Te Arai School.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7136, 19 November 1894, Page 3

Te Arai School.

Mr Hill, Inspector of Schools, reports on the examination held on October 22nd :— Staff and distribution : Mr Victor, master, standards VII., VI., V., IV., and 111. ; Miss VVillson, pupil teacher, standards 11., 1. , and preparatory pupils. Number attending, 67 ; in standards, 42 ; examined 37, and one in standard VII ; passed, 27. Remarks. — This school has hardly maintained the same efficiency as it was at the date of my examination a year ago, but the master reports that the work has been much hindered by bad weather and sickness. The schedule of attendance shows that many pupils have not attended with regularity during the year. In all the standards there is weakness apparent in reading and comprehension, and the spelling and dictation are in too many cases} below a fair standard. The writing is mostly of very fair quality, but would be much improved by thn use of the same copy book for each pupil in the same standard. In standard 111., for example, four different books are iv use, and it is scarcely possible to expect due supervision and correction of errors under such conditions. Drawing (freehand) and scale for plans, has been carefully prepared, and most of the pupils satisfy the requirements in this subject. The boys in standard IV. are weak in geometrical drawing, and attention is called to this in the result column of the examination schedules. Arithmetic is uneven in quality throughout, but this may be accounted for by the different tests given in this subject. The style of the work is very fair, aud some of the exercise books are well I and carefully done. In class subjects, grammar is hardly satisfactory, and more attention should be paid to the cases of nouns, and the conjugation of verbs. The recitation of tho senior pupils was very good. In all other subjects except needlework fair average marks were obtained. With respect to the latter subject, there >s evidently some misunderstanding existing between the committee and the master, and it is desirable that this matter should be set at rest. At present Mrs Victot gives instruction in the subject, but this has only lately been done, and the sewing is far below a fair standard, and much of it is unfinished and not ready for examination. I have, however, authorised the i master to send on the sewing to Napier, and I have further intimated that the subject must not be neglected for the future, and that proper arrangements must be made for its being taught systematically and efficiently. Standards I. and 11. were examined for results in the pass subjects by the master, and the passes in these standards are based on his judgment of the efficiency of the | pupils. The work set in Standard I. appears to me as being much too low in arithmetic, and certainly the writing in copy-books is not equal to a fair standard. Over-classifi-t cation is a danger in this division of the school, as the Preparatory classes will hardly be able to prepare three elementary readers during the year before being transferred to Standard I. Altogether, the school 13 doing fairly well, but subjects like reading, writing and arithmetic should receive more systematic leaching and supervision during the coming year. Arrangements also should be made to supervise the work of the pupil teacher in Standards 11. , I. and the Preparatory classes. The registration was satisfactory.