verandas or marched into play sheds, with squads of young children, restless and unruly, untrained in school habits, impatient of strict control, and incapable of sustained attention. Instruction will not be worth much under such circumstances, and there is a probability that not only will the pupils lose school time directly, but the loss will be double, by deferring the acquirement of proper school habits till the pupils are higher up in the school, and also of necessitating the unlearning of improper habits. Teachers should think what young pupil-teachers can and can not be expected to do, and should arrange accordingly. The mention of young pupil-teachers reminds me of the curious differences that obtain among schools in the degree of facility with which they can supply to themselves candidates for the pupilteachership as these may be needed and called for. I wish I could get rid of the suspicion that the head teachers' unwillingness to undertake the duty and sustain the burden of teaching and training pupil-teachers is not at the bottom of the professed inability to find suitable candidates. In this matter teachers and committees should understand that it will never do to require some schools to supply pupil-teachers to make up the numerical strength of their staffs, while to other schools adult assistants are supplied merely because their teachers say that they can not find pupil-teacher candidates. Under such a temptation we should not get any pupil-teachers; and, as I said in a previous paragraph, the supply of pupil-teachers must be kept up. Quite recently, some large schools, with a dozen or more children in fifth and sixth classes, have pleaded inability to find candidate pupil-teachers, though there is nothing in the circumstances of the locality to account for the fact. The officers of the Department whose duty it is to examine and review the work of the teachers are themselves experienced teachers, able to advise on every side of school work, to direct amid the difficulties of the profession, and to allow for its inherent or inseparable discouragements; and they are all, I feel sure, desirous to promote the comfort and well-being of the teachers, as far as they can. That fact should be remembered in the discussion of educational matters by the public. It should be very clearly kept in mind by the teachers especially, inasmuch as the history of recent revisions of the regulations during the past seven years discloses that no professional matter submitted to the Department from among themselves had not been carefully weighed before their suggestions came up for consideration, and all the points less professional than financial or political had also been discussed, with the teacher's view of the question kept well forward. Several of the inspectors have borne testimony to the superiority of the management and teaching of Provisional schools that have been placed in charge of retired pupil-teachers during the past year and the year before it. The probabilities were, of course, in favour of such testimony, considering the education and the teaching experience of those ex-pupil-teachers. Some of them, however, have shown themselves deficient in school management, as distinguished from class teaching, a result not to be greatly wondered at in view of the nature of their professional experience, namely, in most cases, the teaching of large classes in large schools; but for all that, their management is better than that of teachers admitted from outside the Department, with little or no experience of teaching. Some of them, too, have partially failed from want of tact and knowledge of the world, their ignorance in this direction not having been sufficiently allowed for by generous forbearance and kindly advice, in several places that could be named. With all its disabilities and shortcomings, I do not see any reason why the past year should not be considered as one of fairly successful effort in the many-sided and extended field of the Department's operations, within its proper scope. The Under Secretary. I have, &c., D. EWART, General Inspector. APPENDIX B. METROPOLITAN DISTRICT-NORTH-EAST DIVISION. REPORT OF MR. SENIOR DISTRICT INSPECTOR PLATT. SIR,-I have the honour to submit my General Report for the year 1894. SCHOOLS. There were assigned to me for inspection 21 schools in the city and suburbs on the north side of the Brisbane River. Four of the schools were for boys only, three for girls only, three for infants only, one for girls and infants only, and the remaining ten were for boys, girls, and infants. In the order of size they stood thus:-In Class I.-Central (boys); in Class III.-Central (girls), Bowen Bridge Road, Fortitude Valley (boys); in Class IV.-Fortitude Valley (girls), Leichhardt Street (boys), Kelvin Grove Road (girls and infants), Fortitude Valley (infants); in Class V.-Leichhardt Street (girls), Ithaca Creek, German Station, Kelvin Grove Road (boys), Breakfast Creek, Central (infants), Leichhardt street (infants); in Class VI.-Eagle Farm, Stafford; in Class VII.