REPORT OF SCHOOL INSPECTOR.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2235, 22 July 1865, Page 6

REPORT OF SCHOOL INSPECTOR.

Tite above report shows that since the passing of the Education Act in 1855, twenty-four Common Schools, having 1016 scholars on their books have been established with the assistance of the Government. In these with one or two trifling exceptions a purely secular course of instruction has been adopted, not from any carelessness or disregard for religion, but from a fear of exciting discussion amongst communities composed of varions religious sects. The School Inspector says : — '" Were we to judge alone from the number of the schools established, and the statistics of attendance, of the educational condition of the Province, there would be every reason to congratulate ourselves on the successful working of the | Education Act as now administered j" but " the ! quality of the instruction lamentably falls short of tho desired standard in very many of these schools, so much so, as lo call for a most careful and serious consideration of the causes of the defect, and a determined vigorous effort to remedy the evil. The Schools arc divided into the following classes, viz. : — " Class I. Town Schools — i.e., schools estab- | lished in districts which include two -hundred (200) householders ut least within a radius of two miles from the school house. " Class 11. Township or Village Schools, in districts including from one hundred to two hundred householders within the same circle. " Clasi 111. Country District Schools, in localities where not more than one hundred householders are resident within reach of the school. " Adopting this classification, tho Government Schools in the Province would bo distributed as follows : — Town Schools. Villugo Schools. Country District Schools. Wanganui Greytown Kaitoko,Wanganui Lower Hutt Pahautanui Matarawa Valley Turakina Bonnie Glen Upper Hutt Tutinui Johnsonville Lower Rangitikei Tawa Flat Karori Featherston Morrison's Bush Carterton Mnstcrton Wainui-o-Mafa " Besides these three classes there is another, consisting of four schools, whose present circumstances render it inexpedient to continue to them a grant from tho Provincial Chest, to this class belong the following schools : — Parawenui (Lower Itangitikei) Taita (Mr Kobinson, master) Lower Hutt (Mr and Mrs Philips) Upper Rangitikei (Mr Johnson) Comparatively little is required to put into thorough working order the schools of the first and second classes, and there is also in these schools usually a more intelligent and influential supervision of the school, and the success or failure of the teacher is more quickly published and more readily meets with approbation or the contrary. The School Inspector says that ho visited with much pleasure the School of the Lower Hutt, at that time in charge of Mr James Harrington, for it stands alone among the Government Schools as showing the most satisfactory results quickly obtained. The Pahautanui School under Mr Ingpen, stands foremost among thoso of the second class. " Schools of the third class require most tho assistance of tho Government, in aid of the struggles of the people, with the great and deeply felt want of education for their children. This class includes tho schools of all the outlying ditsricts with their very varied circumstances of wealth, population and location. They have everything to contend against — they aro young communities with growing wants, seattored irregularly over large roadless districts, and they have to bear the whole burthen of the Jirst cost of the erection of religious and educational establishments, and this at a time whon they havo also to overcome the natural difficulties always surrounding a new settlement in some form or other. " The great difficulties which the School Committees have to contend aro : — " Ist. Scarcity of funds. " 2nd. Want of respectable and efficient masters. " 3rd. Irregularity of attendance. "4th. Ignorance of their duties in tho organising body. " sth. Bad situation of tho School House. "Gth. .Difficulty of obtaining a constant and uniform supply of school books." Tho School Inspector makes several suggestions as to how these difficulties may be overcome, laying down for his guidanco the following propositions : — " That though compulsion of payment should not bo resorted to in the matter of education, till all other resources fail, yot the Government is clearlj 7 entitled to take a guarantee of the pormanent support of an establishment raised at a considerable cost to the public. " That in tho matter of education, tho Government should help thoso most liberally who cau help themselves the least.

" That while exercising its right as a contribut or to a certain supervision over all schools, the Government should as far as possible leave the. details of management to those most interested in the education of tho children.

" That it is impossible to give to the rising generation a good education except thi'ough good teachers, and in order to secure good teachers a liberal and certain provision should be made for their support as long as they do their duty." Judging from this report we have no doubt that great improvement is needed in tho educational state of the Province, but we venture to think that it contains such information as will help to a practical solution of what cannot but bo considered one of tho most important questions now before the Province.