21

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presented. In Table A all these are included, and the result shows a total of 38 per cent, of the number examined, while in the first eleven schools on the list the percentage of irregular scholars amounts to 43. This is a matter of serious import, whether viewed with respect to its effects upon the school-wort for the year or upon the finances of the Board, and some means must be devised, if possible, for bringing about a more healthy condition of affairs. In August, 1880, I sketched out a few rules, having for their object the discouragement of this irregularity by making a certain percentage of attendance a condition of presentation at the annual examination. These I. submitted to a high authority on educational matters, who, however, was of opinion that they were unnecessary. The experience of the two examinations which have since been held convinces me that, in this district at all events, some such limit is necessary; and we have a valuable precedent in the Englisii New Code, in which such a regulation has a place. All authorities on school-management are agreed in pronouncing very irregular attendance to be generally the result of defective administration ; but this must not be taken to inculpate only the teachers of the schools. The burden of blame must be distributed over all who have any share in that administration, and a very large portion should be placed on the shoulders of any who, being specially appointed by the people to have the control and management of a school, may do anything either directly or indirectly to weaken the authority of the teacher, and consequently to sap the foundations of good discipline, upon which regularity of attendance to a great extent depends. I have dwelt somewhat at length upon this point, because lam convinced that it is, perhaps without exception, the greatest difficulty with which an earnest and efficient teacher has to contend, and that, of all the annoyances and hindrances to which he is subject in the pursuance of his, too often, thankless task, this is the most vexatious and irritating to himself, and the most mischievous to the progress of his scholars. The condition of affairs as shown in the above table, however, must be regarded as to a great extent abnormal. The very large percentage of irregular scholars at some schools is to be partly accounted for by the unfortunate prevalence of diphtheria, and the consequent closing of schools for a longer or shorter period. Thus, at Boss, Kanieri, Bluespur, and some others, the schools were closed for several weeks, and this too but a very short time before the examination. Moreover, when the schools were reopened the attendance was very unsatisfactory, owing to the dread of infection which prevailed in consequence of the deaths of several children in each place. So much was this the case that, after reopening their school, the Totara Committee found it necessary to advertise in the local paper that unless the attendance improved the school would again be closed. In Hokitika, although the Committee did not consider it necessary to close the school, yet a great amount of sickness prevailed at various times, which affected considerably the average attendance. The interval between the examinations of 1880 and 1881 was only ten months, and this would tend to lower the general results. The illness of the second master, which necessitated his absence from the school for some weeks, must also be taken into account in connection with the results at this school. Apart, however, from the circumstances already noticed, a good reason may be shown why the results this year might be expected to be lower than in former years. The first examinations under the new standards took place in 1879, and it will be remembered that most of the children who were then attending the schools had had the advantage of remaining for two years in the same standards on account of the introduction of the Government programme. Nearly all those who were then presented in the three upper standards have now passed through the school, and their places have been taken by those who were then in the three lower standards. The requirements of the First and Second Standards are so simple that, as a reference to the reports for the last two years will show, scarcely any scholars failed to pass; and, as a consequence, they have advanced into the Third and Fourth. In the Third their real difficulties commence, and, taking into consideration the average age of the children who have passed the Second Standard, and the greatly-increased amount of work required in the Third, which includes three entirely new subjects, it is not surprising that many fail, or only barely escape failure, to come to grief in the following year in the Fourth. The falling-off in the results from this cause has already been noticed in a neighbouring district, and I have no doubt that it will be experienced to some extent throughout the colony. To remedy this state of things, and to introduce some improvements in the method of examination at present employed, which are rendered desirable in view of the contemplated reduction in the teaching staffs at the principal schools, I purpose, with your permission, to prepare some notes for the guidance of teachers and Inspector alike in connection with the conduct of the future examinations in this district. The change of teachers at the Stafford and Ross Schools at a somewhat late period of the year must be taken into consideration in connection with the results at these schools. Such a change is always attended with a temporary cessation of progress, no matter how able the incoming teachers may be. In addition to the circumstances already alluded to there are others connected with particular schools which have contributed largely to render this year's results less satisfactory than usual. These will be referred to in the case of each school in the detailed confidential report; but it may be broadly asserted that anything which tends to lessen the authority of the teacher, or to diminish the respect in which, by virtue of his office, he should be held, not only by the children under his care, but by all the neighbourhood, must at the same time and in the same ratio diminish his powers of usefulness. Next to any gross misconduct or incompetence on the part of a teacher nothing is more productive of mischief in our schools than the existence of an unfriendly feeling between teachers and Committees, and the absence of that constant and cordial support and co-operation which every teacher has a right to expect, and should receive, from those appointed to watch over and promote the cause of education. Local Committees are sometimes too ready to listen to trivial complaints, and to attach undue importance to the exparte statements of children (through their parents), thus inflicting a fatal blow upon the teacher's authority, and injuring more than can be readily imagined the discipline, tone, and, as a consequence, the results of the school. On the other hand (and this has occurred in several cases), local Committees sometimes pursue an exactly opposite course, and do their utmost to screen from detection, and prevent the dismissal of, teachers long after their ill-conduct has become a matter of