-Ashgrove, Nudgee, Enoggera, Myrtle. Most of the schools have been in existence many years, and some of them are amongst the oldest in the colony. In order to accommodate the suburban population which has grown up around Eagle Junction during the last few years, it is proposed to erect a new school on a site about equidistant from the schools at German Station, Eagle Farm, Breakfast Creek, and Bowen Bridge Road. I understand that the residents at New Farm desire a school, but are unable at present to raise the necessary funds. I began inspecting on the 21st of March, and ended on the 24th of August. This period includes four weeks during which my time was wholly occupied in the office. ACCOMMODATION. At Myrtle, Nudgee, Kelvin Grove Road (boys), Leichhardt Street (girls), and Ashgrove, I found the accommodation insufficient in amount; at Brisbane Central (boys) and Fortitude Valley (girls) I found it was barely sufficient. In the other schools it ranged from just sufficient at Bowen Bridge Road to abundant at Enoggera. At Leichhardt Street (boys) the total space was sufficient, but it was so divided that satisfactory supervision by the head teacher was not possible. All things taken into account, the condition of the premises was creditable at all the schools. Most teachers now recognise a higher standard in this particular than they did some years back. Probably the institution of Arbor Day has had something to do with this improvement. In some schools I noticed that small repairs were not promptly attended to, but were deferred indefinitely for no sufficient reason that I could discover. Defective taps creating mud were an eyesore at many schools. This nuisance will exist as long as children have free access to the tanks. I have known a good new tap to be rendered useless within a week by the reckless handling of children. The water should be drawn from the tanks by the teachers, and the pupils should have access to the receivers or buckets, but not to the tanks. At five schools the buildings were urgently in need of paint. In a few instances the kind of damage to furniture, material, or books pointed unmistakably to neglect of Regulation 77. This is the more to be regretted because, in the faithful observance of this regulation, teachers find many fitting opportunities for moral training by example as well as precept. One most objectionable practice was noticed in connection with the supply of reading books. With a view to conserve the school stock the children were told to bring their own reading books to school. The obedient and conscientious pupils did so, the others did not. Those who had brought books were then ordered to share them with those who had none. In this way the books brought were pulled to pieces, soiled, and damaged, and the owners of them left to draw their own conclusions as to the wisdom of obedience in future. PUPILS. ATTENDANCE. On the rolls at inspection I found the names of 7,356 children-4,004 boys and 3,352 girls. There were present at the inspections 6,041 children-3,341 boys and 2,700 girls; so that per cent. of the pupils enrolled were present on one or other of the days of inspection. 82 The degree of regularity of attendance is affected by many accidents and circumstances that are beyond the teachers' influence or control; but I found abundant evidence of the fact that, when children manifestly improve in attainments and conduct, their parents, with rare exceptions, take all the advantage they can of the open school. At the Central (boys) 77 per cent. of the pupils attended at least four days out of five. On the other hand, I notice that feeble government and ineffective teaching sooner or later create irregular attendance, apart from any other cause. CLASSIFICATION. Of the 7,356 pupils enrolled 41 per cent were in the sixth or highest class. The average age of the pupils in the sixth class was 145 years. The fifth class had 8.2 per cent. of the pupils, with an average age of 131 years. The fourth class had 12 per cent. of the pupils, average age 122 years. The third class had 20'2 per cent. of the pupils, average age 108 years. The second class had 22 6 per cent. of the pupils, average age 93 years. The first class had 32.7 per cent. of the pupils, average age 73 years. TEACHERS. The number of teachers employed in the twenty-one schools was 150-58 males and 92 females. Of these 25 were pupil-teachers, 124 were classified teachers, and one was unclassified. Dividing the number of pupils present at inspection (6,041) by the number of teachers (150) we get 40 as the average number of pupils per teacher. Of the head teachers of these schools, 6 were in Class I.,12 in Class II., and 3 in Class III. Most of them had been many years in charge of the schools they held, one of them over 30 years, two over 20 years, three over 15 years, and eight over 7 years. I have to record with sorrow that two of them-Mr. Bracewell of Enoggera, and Mr. Morrison of Myrtle-died with startling suddenness during the severe weather of last winter. I found the assistant teachers and pupil-teachers, almost without exception, industrious, energetic, and painstaking. At the December examinations one of them completed his examination for Class I., two of them completed their examinations for Class II., and three others passed in several subjects. Only one of the pupil-teachers failed to pass the examination. In their class teaching more of them err by doing too much than by doing too little. Some do the thinking for the pupils instead of patiently training the pupils to think for themselves; others mistake their own interest in the lesson for that of their