CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1803, 26 January 1884, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Thk annual meeting in connection with this body, which comes off in the Public Hall on Monday evening next, is looked forward to with much inteiest by the Cambridge distiict public, and we have little doubt that when it anl\es it will be one of the most interesting evoi 1 hold m the Wailcato. For some time past an active canvass has been going on, and parents and householders are being asked to rank themselves with the Stewaits or the auti-Stewai ts as the case mny be, theie being two tickets to choose from, and we legiet to say of a \eiy maiked chaiacter. The following leport, which will doubtless be lead with much interest, will be submitted to the meeting on Monday evening by Mr Stewait, Head Master :— Cambridge, January 24th, 1584.— Sn. — I have the hnnom to submit my lepoit on the Cambridge Di.sti ict High Shool foi tho year 1883. During the year, as your committee aie of coui&e awaie, the constitution of the school has undoignne a change, the school having been pioclaimed a distiict high school undei the Education Act, 1877. The instructions which I received fiom tlie Boaid of Education as to the general organisation of the school I have endeavoured to cairy out. A time-table vas drawn up by me and piesented to the inspector, who appioved. It has been my aim as far as possible to woik both the primary and high schools to the best advantage, it being a great desideratum that the inteiests of the cliildien attending the piunaiy .school should not suffei. It is, of couise, to be expected that tune will suggest certain modifications in woiking, winch will be of advantage to both branches. Under the piesent system of woik the childien attending the high school study with the two senior standards in such subjects as advanced English, geogiaphy, arithmetic &c, thi.s airangement efiectmg a gieat saving of tune and teaching power. LSbi'EcriON. — The school has boen visited on several occasions by the chiet inspectoi during the past year ; the airangements respecting the establishment and woiking of the high school necessitating his presence. I ha\ c pleasiue in stating that Mr 0 Sullivan expressed his appunal of the system under which tlie school was being worked. The chaiinian District Scho )1 Committee. S'fvxmuns. — In the last week of July Mr .). S. Goodwin examined the school in standard^, with tie appended lesults :—: — Standaid 1.-— Piesonted : Boys, 21 ; gills, 14. Examined : Boys, 20 ; girls, 12. JPas&ed : Boys, 10 ; gills, 12. Failed : Boys., 4. {Standard 2. — Presented : Boys, 11 ; girls, J). Examined : Boys, 11 ; girls, 1). Passed : "Boys, 10 ; gills, 8. Failed: Boys, 1 ; giils, 1. Standaid 3.— Piesented : Boys, 15 ; guls, 0. Examined : Boys, 14 ; gnls, 8. Passed ; Boys, 8 ; girls, 4. Failed : Boys, (5 ; girls, 4. Standard 4. — Presented : Boys, (i ; gills, 0. Examined : Boys, 0 ; girls, (5. Passed : Boys, 4 ; guls, (5. Failed : Boy.s, 2. Standaid 5. —Presented : Boys, 4 ; girls, (i. Examired : Boys, 4 ; giils, (5. Pa^ed : Boys, 3 ; girls, 0. Failed : Boys, 1. Standard G.— Presented : Boys, 4 ; girls, 5. Examined : Boys, 4 ; gnh, o. Passed : Boys, 4 ; giils, 4. Failed : Girls, 1. This was the fiist time the school had boon examined under the new regulations, viz. ; — All childien over eight yeais of age, and who have made 250 attendances, must be piesented in Standaid I, or in a standard higher than that last passed. It will be seen that these regulations give the teachei the power of presenting, if he sees fit, a child under eight yeais, or who has made not less than 250 attendances. Such a couise, however, the inspectors do not encourage, nor do I think it wise to use this powei. It is quite possible, if children commence to attend school at five, and if they attend regularly, to pass them at the age of seven, or even earlier, but this would be a bare pass. The child would have nothing in reserve, and the preparation for the second standard would involve an effort not beneficial at this age. Whereas, if a child be able to pass the Ist Standard at seven, and is not presented, but is still prepared for the second, as if he had passed the first, he passes the first standard at eight with an ease which greatly encourages him, and without the attendant mental strain which is so injurious to children of tender years. Thefactmastnotbeoverlooked that the strain attached to a bare pass is transferred forward from year to year, and from standard to standaz-d ; and that although a teacher gains kudos by these early presentations, increasing the percentage of passes to his roll, in the long run he adds to his own difficulties and inflicts an injury on his pupils. Standard examinations are at best but an imperfect test of a teacher's work, the habits of thought and observation, the metal development cultivated, being of infinitely more importance. It is to be hoped that parents will not demand this system of early presentation ; if they do the teacher will be compelled to comply, and the children will be the sufferers. I have been induced thus briefly to enter into the subject by the conviction that parents as a whole are attaching too great a value to standard examinations. Attendance. The following table compares the actual average attendances for 1882 and 1883. It does not form the basis of the working averages : 1882.— 1st quarter, 1(58*4 ; 2nd quarter, 1471; 3rd quarter, 146 9; 4th quarter, 160 "9 ; Average for year, 155 "7. 1883.— 1st quarter, 167*6 ; 2nd quarter 1522 ; 3rd quarter, 164 ; 4th quarter, 149-2 ; Average for year, 158*2. The average roll for the year is 238 ; and, as it has been shown, the daily average attendance is only 158*2, it will at once be seen that the daily average of children absent is 80, or about one in every three children absent on each occasion, the school is opened. This is a serious evil and one that demands careful attention. Scholarship examination. Ma?ter A. Ellis, and J. M. P. A. E. Morgan gained certificates of merit at the examination held in December last. This will entitle them to free education at a high school if the board follows its usual practioe.— l have tbe honour to be, sir, your obedient, servant, lUiru D, Sxswart, H^a T^tor. .