XVIII.

Bible knowledge deficient—only two Bibles in the school; but the children might bring their own if required. The other attainments and the order were, on the whole, satisfactory.

Leithfield ... Aug. 10 ... Present 27 ... The attendance chiefly includes very young children; their attainments, creditable at their age, show that great pains have been taken in their instruction.

North Kowai ... Aug. 10 ... Present 17 ... Maps (New Zealand and Palestine), a cupboard, and shelves are wanted. The elementary knowledge excels in its accuracy that of many schools taught by masters.

Loburn ... Aug. 11 ... Present 28 ... The school in excellent order; the attainments very satisfactory.

Ashley Bank ... Aug. 11 ... Present 28 ... The number present was about double the average of the previous twelve months, hence the attainments were far inferior to those of the other schools north of the Ashley.

SPECIAL REPORT.—ASHLEY BANK SCHOOL SITE.

The removal of the school buildings to a different situation is desirable for two reasons—the River Ashley threatens the present site, and the proposed one is safer and more central.

The river is rapidly encroaching on the high bank close to the school grounds; the broad belt formerly intervening has already disappeared. If a gap has not been made in the school fence since the 11th inst., the next heavy fresh will make one, and will thus expose to danger, at first the garden and the teacher’s family, and afterwards, as the gap widens, the play-ground, the out-offices, and the school children.

Reasonable anxiety is sufficient to deter most parents from sending children near so much danger—the deep, main stream swirling rapidly against the high bank.

There is no apprehension for the school and dwelling-houses for perhaps a few years, but severer freshes may shorten this interval; these buildings must go, in time, unless the river alters its course.

The proposed site, barely, if at all, exceeding a mile inland from the present one, going northwards, is in a much more central position; and is thus more accessible to a greater number of children. It is furthest from the river, the side from which no children come, and not further east or west from any part of the district, but nearer to the bulk of the attendants, who mostly come from the north and west of the present site.

Woodend School ... Aug. 12 ... Present 56 ... The register is incomplete as to the foot totals; it is thus difficult to perceive at once the recent average. The summary register should be introduced both here and in all the larger schools. The attainments were, on the whole, creditable, but not quite up to the usual standard of this school.

St. Michael’s, Christchurch ... Aug. 15, 16 ... Present 101 ... The teaching power is ample, but the application of it is defective; each adult assistant is equal to the charge of two classes, but here each has only one. The attainments of their classes are, on the whole, creditable to the assistants, even above the average in some subjects; they ought so to be considering the costliness of the instruction—one teacher to from 12 to 15 or 20 children. The arithmetic of the second, the Bible history of the third, and the spelling of the fifth class were unsatisfactory. The other subjects, generally, and some of the written papers, were very creditable.