pupils; others, again, do not know when to stop explaining and illustrating; having made a thing clear they drive it out again by more words, instead of giving it time to fix itself. They often get an unpleasant surprise when their pupils are examined, but on the whole they steadily improve from year to year. INSTRUCTION. With regard to the results of the teaching and training, the general condition of the schools may be summarised thus:-Very creditable in 2 schools, creditable in 3, very satisfactory in 5, satisfactory in 4, fairly satisfactory in 5, moderately satisfactory in 1, and not satisfactory in 1. Details of the condition of the several classes and branches of instruction, with suggestions for improvement, were given in the report of each inspection; and, as each head teacher received a copy of the report of his own school, I have no doubt some of the comparatively few defects found have already disappeared, or are likely to do so. In the reading the most common faults were imperfect articulation of consonants, impure vowel sounds, and lack of voice. Most pupils can write legibly at an early age, but the artistic penmanship not uncommon in the schools of forty years ago does not exist. Arithmetic is better taught now than ever it was, although practical problems in the compound rules continue to give very poor average results in Classes V. and VI. Grammar, as an exercise in the art of thinking, is generally satisfactory. Etymological or historical grammar is not so satisfactory, partly on account of its dryness, and partly through the diversity of authorities on many points of no real importance. Composition gave only moderate results, chiefly because the crude efforts of the children do not receive thoughtful and kindly criticism with a view to amendment in a second attempt. To teachers anxious to improve this branch I can strongly recommend a book lately published by Macmillan and Co.-Goyen's Principles of English Composition. It is the most helpful book I know on this subject. Descriptive geography, as specified in the schedule for Classes II. to V., gave results more uneven than those from any other branch; it is almost entirely a matter of memory, forgotten as fast as learned. In Class VI. the mathematical and physical geography gave very fair results. History gave satisfactory results in most schools. Teachers should saturate their minds with Green, Froude, and Macaulay, so as to make some of the dry bones live. I am not surprised to find that the latest period gives the poorest results. The Reform Bill, the Corn Law League, and the British Constitution are neither interesting nor profitable to children. Vocal music worthy of the name can now be heard in nearly every school; in several, many of the children can read easy passages in the tonic-sol-fa notation. Kindergarten work I saw in one school only-Fortitude Valley (infants). The results were very good indeed, and I am convinced of its value when properly carried out. Of the general lessons, those on temperance are heavy and not impressive; those on first aid were, I think, useful, but often inaccurately or only partially remembered; those on conduct and manners were very good in the hands of some teachers, and useless in the hands of others; those on conduct deserve more preparation and greater prominence than they get. They should be given by the head teachers only as a rule. Lessons on mechanics, domestic economy, and ordinary object lessons gave only moderate results on the whole. Lessons on drawing and on agriculture were not required till late in the year, and I had no occasion to value them. With regard to the quantity of reading and arithmetic laid down in Schedules V. and VI.,I would say that frequent changes are mischievous, and that as yet we have not sufficient experience of the present schedule to justify alterations. The teachers are, almost without an exception, cheerfully doing their best to meet the requirements; and this is all that is, or ever has been, expected from them. Possibly another year's observation may enable the inspectors to offer suggestions with confidence; in the meantime I am unable to see any necessity for a leap in the dark. Some teachers are of opinion that the Century Readers are too easy. These books were introduced for the express purpose of giving children an opportunity of practising the art of reading aloud with expression and with a good delivery; a purpose best attained by means of a book which the children can read fluently and comprehend with ease. I think the books have served this purpose, and I am not sure that it would be wise to discard them. Eleven of the schools in this district sent 83 candidates to compete for grammar school scholarships in December, 1894. Out of 58 boys, 34 passed; and out of 25 girls, 9 passed. DISCIPLINE. In all the schools but two, the government was strong enough to secure order, freedom, peace, and generally pleasant conditions for work. In the three girls' schools, in one boys' school, and in several mixed schools the tone was all one could desire. In two schools the discipline was inferior because the maxim de minimis non cural lex was applied to excess. RECORDS. In several schools entries in the work book and in the corporal punishment registers were defective, but in all schools the attendance records were kept in a satisfactory manner. I have, &c., JAS. PLATT, Senior District Inspector, The Under Secretary, Department of Public Instruction, DOWNS DISTRICT NORTH. REPORT OF MR. DISTRICT INSPECTOR KILHAM. Toowoomba, January, 1895. SIR, I have the honour to submit my report for the year 1894, being my nineteenth Annual Report to the Department. DISTRICT. The Northern Downs inspectoral district was the same as last year, except that the schools on the Highfields Branch of the Southern and Western Railway were added to the West Moreton District. SCHOOLS IN OPERATION.