✨ Education Report
149
The knowledge of the Bible.
As regards the knowledge of the Bible, I find that teachers have been awakened to greater attention to this most essential subject. It has been well taught at Governor’s Bay, at the Heathcote Valley (new school), at the Riccarton, Upper Heathcote, Kaiapoi and Okain’s Bay Church of England, and at the Christchurch Wesleyan Schools. I regret however to discover considerable deficiency in this subject. In two schools of different denominations there were no Bibles; in another school the Bible was only read twice a week, according to the custom of the teacher for many years past.
Elementary Secular Knowledge.
The elementary secular knowledge, comprising the proper department of infants’ schools, is generally commensurate with the teaching power or staff employed; but it is worth notice that it is generally better taught in the upper classes of lower or elementary schools than in the lower classes of schools of a higher grade. The little children do not get on so well in the larger schools.
Ordinary subjects.
The progress in ordinary subjects of secular knowledge is also for the most part fairly proportioned to the strength employed; the attempts to teach these subjects in elementary, or infants’ schools, is mostly a failure, besides being a hindrance to fair progress in their peculiar department.
Higher subjects.
Higher subjects, including with a superior knowledge of ordinary branches the rudiments of classics and mathematics, are taught in the High Schools of Christchurch and Lyttelton. The teaching is not effective beyond the ordinary branches; but the expertness and proficiency of the pupils in some of these is worthy of high commendation. These are superior commercial schools; success in any higher aim requires an increased staff.
I respectfully submit the above statements and comments for the consideration of the Board.
And have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
J. P. RESTELL,
Inspector of Schools.
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Canterbury Provincial Gazette 1865, No 22
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Quarterly Summary Report of Inspector of Schools
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🎓 Education, Culture & ScienceEducation, Schools, Bible, Secular Knowledge, Teaching
- J. P. Restell, Inspector of Schools
- J. P. Restell, Inspector of Schools