E.—6

50

The Board. —The personnel of the Board has undergone but little change during the year. In the month of April Mr. 1. W. Raymond resigned his position as a member, consequent on his departure from the Dominion. The vacancy thus caused was filled by the appointment of Mr. J. Crosby Smith, F.L.S. The members oi the Board were at the close of the year as follows : Mr. \V. Maoalister, 8.A., LL.B. (Chairman), and Messrs. A. F. Hawke and John L. McG. Watson (representatives of the Government) ; Mr. J. Crosby Smith (who. with the Chairman, represented the Southland Education Board) ; and Mr. W. B. Scandrett (Mayor of Invercargill). The Board meets regularly once every month, and more frequently as occasion may demand. The Staff. —The staffs of the schools have undergone some changes. In the boys' school, Mr. .John McKinnon was removed by death, after a very prolonged illness, to the genuine regret of the Board and his co-workers on the staff. The vacancy thus caused was filled by the appointment of Mr. \\\ F. J. Munro, M.A. In the girls' school the changes have been more numerous. No less than three members of the staff retired during the year—viz., Misses M. B. Thomson, H. McKibhin, and M. L. Wilkinson. These vacancies were filled hy the promotion of Miss M. H. M. King to the position of first assistant : and the appointment of Misses M. Rigg, M.A., M.Sc, Miss P. Dyson, M.A., Miss I. R. Griffin, M.A. The Schools. —The schools, both boys' and girls', were visited during the year by Mr. T. H. Gill, M.A., LL.B., the Department's Inspector, and were very favourably reported on. The Board has expressed its gratification at the success of pupils attending the schools in competition at the annual public examinations held towards the close of the year. Generally speaking, the Hoard lias evenreason to feel satisfied with the work of the schools during the period to which this report relates. Further detailed reference to the work of the schools, and the progress and success of the pupils in attendance, will he found in the annual reports of the principals, copies of which will lie forwarded. Attendance. —The attendance of the schools has been fully maintained durine the year. The total enrolments for the preceding year (1907) numbered 315, while for the year just ended the enrolments were as follows : Boys' school, lliB ; uirls' school, 151 : a total of 322—7 in excess of the previous year's record. Of these pupils. 117 boys and 121 girls were admitted under the Free Place Regulations, the remainder as fee-paying pupils. Buildings and annuals. The school-buildings and grounds attached thereto have lieen maintained in excellent order during the year, and, except for expenditure on ordinary wear-and-tear, may he expected to serve the requirements of the town and surrounding districts for many years to come. Since the completion of the handsome structure which serves the purposes of a Girls' High School, and the substantial improvements effected to the boys' school, considerable expenditure has had to he incurred in asphalting and otherwise improving the grounds. The Board has secured an additional area which it is proposed to utilise lor recreation purposes in connection with the boys' school, and during the now current year considerable outlay will be necessary to fit this area for its intended purpose. Finance. The Board's position financially is quite satisfactory. Its indebtedness to the Bluff Harbour Board was reduced to £1,500 during the year, and there is every prospect that the annually recurring instalments of repayment will be duly provided for out of current revenue. 2. Work of the Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest. — Boys' School: Forms IV, V, and Vl: —English—Authors, Chaucer, Milton, Tennyson, Shakespeare (selections) ; Historical English Grammar ; composition ; literature. Latin —Authors read, Livy, Virgil, Horace (selections), Unseens in Prose and Verse ; grammar : prose composition ; history; antiquities. French —Authors read, selections in prose and verse ; Theuriet'sL'Abbe Daniel ; grammar ; prose composition. Mathematics —Forms VI and V, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry (to Junior Scholarship standard) : Form IV—Geometry, Godfrey and Siddons, Books I-IV ; algebra, outlines to permutations and combinations ; trigonometry, to end of sine S, sine T formulae ; arithmetic, general. Science VI and V —Chemistry, inorganic ; metals and non-metals ; magnetism and electricity, to Junior Scholarship standard; to Matriculation standard : Form IV Practical work, qualitative and quantitative analysis. —Forms 111 a and lIIb : —English—Authors, Shakespeare, ('oleridge. Burke, Bacon, Tennyson (selections); grammar, composition, spelling. Geography Physical and commercial. English History —1685-1900. Latin—Caesar, Book I ; Ovid (selections) ; Unseens in Prose and Verse : grammar and prose composition. French -Author read, Dumas' Napoleon : I'liseens in Prose and Verse; grammar and prose composition. Non-Latin—Book-keeping and commercial arithmetic: European history; mensuration. Non-French —Book-keeping, commercial arithmetic and woodwork. Mathematics—Arithmetic the whole subject : mental; algebra (to quadratics): graphs: geometry, Godfrey and Siddons. Books I to 111. Girls' School: English—English grammar and composition for Matriculation and Junior [Jniversity Scholarships; Nesfield's Manual of Grammar and Composition; History of Spelling ; Chaucer and Middle English selections ; Hamlet; Wordsworth epoch : .selections from Wordsworth's period. Latin—Bradley's Latin Grammar; Allen's Grammar; Livy, Booh XXII, 1-35; Virgil's .Kneid. Book IX; Horton's Roman History ; Wilkins's Roman Antiquities; sight translation; Bryan's Prose Composition. French Wellington College; Hue's Idioms: prose selections; Macmillan's Advanced Course: Merriiiiee's Colomha ; Poemes Ohnisis : Phonetics and dictation.' Mathematics Arithmetic the whole subject; Workman: algebra, Hall and Knight to end of pel-mutations: geometry, Godfrey and Siddons I and 11. Hall and Stevens VI : trigonometry. Locke and Loney, solution of triangles. Science Botany, special types: special orders for Junior University Scholarship, and general treatment of subject ; (ilazebrook's Heat, with additional work from Cumming and DeschaneL Lowest. — Boys' School: Science — Magnetism and electricity, to matriculation standard. Chemistry—Elementary heuristic work.—Forms I and ll:—English—Authors read, Macaulay's Warren Hastings ; Laureata ; Captain Cook's Second Voyage ; grammar, composition, and spelling.