-The schools in operation at the close of the year were:-State schools for boys only, 2; for girls only, 1; for girls and infants, 1; for infants only, 1; mixed (for boys, girls, and infants), 29; total, 34 State schools. Provisional schools, 36; Roman Catholic schools for boys only, 1; for girls and infants, 3; private school, 1; total number of schools, 75. A new State school was opened at Wallumbilla to supersede the Provisional school there, and new Provisional schools were established at Amby, Macalister, Mungindi, and Wilsonton. Nellybri and Ranges Bridge Provisional schools were closed. Application was made, and a site approved, for a Provisional school at Yingerbay, on Bungeworgorai Creek. APPORTIONMENT OF TIME.-During the 274 official days my time was apportioned as follows:Inspection of schools, 112 days; reporting, 614 days; travelling; 76 days; examination work, 20 days; and absence from duty on account of sickness, 5 days. Inspection commenced on 1st March, and continued to the end of the school year, 14th December. I inspected and fully reported 36 State schools, 34 Provisional, and 4 Roman Catholic schools; held inquiries for new schools at Macalister and Yingerbay; also investigations at two places, and made eleven incidental visits. To accomplish this work, 6,742 miles were travelled during the year-namely, by rail 4,407, by coach 1,448, and by buggy 887. MATERIAL ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS. Sufficient school accommodation is provided in this district for all the children enrolled, but the schools at Charleville, Mitchell, Roma, and North Toowoomba (boys), are still overcrowded, while at Gowrie Creek, Gowrie Little Plain, Gowrie Road, Highfields, Oakey, South Toowoomba (boys), and South Toowoomba (infants), the accommodation is much in excess of the requirements. The small State school buildings have been reported, without exception, as in good condition. sum of £8 2s. 6d. has been authorised during the year for minor repairs, consisting mostly of replacing broken panes or chairs. No schoolroom is perfect without a classroom containing a gallery for collective teaching, singing, &c., yet in this district thirteen State schools are deficient in classrooms, and eighteen are without galleries. Our colonial school architects appear to think more of the external appearance of the building than of the internal arrangement and utility of the rooms, hence these are often found badly lighted with cross-lights injurious to the sight of pupils and teachers; and classrooms are in some cases separated from the schoolroom by draughty passages which in wet weather interfere with the immediate and efficient control of the head teacher. Material for instruction is usually fully supplied, but again I have to complain of the inferior quality of the slates, which last so short a time as to require a double supply for the year. One fruitful cause of destruction to frames is the tightness of mortise for slates in the desks, which require to be made an eighth of an inch wider both ways to prevent sticking. Few trees were planted on Arbor Day this year, but twenty-three State schools cultivate flower gardens, the neatest of which are at Dalby, Gomoron, Goombungee, Roma, Surat, Taroom, East Toowoomba, Middle Ridge, and Warra. INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS. STAFF. The staff strength in State schools is the same as last year-namely, 1 teacher to 34 pupils in average attendance, and ranges from 55 at Taroom to 17 at Cunnamulla. The only schools in which a weak staff was found were Charleville, Goombungee, and Taroom. The average staff strength in Provisional schools is 1 teacher to 16 pupils. Average attendance falls below that required by the Act at Amby, Bungeworgorai, East Prairie, Mocatty's Corner, Spring Flat, Tipton, West Prairie, and Yamsion. The number of teachers employed in this district is 140-namely, 86 in State schools, 35 in Provisional, and 19 in Roman Catholic schools. They are classed as 71 head teachers, 55 assistants, and 14 pupil-teachers, 9 of whom are being trained in 3 Roman Catholic schools, and 5 in 34 State schools. Of the 33 head teachers in Provisional schools, 4 are classified, 6 are ex-pupil teachers, 9 are temporary teachers, while 14 are unclassified and have received no training or instruction to fit them for their work. With a surplus of teachers who have had special training in class teaching and occasionally in school management, I think the time has arrived when Provisional school teachers who have passed no stated examination under the Department should not be appointed to the charge of Provisiona! schools. Nine changes of head teachers have been made in State schools, and 8 in Provisional schools during the year. GOVERNMENT. After twenty years' experience