E.—2.

23

Organizing Teachers.—The Inspectors report most favourably on tlie efficient state of the smaller country schools, and in a great measure this happy result is due to the efforts of the organizing teachers, who have carried out their duties whole-heartedly and to the complete satisfaction of the Board and the Inspectors. During the year two organizing teachers were employed, one in the northern and one in the southern portion of the district. Training of Teachers.—Saturday classes for training pupil-teachers and probationers in elementary science, drawing, and handwork, were held at Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Waipawa, and Dannevirke, Central classes for remote pupil-teachers and probationers were held at Gisborne, and for uncertificated teachers taking D and certificated teachers taking C science subjects at Hastings. A refresher course in science was also held at Gisborne. In this district we have found some difficulty in securing efficient instructors for the special subjects for Saturday classes ; and, further, the train services and other means of communication are such that it is impossible to concentrate teachers at Saturday classes with a minimum of inconvenience and expense. In its report to you last year the Board made some criticism of the Department's policy concerning the admission of Training-college students and in regard to the Wellington Training College. The Board sees no reason to modify its criticism, and considers the questions then raised of sufficient importance to warrant some further reference to them. The Board is definitely of opinion that all students should serve a probationary period prior to admission —i.e., it favours the Division A student to the Division B student. It was pointed out last year that the Department had made no definite pronouncement on the subject, but its action at the end of last year in authorizing the admissions of so many Division B students to the training colleges may be taken as a fair indication of its views. The immediate result was that many pupil-teachers and probationers who had qualified academically for admission, and who were recommended therefor by the Inspectors, were told there was no room for them, and it was only after urgent representations made by the Board that they were admitted. It is sincerely hoped that the Department will not permit such a position to arise in future, and that it will not only encourage the admission of all qualified Division A students, but will provide for a greater number of admissions of this type to the exclusion of Division B students. The Board is of opinion that a great weakness in the present training colleges is the lack of training for service in country schools. Instead of such training being a feature of the colleges, some students, we regret to learn, receive no training whatever in the organization and management of a country school. They have not had the special difficulties of organizing such schools explained to them, nor even been shown how to draw up suitable time-tables. They are not unwilling, as a rule, to undertake service in the remoter districts, but there is a, reluctance to do so in many instances on account of their lack of training in the management of this class of school. A teacher fully competent to undertake sole-charge work is fully competent to take an assistantship in a town school, and the Board is strongly of opinion that it would be in the interests of the teaching service if all students were given special training in country-school work. District High Schools.—At the end of the year there were five district high schools in operation. The average attendance of the secondary department for each district high school for the year was as follows: Te Karaka. 40; Waipawa, 77 : Waipukurau, 32; Wa-iroa, 32; Woodville, 42: total, 223. Manual and Technical Instmction.—Classes in elementary handwork were conducted in all schools. Needlework was satisfactorily taught in all schools. Special classes were conducted in twenty schools in sole charge of male teachers, but in six schools no instruction was given, as it was impossible to arrange for competent teachers. In agriculture, dairy science, and elementary agriculture 186 classes (primary and secondary) were recognized for capitation purposes in 1924. The capitation grant made by the Department for equipment and material for science subjects has proved adequate for the purpose, and during the past year the Board has been able substantially to increase the equipment and material in each school. Woodwork, cookery, and dressmaking classes were conducted at centres to which pupils from the surrounding schools came for instruction. Medical and Dental Inspection.—The work has proceeded steadily throughout the year. The School Medical Officer reports that there has been a marked increase in the interest and sympathetic co-operation of the teaching staffs with the work of medical inspection. This, he states, is reflected in a general improvement in the standard of cleanliness amongst the children, and also in their dietary and general well-being, which has resulted in a marked general improvement in the standard of health of the children in the Hawke's Bay District. School Committees have co-operated admirably with the Medical Officer in the carrying-out of his suggestions, while in practically all cases the improved standard of cleanliness, not only of the school but of the out-offices, reflects great credit on the Committees, and the Medical Officer records his gratification at the high standard of school hygiene existing in this education district. Conveyance and Board of School-children.—At the end of the year the number of children in receipt of allowance (excluding those conveyed on the railways) was as follows : Conveyance allowance, 425 ; horseback allowance, 20; boarding-allowance, 115 : total, 560. The total expenditure on the above services in 1924 was £3,232 7s. lOd. School Committees. —The Board greatly appreciates the valuable co-operation of the School Committees, who have practically without exception taken the greatest interest in their schools and in the well-being of the children. Reference is made above to their hearty co-operation with the work of the School Medical Officer. A general improvement in the school-grounds is manifest throughout the whole district, this being almost entirely due to the School Committees, who, with the assistance of the teaching staffs, have raised large sums of money voluntarily in order to obtain the Government