Report of the Inspector of Public Schools




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there are teachers, I have on this occasion, given a short summary of the opinion I have formed of the state of each school at the date of my last round of inspections in May and June, when the Yearly Returns were filled in. No other plan occurs to me by which justice can be done alike to the able and the incompetent teacher.

Town Boys\' School, 1st Division.—This school possessing, as it does, many advantages which are not shared by any but the 1st Division of the Town Girls\' School, is not unreasonably expected to hold the first place among our Provincial Schools. It is fed by drafts from its 2nd Division, and from the Town Auxiliary School, which, in their turn, are supplied with fresh scholars from the Preparatory School. The principle of the division of labor is by this means carried out very effectually, while the average daily attendance of the scholars is high; and the schoolroom itself is of ample size, and well provided with school appliances of every description. But from various causes, one of which, no doubt, is the frequent change of masters, this division of the school has latterly taken a lower rank than several of the country schools. The daily attendance, which in 1863 was 51, has dwindled to 29, and there has been a corresponding falling off in the attainments of the boys in every branch taught, while the discipline of the school has become exceedingly lax. It should be explained that the present Head Master, having been appointed subsequently to my last visit to the school, is not responsible for the state of things here indicated.

Town Boys\' School, 2nd Division.—Mr. Sadd, Master. The present condition of this school contrasts most favorably in every every respect with that of the 1st Division. With the help of a very young pupil teacher, more than 80 children are thoroughly taught and kept in excellent order. The gradation of the classes is carefully preserved, and no instant of time is left unemployed by either teacher or scholars, nor can I point to another school where an equal amount of work is equally well performed.

Town Girls\' School, 1st Division.—Mrs. Sait, Mistress. About 50 children are daily present at this school, and large as these numbers are to be placed under the care of a single teacher, not only is good order kept, but the children are well grounded in the different branches taught, the reading and the explanation of what has been read being remarkably good. I have noticed with pleasure, that in this, as in all the Town schools great attention is paid to keeping the school room neat and clean, the books and slates being carefully put away when not in use. It is beginning to be understood that these apparently trifling matters go far to make up the sum of what is meant by a good school.

Town Girls\' School, 2nd Division.—Miss Darby, Mistress. This, though intended to be introductory to the 1st Division of the Girls\' School, is a carefully taught and very orderly school; about 45 children are in daily attendance.

Preparatory School.—Mrs. Cook, Mistress. As more than 80 children have attended this school during the past year, most of whom are under 7 years, it would be unfair to expect from the teacher more than that she should teach habits of order and obedience, and impart such an amount of instruction as is usually given in the lowest class in a country school; and even this considerably lightens the work and conduces to the good order of the rest of the town schools.

Town Auxiliary School.—Mr. Hodgson. This is a mixed school, and is intended to relieve the 2nd Division of the Boys\' and Girls\' Schools, (which at one time were overcrowded) by taking children from the neighborhood until they are sufficiently advanced to enter the 1st Division of these schools. As more than 50 scholars attend this school, which has been opened only six months, it may fairly be said to have answered its purpose. The children show careful teaching, the gradation of classes is well preserved, and the discipline is good.

Clifton Terrace.—Mr. Gilbert, Master. The attendance at this school is very thin and irregular, and though, as a rule, I have found that the best taught schools are also those where the average attendance is highest, I cannot venture to say, after careful enquiry, that the fault in this case, rests entirely with the teacher. The few children who attend regularly are, on the whole, fairly taught, the hand-writing being particularly neat, but the arithmetic was slow and inaccurate, and the explanation of what had been read, even as given by the first class, on my last visit, was by no means what I expected.

Hill-side School.—Mr. Edmonds, Master. The utmost intellectual activity pervades this school. The children read clearly and appear thoroughly to understand what they read, the penmanship is excellent, and the arithmetic quickly and intelligently per-



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PDF PDF Nelson Provincial Gazette 1864, No 19





✨ LLM interpretation of page content

🎓 Report of the Inspector of Public Schools (continued from previous page)

🎓 Education, Culture & Science
Education, Schools, Teachers, Inspection, School performance
7 names identified
  • Mr. Sadd, Master of Town Boys' School, 2nd Division
  • Mrs. Sait, Mistress of Town Girls' School, 1st Division
  • Miss Darby, Mistress of Town Girls' School, 2nd Division
  • Mrs. Cook, Mistress of Preparatory School
  • Mr. Hodgson, Teacher of Town Auxiliary School
  • Mr. Gilbert, Master of Clifton Terrace School
  • Mr. Edmonds, Master of Hill-side School