✨ Board of Education Inspector's Report
802
BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MAY 26—JUNE 29, 1871.
INSPECTOR’S SUMMARY REPORT.
To THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit a Summary Report on the schools examined during the month. The Board’s “Form of Report” introduced on a former round of examination has been used for a second time on this occasion.
It is satisfactory to observe, in several instances, the improved programme of work gone over, and the greater degree of accuracy in most of the schools examined.
The Southbridge School, probably the best country school in the Province, has excelled in both of these respects; the course is a judicious one, not more work is set down than the pupils can successfully achieve; without any high flight in any special subject, the work is well balanced; the attainments and efficiency—the range of acquirement and amount of accuracy—fairly fulfil a programme above the average of country schools.
The school at Governor’s Bay North has a very reduced attendance, but the progress made by this small number is highly creditable to the master and his pupils. It is important to notice this improvement, because until the action of the Board after the last examination, six months ago, the school appeared to have fallen off since the change of masters.
The Kowai Pass School is a new one under the former master at Courtenay. The first-class includes some of his children and former pupils, and therefore affords no criterion of the progress here; but the remarkable accuracy of the lower classes is very commendable, and the correctness of their pronunciation and reading proves that that acquirement is attainable even by very young children, and that whatever the diction and accent of their homes, they can be taught to properly pronounce the words of their lesson-books, that which teachers of inferior energy give up as a hopeless task. The prevalence of such patois as “this sèn-wich-is-sittin’-on-ér-raigs” indicates either, or both, the carelessness and ignorance of a teacher who does not understand and does not appreciate the corrections and suggestions made on the day of examination.
The improvement in the Lower Heathcote School since the appointment of the present master and mistress, is in the highest degree satisfactory; the excellent order of the premises and of the external and internal arrangements, the improved appearance of the school and of the children as to courtesy, order, and cleanliness, and the superior efficiency reflect the highest credit upon the present committee and teachers. The only drawback to the satisfaction now felt is the regret that the former inefficiency was not corrected, and such desirable changes made long ago.
The Hororata, Leeston, and other schools deserving special commendation will be noticed as they occur in the detailed report.
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Canterbury Provincial Gazette 1871, No 51
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Board of Education Report for May 26—June 29, 1871
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