E.—2.

[Appendix. A

n Vv° M }™ h, % buildings were repaired and painted during the year : Adair Arundel Geraldme, Glenavy, Hook, Hunters, Kingsdown, Makikihi, Orton, Pareora West, Pleasa'nf VaUey Station Redclifi, Scotsburn, Tawai, Te Moana, wTmata al (residence and interior of school), Waimate (residence and interior of school) A statement of the receipts and expenditure for the year is appended. I have, &c, ' The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. W " M ' HaMILTOS ' Chairman.

OTAGO. SIR ~ T,,, , Education Office, Dunedin, 17th April, 1912 of Otago LrTe yeai 19U. *"**** *" f ° lloWing ° f tI,C EduCati ° n B ° ard of the Dist " ct W-u-H B °T'~ At n lje h ffl n[n £ ° y ear the consisted of the following persons : Northern Ward-Messrs. Donald Borne, Andrew McKerrow, and James Mitchell; Central Ward-Hon Thomas Fergus (Chairman), Messrs George C. Israel, and William Scott; Southern Ward-Rev' the Rev P. B Fraser resigned, owing to his removal from the district, the vacancy thus caused 07toe le t eleCtlol l ° f Ml '-/r eS Smith fM the Six m - ths 0f Mr ?h-Ws cmi !i!,?S T a resolution expressing appreciation of the energy and attention with *hich he had applied himseli to the work of education during his thirteen years of service as a member was inscribed in the Board's minutes. At the annual election in the middle o the ?ear the Hon. Ihomas Fergus and Mr. James Smith were returned unopposed for the Central'and Sou hern Wards respectively, and Mr. Andrew McKerrow was re-elected for the Northern Ward eill /'meet 7?i° f 2" *, Andrew McKel ' lw ™" elected Chairman Twent^ I In addit on the oa ß T* ff "" *? awa « B att <*dance of members beT/g eignt in addition, the Board met twelve times as a selection committee to deal with the aoolica tions for the various vacancies for teachers. The following were the Board's representative on various educational bodies: Otago High Schools Board-Hon. Thomas Fergus and Mr G C Israel; Waitaki High Schools Board-Mr. James Mitchell; Boards of Management of Associated SeSSid ° yen ' and C ' R - Rlchards °"> Oamaru, Messrs. James Mitchell Number of Schools.-During 1911 the schools at Merino Downs and Nugget Point and *c household school at Balruddery were closed, and new schools were and Blackburn, and household schools at Pleasant Valley and Teviot Downs. The number of schools in operation in December, 1911, was 239. The net increase in the number ofsZols open a the end of the year was one. The following table shows the classification of the schools n grades on undert-^ 6 attendanCe the - year 19U > in accordance with the Act and regulations there Grade of Schools. Range of Number of Aggregate of the Attendance. Schools. . Avera g e rtrniio nt , Attendance. LrJ acle v■•• • • ■ ■■• ... Ito 8 II 65 T { 9 » 15 33 374 11 ■•■ ■•• ■■■ ■•• 16 ~ 25 55 1,068 . " l !l 26 „ 35 34 997 I J- 36.. 80 57 2,840 J- 81 » 120 13 1,280 VI • ■ ••• ■•• ■•■ 121 ~ 200 9 1 341 "■ J"- ■■• 201 „ 300 8 1 3 *957 " ™ ■■• 301 „ 450 8 2,819 451 „ 600 8 4,008 " x ■•• ■■• ... Over 600 3 2,047 *239 18 7Qfi undeJ:- 11 ™ 8 '^ 011 DeCembel ' there were in the Board ' s service' 624 teachers, classed as Head teachers tjf' Sole teachers ... ... ... . . 32 103 isk Assistant teachers ... ... ... 5g oin 2fiß Total of adult teachers ... ... ... 191 314. k(\k Pupil-teachers ... ... ... ... 17 ' 07 r. Probationers ... ... ... ... 5 oi oc Teachers of needlework ... ... ... 22 22 Manual and technical (special teachers) ... 9 5 -m Teacher of gymnastics .. ... ... 1 1 ~ elocution ... ... ... i 1 ~ vocal music ... ... ... ... 1 1 Totals for 1911... ... ... ... 2 25 399 624 Totals for 1910... ... ... ... 226 389 615 Difference for 1911 . . ... ... — 1 10 Q

schooMnGrade IX 6 SCh ° olS reek ° ned aS ° ne Seh ° ol in Grade IL Normal School and Model Schc^Treoko^eTaTo^e

XX