner institution. The gross expenditure for maintenance was £3,158, against £3,444 for the previous year. The plans for new buildings are in hand, and it is hoped that it may be poesible shortly to begin the work of erection.