THE FREE NIGHT SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9130, 11 August 1888, Page 6

THE FREE NIGHT SCHOOL.

IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE OF THE

PUPILS.

A REPORT as to the working of the Free Night School was received by the Board of Education yesterday from Mr. Grierson, the headmaster. This document stated that if the work of that school was to fall as much as possible on the lines of the day school syllabus, it was absolutely necessary that some plan be adopted to secure regular attendance on the part of the pupils : and Mr. Grierson believed that the only system likely to effect this end was a regular visitation of the parents and employers of the pupils. In his opinion, the opportunity of obtaining gratuitous instruction was not to the younger and more ignorant lads a sufficient inducement to regular attendance. If regular attendance were secured, the pupils must be required to provide themselves with necessary books, the nature of which would depend upon the syllabus. Mr. Grierson suggested the adoption of the following regulations —1. That the head teacher be empowered to remove any pupil who does not within a reasonable time after his admission say a fortnight—procure books and pay the charge for stationery. 2. That the head teacher be authorised to exclude any boy who does not, under ordinary circumstances, make two-thirds of the possible number of attendances. 3. That the head teacher be relieved of day school duties, and devote his time to visit parents and employers, and otherwise working for the school. With respect to the syllabus, the subject of reading should be omitted in the upper divisions, as the majority of the pupils absolutely would not attend for reading lessons; and he did not see how more than arithmetic and grammar could be taught. The book-keeping classes should be kept on. Mr. Robinson's drawing classes were doing good work. Mr. Carson, the science master, might ix> ne on Thursday evening only, and give one lesson to each of the two upper divisions. The teaching of shorthand might, Mr. Carson thought, be altogether discontinued without much affecting the attendance. i'his report was remitted to Inspector Goodwin.