EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1880-81.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 744, 18 April 1881, Page 2

EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1880-81.

The passes at Tenui and Maungaroa wero fair except in the highest standard presented, At Kaitara the higher standards were well prepared in arithmetic, history, and geography; but the reading and writing were defective in all classes, and the spelling was not a strong subject. The results were, however, sufficiently good to pass nearly all the candidates presented,

The Judgeford and.Park Vale Schools continue to do very fair work, especially in the lower standards, Reading with expression is the weakest in most of the country schools. Arithmetic and spelling are generally moderately well taught. Fair instruction in drawing and elementary physics is given in eight school. Sewing is very satisfactorily taught in all schools in which a female teacher is employed, Singing is taught in two schools only, Park Vale and Tenui.

I have much pleasure in reporting that a school library has recently been established by the School Committee at Fernridge. RURAL SCHOOLS, Of the nine schools with an attendance of under 30 (at the examination), one, namely Pahautanui, should take a higher rank; but a section of the people, having grown dissatisfied with the Master, adop°the suicidal course of withdrawing their children from the school. I find no serious fault with the Master's work, and

I am satisfied that, although ho is advanced m years, he is a good teacher. The Waingawa school showed very poor work this year, the reading and spelling being very weak throughout. Also the Tauherenikau School gave poor results in arithmetic, but some improvement was noticeable in other subjects, especially in writing. The remaining six sohools are in good working order, those at Kaiwaiwai and Waiheuga taking the lead, There

is, however, room for improvement in the work of the junior portion of most of the Rural Schools, Drawing, singing, and sewing are taught wherever practicable. The following is the presentment of the Rural Schools in the standards ;

SEPTENNIAL. Seven years have now passed since the first standard examination was made; also the first school age has expired, and all, or nearly all the children then attending school are now engaged in the more arduous duties of life. A brief retrospect, can hardly fail to be interestin? to those who watch the progress of education. On the first introduction of standards, 32 public schools were nominally established in the present district, The State owned no school property in the City, not a rood of land, not a building of any kind. Two Church of England Schools, two Roman Catholic Schools, and an Infant School, the last held in the lean-to of a cottage in Hooper-street, were supported by" the Board. These five schools presented' 684 children for examination, of whom 219 were classed in old Standard I. and 63 in Standard 11. In the Porirua and Hutt districts, including four half-time schools,

I there were 16 schools held in buildings, all of which have since been rebuilt "or largely added to, except Porirua, Wainuiomata, and the one at Taita, which at that time was the best public school building in the whole Educational District. These 16 schools presented 663 children, of whom 153 were classed in Standard I. and 59 in Standard 11. Besides these

there were, including two half-time schools, sleven m the Wairarapa, all held in very poorbuildings, that at the Tauherenikau being about the best and the only one now remaining in use, These eleven schools, presented 404 children, of whom 137 were classed in Standard I, and 43 in Standard H. Thus, in eeren years, the attendance at the examination increased from 1661 to 5488 children. I have, &0., Robert Lee, Inspector of Schools.

THE WAIPOUA BRIDGE. [To the.Editor of the Wairarapa Daily.] Sir,—Kindly permit me space to make a few remarks with reference to the action of the West County Council in respect to the overflow of the Waipoua river. Before entering upon the main question, I should like to refer to the 'attitude assumed by the Council, as reported by you in your issue ot the 11th inst., which attitude is not only lauded in your leading article of to-day) but an attempt is made to push the matter to 'such lengths, that an amicable settlement of the diffioulty would ba impossible. , The County Council, without;perhaps arrogating to itself supreme authority,;has yeitaken up & position scarcely warrantable, by,', the Counties Aot. I refer to the statement of. Councillors asreported, wberereferenceisl made to the Highway Board andßorough I

COUNTRY SCHOOLS. I am pleased to roport that all the seventeen Country Schools, Karon excepted, are more or less in a satisfactory condition. Kakara is the least satisfactory, but there is some improvement upon last year's results. The schools at Tawa, Fernridge, Ohariu, Matarawa, Opaki, and Eketahuna have done good work this year; and considerable improvement was shewn at Johnsonville and Gladstone. Tawa and Fernridge exhibit the hiehest classification; and a very good class of Standard IV. candidates was presented at Opaki, ten candidates passin? out of eleven presented, In the the largest of the country boliools, Karori, there are still only five pupils classed above Standard 11., whilst at Tawa, a school of about the same Bize, there are 43 so classed.

The following is the presentment of the country schools in the Standards :— Standard. Presented. Passed. Failed. I. 109 83 26 II. 114 91 23 III. 131 99 32 IV. 93 ' 61 32 V. 28 18 10 VI. 17 8 9 492 360 132

Standard. Presented. Passed. Failed. I. 45 28 17 II. 42 30 12 Ill 25 19 6 IV. 27 16 11 V. 17 7 10 VI. 6 4 , 1 161 104 ~57