CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12767, 23 June 1911, Page 3

CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

Following is the Chief Inspector's j eport for the month:—

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Inspection.—77 reports aro presented. Mr. Stewart has been busy in the Upper Turakina Valley and in the Rangiwahia district, Mr. Milne in the extreme South, Mr. Strong in the. North, and I have visited some of the larger schools in the South.

On the whole the reports are very satisfactory, especially those from the North where most of the head-teachers of the rural schools are progressives to a degree, not merely in respect of mothods and management, but also with respect to school environment. Kaponga, Kapuni, Manaia, Manutahi, and Hurleyville receive special praise for the attractiveness of the grounds. All the Inspectors remark on the superior quality of the attendance cA most of the schools.. .; Primary School Agriculture.—The Supervisors' reports are for the most part satisfactory. In the North, Mr. Browne is~ impressing on the teachers the desirability of their planting some fruit trees with a view to the instruction of pupils in pruning, budding and grafting.

Secondary Agriculture,—The work in this subject (as in Domestic Science1) ia proceeding apace at our District High Schools. The , Science Master is /well satisfied with the progress and conduct of the pupils, and the other Instructors express themselves in equally favourablo terms. It is 'unfortunate that the two northern schools have not loyally accepted the Board's programme of work. They gain nothing whatever by standing aloof, and they certainly lose much. Mr. Browne puts the posrtion with respect to secondary rural work so well that I quote one or two sentences from his report. "I feel satisfied that we can wean the yo'mg people/rom their top evident longing for office work by showing them the great interest that may be taken in crops, especially when we teach them the joys of pruning, and' the proper treatment of fruit trees, flowers and the soil. Country life has too long been a dull round of mechanical work, ploughing and milking." Quite so, muscle, brains and character may be misplaced, hvn> they are never misplaced on the land.

Instruction Returns. — The returns from the Instructors of the Saturday classes, the special Instructors, and the Head-teachers on the progress and conduct of pupil-teachers, aio of a' uniformly satisfactory nature. The term examination in drawing und music at iho pupil-teacher instruction centres have been held with satisfactory results.

Arbor Day.—As Arbor Day is once more approaching, I would, recommend ihe Board to apply Lo the Agricultural Department for* a supply of shrubs an 1 iiees suited to our district. As the towns are at present enamoured of the idea of "beaufcificatiori." the country people mny worthily emulate them by beautifying the school in each district. We have already school garden competitions; school .ground competitions would be an object nob loss worthy, TECHNICAL SCHCODS.

Wanganui. -— The Department has made a handsome grant for furniture imd fittings which the school will presently bo in a position to receive. In Iho transition stage it will be somewhat difficult to do more than keep the classes together, but a.s soon as the building is in :i condition to occupy, developments may bo looked for in various directions. The J. B. McEwan Co. has donated a fine Baltic Separator of the value of JC7. This will be a great boon to tlio school as well as to ihe boys in taking the Agricultural Course.

Southern.—Mr. Watkin notes, an improvement in the total roll number oi this district-. His committee is vsaugiiine that a good class in veterinary science will bo formed in Feildinn:. Wool-classing has not been a form of instruction much in request this year. The Instructor has two classes, and '-c is also taking classes of boys at the District High Schools. I notice that the Ps'.lmcrston North branch of the Farmers' Union proposes to mako ;< grant to our district (amongst others) for the purpose, : of fosteiing'shearing classes; no doubt the grant -can be spent to excellent purpose. In the Southern district classes are conducted at the- following out-centrcs*: —Apiti, Bunnythorpe, Kimbolton, Cheltenham. Rongotea, Ashhurst, Pohangina and Bulls.

Central. —Two wool-classes are conducted in this district—one at Mr. Ilatley's, Ngatarua, and ono at Man-.' gaweka. The Taihape and1 Marton centres under the charge of Messrs Thompson and Lyne will not fall through lack of vim on the part of their directors, but it is difficult to compete- wttii the line of least resistance for that lino leads.not to the Technical Schools, but to the Picture Shows and the Rink.

North .-—Classes are held at Hawera, Eltham, Wayerley, Patea, Manaia. Matapu, Okaiawa, Alton and Mangatoki. Tlie country classes are having a somewhat checkered history this year, but on the whole the movement is holding its own. At Patea, Hawera,

Kaponga, Mangawhero, and Alton, classes have been formed in'"veterinary science. At other centres the utility of such classes does not seem to be recognised. Mr.'Browne calls .attention to the inadequate amount of ground at his disposal for experimental purposes. It is to be hoped that to.'ne eager agriculturist in the North will emulate Mr. Wilson, the President 01 the Farmers' Union and make over for the use of the secondary pupils in agriculture at; Hawera, Patea, and'Eltham, several acres of land to be treated under ordinary farming conditions. The need of a greenhouse a* Hawera is also emphasised. Stratford already has an adjunct of this kind, and as we cannot afford to stand still, ways- and means for following so good on example must somehow, be found.

Attention is directed to the fact that the new rates of 'payment are likely to kill country technical classes altogether, and _on this question I have prepared a special memoi'andum for the oard.