PATEA MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1880. THE EDUCATION REPORT.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 520, 15 May 1880, Page 2

PATEA MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1880. THE EDUCATION REPORT.

The Report of the Wanganui Education Board must be considered as on the whole satisfactory ; showing, as it does, increased facilities in education, and the extent to which these advantages are utilised in this district. At the close of 3878, there were 47 schools open under the Board, with a total attendance of 2141; whereas at the end of 1879 the schools had increased to 51, and the attendance had risen to 2850. This increase of 709 scholars in attendance shows a striking and satisfactory advance for twelve months. Then in addition to the new schools opened, three others are in progress ; new buildings have taken the place of old ones in three cases; and fifteen of the schools have been much enlarged. Nine new residences for teachers have been erected ; two others are in progress ; and three have received repairs and additions. The Board has also provided suitable accommodation for its meetings.

The attention devoted to the High School at Wanganui, as the centre of the Education district, has induced a fear that too much money was being spent on the ornamental part of education, to the proportionate starving of normal schools. Apart from this natural jealousy, education appeals to a people’s liberal sympathies, and we should not begrudge suitable provision for a higher class of education than is provided in our common schools. It is well to aim high, and to be content with short steps; for when a high position is taken, proportionate results are expected. The Scholarships established by the Board ought to beneficially stimulate all students to exertion, while they offer to the successful competitor a fair opportunity of acquiring superior education. Seven Scholarships have been awarded during the last year, and the fruits of such expenditure will be looked for with interest. Libraries, school sites, &c., next occupy the chairman’s report ; and the subject of finance brings it to a close. The ways and means for carrying on this large Education work shew that the general account has been overrun by £1,244 ; and that when all liabilities of the building fund arc met, there will bo a deficiency of £2,414. This is expected, however, to bo wiped out by a supplementary grant. Official subsidising cannot be safely calculated on at present; but seeing that the Wanganui Board has so many small schools under its charge, some exceptional consideration seems to be due, on the ground that the educational wants of a large and scattered district require large expenditure in proportion to the number of children taught. Referring to difficulties in meeting the requirements of the Standards, the Inspector says, “ Until we have something like uniformity in the conducting examinations by the several Inspectors, we shall not be able to form a fair and impartial estimate of the state of Education in the various educational districts.” This remark goes to the root of this careful analytical inspection. The extent of the subjects, and the idiosyncracies of each Inspector in handling his subject or the children under examination> must largely influence the proportion of . the. children who can pass the various Standards. ' Theie being no uni-

formity in the questions of Inspectors, and their methods of putting them being also diverse, we need not look for uniformity in the results of inspection. As to the teachers, the Inspector says: “ Seventeen schools were under the charge of either inexperienced or uncertified teachers.” This seems a largo proportion, but the demand for men of experience in teaching has been so great throughout New Zealand, that small schools yielding a salary proportionately low must always he considered as step-ping-stones to higher preferment, and arc likely to have good teachers only so long as such teachers can get nothing better. The frequent changes cf teachers in small centres of population could be obviated by the residents subsidising a good teacher in each place, and making it worth his while to remain content. Parents would ultimately find the. benefit of such a course in the saving of time and trouble to themselves, and in the steady progress of their children. Some other features of the report will have an interest for this district.