E.—B,

4

Headmasteb's Genebal Report for the Tear 1881. The scholastic year has been divided into four quarters, the first commencing on 7tli February, the second on 21st April, the third on 18th July, and the fourth on 10th October. The school closed, for the year on 15th December. The following table shows (a) the number of pupils belonging to the school at the beginning of each quarter, (b) the number of those who left, and (c) the number admitted. First Second Third Fourth. Quarter. Quarter. Quarter. Quarter. Number at beginning of quarter ... 173 185 188 181 Number left... ... ... 57 21 17 21 Number admitted ... ... 40 22 19 8 From the above it will be seen that the average quarterly loss has been 29, and the gain 2522. The attendance throughout the year has been considerably under that of 1880. This is due to (a) the prevalence of fever; (b) the withdrawing of pupils, and the keeping back of others in consequence of parents finding that, when their daughters apply to be admitted as pupil-teachers, the education of the High School is reckoned of no more value than that of the district schools; (c) the raising of the fees for junior pupils; and (d) the closing of the school to boarders. English. —-The school has been divided into eight forms for English, which includes geography and history. The average percentage of marks for the year in English, geography, and history has been 595, 55, and 5(5 respectively. When I consider the character of the papers set, and the absolute accuracy required to obtain marks, and remember that the new pupils, who were being worked up to the standard of the forms, were examined with the old, I have much reason to be pleased with the result, more particularly in English grammar and analysis. I have not been .satisfied with the progress made in composition and etymology. The spelling of the school is good, and the ability to read clearly and intelligently is steadily becoming more common. Geography. —Geography has been studied with much enjoyment. The pupils fill in the places on traced maps, but no marks have been given unless the knowledge has been accurate in every particular. The percentage is lower than I had anticipated. History. —History is a subject much liked and fondly studied. The outlines, however, have been more attended to than the policy of the various governments, and hence the percentage. Latin. —The Latin school has been divided into four forms. With the exception of the lowest form, I can speak very favourably of the progress made in Latin. There has been no hurrying to get to translation. The pupils have been carefully grounded in grammar and composition. I had no pupils sufficiently advanced to make a sixth form, but hope to next year. The metrical translations of Virgil by the majority of the girls in the fifth were very promising. The average percentage has been 58. French.— Very great progress has been made in French. All my assistants have qualified themselves to teach French, and, having made them responsible for the grammar, composition, and translation, and the French Master, who is not so competent to handle large classes, for pronunciation, I am not astonished at the high percentage. It would have been higher had the translations into English not contained so much of the French idiom. In consequence of the very unsatisfactory results of last year, I made an effort, which has proved successful, to put the French on a proper footing. The percentage has been 64. German. —I cannot speak favourably of the German. Towards the end of the year there was an improvement, but, taking the quarters through, the results have not been satisfaclory ; the average percentage has been 49. It is only right to add that, had the papers been marked with the same exactness as those in other subjects, this number would have been considerably reduced. The back work had not been worked up. I hope to be able to report as favourably of German in 1883, as I.now do of French. Arithmetic. —More than usual time and attention have been devoted to arithmetic. This subject was rather weak last year, but now I can speak favourably of the general progress. The knowledge of book-wook is, especially in the lower forms, very accurate. I have not been satisfied with the style of the work in the upper forms, neither has it been so accurate as I could have wished. My assistants are gaining experience, and I feel assured that the average (52) of this year, though higher than last, will be still more so during the next. Euclid. —The subject of geometry appears to possess unusual attractions to the girls, and I have to report good solid progress. The percentage has been 63. Algebra. —The average for algebra has been 57. In consequence of the inaccurate working of the lowest form, the general average is much lower than it would have been. Trigonometry. —Only one form took up trigonometry. Most of the pupils are fond of mathematics, and are well deserving of the 65 per cent, of average. Statics. —The same form took up statics, and so kindly did the girls take to the subject, that they had little difficulty in securing a percentage of 68. Mensuration. —Mensuration was studied by one girl, who was preparing for an open scholarship. Sewing. —-No girl has been allowed to omit sewing and darning, to which the Upper school has devoted one afternoon per month, and the lower one hour per week. Each girl began and finished one article of clothing at least, and at the close of the year I was able to present the children of the Industrial Home with 194 articles, consisting of shirts, &c. Writing. —Great pains have been taken with the writing of the school. The exercise-books were examined along with I ho copy-books, and no marks were allowed unless the work in both was free from signs of carelessness or slovenliness. The percentage has been 63. Science. —During the second and third quarters the upper school attended a course of lectures on astronomy, while the lower devoted extra time to physical geography and object-lessons. Music. —The study of music has not advanced beyond the limit of last year. Drawing.— Drawing has been more successful this year than last. Towards the close of the fourth quarter the girls became enthusiastic, and made more progress in a few weeks than was to be