E.—lb.

30

which is indispensable to true mental training. In the smaller schools the prevailing mechanical character of the work is mainly due to the hurry and pressure under which the teaching is done, and to the apparently unavoidable necessity for substituting learning from text-books —in other words, cratn —for skilful teaching in classes. There can, I think, be no doubt that some modification in the regulations of the Education Department, calculated to lessen the evils I have tried to point out, is urgently needed. What is wanted is a reduction in the number of lessons that must be taught separately. Such a reduction may be made by omitting some subjects and amalgamating others, so that two classes might be taken together in one subject. Geography, for example, might be omitted from Standard 11., and history from Standard 111., without any detriment to the education given in the public schools. If the pass in the standard were made to depend wholly upon reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, and composition, then grammar, geography, and history might be examined as class subjects, and reported, on specially; and there would be nothing to prevent the amalgamation of the classes preparing for two standards into one class in any of these subjects. Besides lessening materially the number of separate lessons, such an arrangement would greatly facilitate an Inspector's examination, for he could substitute a brief oral class examination for the individual written examination which the desire to deal fairly between scholars and schools compels him to resort to at present, and he would be better able to tell —what alone it is important to know—whether the teaching was intelligent, skilful, and thorough. Parents in all parts of this district complain that the children are burdened with an intolerable amount of work. Teachers protest that more is required of them than they can efficiently overtake. On every hand are complaints. No doubt these are partly, perhaps largely, due to unskilful instruction ; but they are unquestionably in a great measure due to the elaborate and rigid character of the regulations that direct the curriculum of study. lam convinced that modification in the direction I have indicated would materially relieve the pressure of work now experienced in the smaller schools, and tend to make the teaching and examining of all grades of schools more easy and effective, while it would not to any appreciable extent detract from the breadth and comprehensive range of the education now attempted. It is to be noted that no very revolutionary change would be required to effect the desired improvement. All the subjects now taught could continue to be taught, but they would not be taken in the same subdivisions as at present. "Whoever went through the full course of the public schools would learn all that he learns now, but in a different order. The existing sequence of the parts of a subject is certainly the best and most natural, but the gain on that account is, as I believe, much more than counterbalanced by unavoidable disadvantages. Of the discipline and tone of the schools I can still report favourably. During the year a good deal has been done by School Committees, with or without assistance from the Board, to improve the school-buildings and their surroundings. In a few cases broken window-panes, bad door-locks, &c, have been left unrepaired for considerable periods; but such cases have been rare and exceptional. The new schools are substantially built and suitably arranged, and give every satisfaction in the districts where they have been erected. I have, &c, Donald Petkie, M.A., The Secretary, Otago Board of Education. Inspector of Schools.

2. Me. Taylob's Bepoet. Sic,— Dunedin, 31st March, 1882. I have the honor to present my report for the year ended 31st December, 1881. During the year I made visits of inspection to 40 schools, and examined, according to the regulations of the Education Department, 76 schools, situated principally in the Peninsula, Taieri, Bruce, Tuapeka, and Clutha Counties. I also assisted Mr. Petrie with the examination of 20 of the largest schools in the district, and with office duties. The greater part of the year was occupied by standard examination work, a few months only being available for visits of inspection. The regulation relating to inspection states " That, as far as practicable, the work of the Public School Inspectors shall be so arranged as to provide for two visits to every public school in every year: one visib for purposes of general inspection, and the other visit for the purpose of examination according to the standards." In this district so much time is taken up with examinations and other duties that visits of inspection, except to a small number of schools, are impossible, and consequently a very important part of the work devolving upon us has to be left undone. In some instances, where the teachers are known to be efficient and faithful, an examination once a year may be considered sufficient; but there are other cases where more visits than one would be beneficial, by giving opportunity of making suggestions and recommendations, where necessary, respecting management and methods of teaching, and of checking the registers and reporting generally on the condition of the schools. Except in small schools, where the examination work is light, general inspection on the game day cannot, from want of time, receive adequate attention. In the 76 schools examined by me, 3,037 pupils were presented for examination, of which number 2,295 passed the standard for which they were presented. The following table shows (1) the number of piipils who were presented in each standard, (2) the number who passed, (3) the number who failed, (4) the percentage of passes in each standard, (5) the average age of the pupils examined in each standard, and (6) the number of schools at which each standard was represented:—'