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WELLINGTON: Sic,— Wellington, 14th April, 1881. In compliance with clause 102 of " The Education Act, 1877," and with the request contained in your Circular No. 63, of Ist December, 1880, I have the honor to submit the following report of the proceedings of the Wellington Education Board for the year ended 31st December, 1880: — Boaed. —At the commencement of the year the Board consisted of the following members: The Hon. C. J. Pharazyn (Chairman), H. Bunny, Esq., W. Hutchison, Esq., Dr. Newman, C. Pharazyn, Esq., the Bey. J. Paterson, the Yen. Archdeacon Stock, and Edward Toomath, Esq. It was decided by ballot in December, 1879, that the three members to retire in the following March should be Messrs. Beetham, Toomath, and Newman. Of these, Messrs. Beetham and Newman were re-elected, and J. R. Blair, Esq., was elected in the place of E. Toomath, Esq., who declined to offer himself for re-election. Meetings.—lncluding adjournments the number of meetings held by the Board during the year was twenty-four. List oe Schools. —Table No. 1, attached, gives a list of all the schools open during the year, with the expenditure on each school for salaries, ordinary expenditure, and buildings, sites, furniture, and apparatus. This return also gives a list of the teachers in the service of the Board at the end of the year, their position in the schools, and their rate of salary. The schools at Bidefordand Gladstone are still carried on as aided schools, the Board granting the Committees the sum of £4 per head on the average attendance. The remaining schools are wholly maintained by the Board. No half-time schools now exist in this district. Aveeage Attendance. —The average attendance of the four quarters of the year 1879 was 3,952, and that for the four quarters of the year 1880 was 4,700, showing an increase of 748. Classification of Schools.—Table No. 2a shows a full classification,' according to average attendance, of the schools under the Board at the close of the year. .Accounts. —Table No. 3 is the balance-sheet exhibiting the'receipts and expenditure for the year. The'balance in hand at the end of the year was £3,613 Os. 9d., being £971 ss. lOd. on account of maintenance and £2,641 14s. lid. on account of buildings. Attached to this return is a statement showing the assets and liabilities of the Board on the 31st December, 1880. Classification of Teachers. —Table No. 1a gives the information asked for regarding the classification of teachers at the end of the year. The number of teachers in the service of the Board at that date was 137, including one teacher of sewing. List of Public Schools.—Table No. 2 shows the number of schools and teachers' residences, the number of rooms in each school and the area in square feet of floor space in each, the number of children attending school at the beginning of the year, the number admitted during the year, the number who have left, and the state of the rolls at the close of the year. It also gives the average attendance for each quarter and for the year, and the average weekly number on the roll for December quarter. School Funds.—Table No. 4 gives a summary of the accounts of the School Committees, made up from the audited balance-sheets forwarded to the Board in accordance with clause 103 of " The Education Act, 1877." Paeticulaes as to Childeen belonging to Public Schools.—Table No. 5 shows the ages, standards, and subjects of instruction for the December quarter. 318 children are returned under five years of age, and 78 over fifteen years of age. Pupil-teachees' Examination. —The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held in July last, the Headmaster of the College and the Inspector of Schools acting as examiners. Their report, herewith attached, will show the results, and the present status of the pupil-teachers' staff. Scholarships.—Attached is a list of the scholarships which have been awarded, with particulars as to tenure. The annual scholarship examination was "held in the month of November, the Normal Master and the Rev. W. H. West acting as examiners. A copy of their report is appended. Teaining of Teachees. —The Normal School opened on the Ist of September. The Board appointed Mr. C. C. Howard Normal Master; Mrs. Griffin, Normal Mistress ; Mr. R. Parker, teacher of singing; and Mr. Osier, teacher of chemistry and physics. The Normal Master's report of the work of the institution is appended. Inspection.—The Inspector of Schools for the district has visited 40 schools, and afterwards examined 42 during the year. A copy of his report is attached. In future he will also report on the work of the Normal School. Disteict High Schools. —No district high 'schools have been constituted. Boaed Officers.—No change has been made in the salaries or positions of the officers in the service of the Board. In consequence of the reduction in the grant, the Board were unable to pay teachers a bonus on results, which had been conditionally promised them. Besides this loss of payment, and certain modification in the salaries of pupil-teachers, no further deduction in salaries has been made. Insueance. —All school-buildings and teachers' residences are insured. School-Buildings.—During the year the Featherston School was, unfortunately, burnt. A new school, to accommodate over 200, was immediately erected. The new Practising School at Thorndon, Wellington City, for 600 children, was opened during the year; and another large school for 600 children in Upper Willis Street, Wellington, was ready for occupation at the end of the year. The Board also reconstructed the old Ghuznee Street School, and converted it into an infant school. By these important additions to the school-buildings of the city much-needed permanent accommodation has been provided for about 1,500 children. Good permanent accommodation in the City of Wellington will soon be provided for 4,000 children in five centres —Mount Cook (boys, girls, and infants separately), 1,800; Terrace, 300; Thorndon, 600; Te Aro (mixed, and infants separate), 900; and Newtown, 400. The Thorndon Infant School is still held in a temporary building rented by the Board; and a large new school is required for the Oriental Bay district. The school-buildings at Masterton, Grey-