✨ School Inspection Report
xxix
The Pigeon Bay School, The Okain’s Bay School, The St. Paul’s, Papanui, The Christchurch Wesleyan, and the Rangiora School.
Some of the other schools which usually do remarkably well, had suffered more than the rest from the prevalence of measles during the quarter.
Before concluding this report it is important to notice the fact that the competition for scholarships has had a beneficial effect even upon the unsuccessful candidates, and also upon their classmates.
The standard fixed has also aroused the parents and friends of pupils to a consciousness of what their own children, of the same or a greater age than the candidates, ought to be able to do.
With regard to the boys themselves holding Canterbury Scholarships, generally known as ‘The Government Scholars,’ their progress appears to be as satisfactory as the circumstances of the “Ordinary Schools” will permit. Those at Papanui have, I believe, received the unremitting care and attention of Mr. Mayo; and Merton, at Rangiora, has continued under the equally careful tuition of his father. They may not all have yet reached the maximum standard of their respective schools; but the older ones are at the head of them, and are capable of greater progress in competition with classmates of a higher standing, and in schools of a higher order, than in their present schools, where the constant influx from the lower classes limits the progress of the more advanced pupils. It would be unjust to the rest of the school to devote time to the instruction of the scholars themselves in a separate class. And the time required for the instruction of the rest of a large school leaves the scholars too much occupied by themselves in a mechanical course. Instruction out of the ordinary school hours, and by either a tired teacher, or by one of multifarious pursuits, is too inefficient and desultory to be profitable, even supposing a teacher, long unpractised beyond a certain routine, to be competent to give instruction in a higher course.
Merton, Caygill, and the two Wilkinsons, are capable of acquiring both a more rational view, and a more comprehensive grasp of the ordinary subjects, than their present course affords. They are also as fit as any boys of their age to begin Latin, Algebra, and Geometry.
Jennings, Triggs, and Ladbrook, may possibly derive more benefit by continuing at Papanui, until they are better grounded in Elementary Knowledge.
It is much to be regretted that the parents of one boy holding a scholarship have sacrificed the same for the sake of earnings, which it would have covered, while defraying his education at one of the High Schools.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
J. P. RESTELL,
Inspector of Schools.
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Canterbury Provincial Gazette 1868, No 20A
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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School Organisation and Discipline
(continued from previous page)
🎓 Education, Culture & ScienceSchool Organisation, Discipline, Local Committee, Teacher Duties, School Hours, Vacations, Fees, Attendance
8 names identified
- Mayo (Mr), Teacher at Papanui School
- Merton, Scholarship holder at Rangiora School
- Caygill, Scholarship holder
- Wilkinson, Scholarship holder
- Wilkinson, Scholarship holder
- Jennings, Scholarship holder
- Triggs, Scholarship holder
- Ladbrook, Scholarship holder
- J. P. Restell, Inspector of Schools