in Denominational schools in England and Germany, and over twenty years' experience in Queensland, I must bear testimony to the fact that the moral tone in our State schools is equal, if not superior, to that in the older countries mentioned. The frequent lessons given on morals, conduct, and manners, and above all, the high moral standing and almost unexceptional integrity of the teachers as a body, set an example to their pupils which is far more impressive and durable in its effects than a greater amount of precept. "Order is Heaven's first law," and this maxim is particularly applicable to school work. I am happy to be able to report that teachers are becoming more and more impressed with the necessity for order-not in the arrangement of furniture or material alone, which economises school time, but in the skilful construction of time-tables and the proper methodical sequence of lessons in accordance with the psychological development of child mind, the when to teach being of equal importance with the how to teach. CLASSIFICATION OF PUPILS.-The enrolment for the whole district is 5,081-viz., in State schools 3,749, in Provisional 776, in Roman Catholic schools 556. The number of pupils examined is 4.101viz., in State schools 3,153, in Provi-ional 603, and in Roman Catholic schools 384. In consequence of the regulation which debars all children under six years of age from attending school, the enrolment has decreased in State schools by 171, and in Provisional schools by 62, as compared with last year's attendance. We may therefore presume that over 500 children are playing in the streets, or are at any rate withdrawn from the benefits of education at the most critical part of their scholastic career. Our Toowoomba Infants' school, which in 1991 had an enrolment of 199, is now reduced to 67, while the North Toowoomba Girls' and Infants' has fallen from 351 to 246, and the East Toowoomba school from 110 to 350; thus, in one town alone, there are 350 children of school age wasting one of the most valuable years of their life. Currie says, "It is common to distinguish three periods of elementary education infancy, extending from birth till six and a-half or seven years of age; childhood, from that till the twelfth or thirteenth year; and youth, from that again till the sixteenth or seventeenth. If one of these periods be overlooked, or not used in the way that its characteristics demand, elementary education is so far imperfect or vitiated. The power of education, it is rightly said, is inversely as the age of the child; the younger he is, the more susceptible is he to external influence; so that at three he is more easily moulded than at six or at nine." The percentage of enrolment in each class in State schools is as follows:-Sixth class, 23; fifth, 63; fourth, 102; third, 203; second, 27-2; and first, 334. In Provisional schools:-Fifth class, 4; fourth, 83; third, 192; second, 33-5; first, 319. It will be noticed that 60 per cent. of pupils in State schools and 684 per cent. in Provisional schools are in the first and second classes. Average age in each class is about twelve months above the standard in State schools, and eighteen months above in Provisional schools. Time in class, however, is usually below the average allowed, or, in other words, teachers find no difficulty in taking pupils through the prescribed course in the given time if the attendance is fairly regular. The average attendance is 2,919-2, or 77.8 per cent. of enrolment, in State schools; and 5667, or 78 per cent. of enrolment, in Provisional schools. Less than half the children enrolled attend regularly, the numbers being 1,690, or 468 per cent., in State schools, and 462, or 59-5 per cent., in Provisional. Schools showing the highest percentage of regularity are:- Taroom, 82; Morven, 73; Warra, 722; Oakey, 66. The greatest irregularity of. attendance is found at Adavale (where none attend four-fifths of their time); Gomoron, 32 per cent.; Rosalie Plains, 41; Chinchilla, 72; Cunnamulla, 104; Goombungee, 121; and Gowrie Creek, 148. Nothing but compul ion will improve this state of things. There were admitted into State schools during the year 660 boys and 706 girls, and into Provisional schools 196 boys and 205 girls. INSTRUCTION. Notwithstanding the large number of subjects of instruction, which now amount to twenty-six, teachers can, by a judicious arrangement of their time-tables, manage to give at least half an hour per week to those of lesser importance, and find a fair amount of time for the more important. It is, however, doubtful whether, by overcrowding our Schedule, we are not grasping at the shadow and losing the substance; for it must not be forgotten that every additional subject of questionable utility reduces the time which should be devoted to essential subjects forming the fundamental training of primary schools. The secret of our success in past years has been mainly due to the thoroughness of the foundation laid by the instrumentary branches of school work-reading, writing, and arithmetic, which are of high educative value in different directions, so that their acquisition may be considered the sum and substance of school education, as their application may be the means of conveying all necessary knowledge and discipline. Drawing, which is so important for training hand and eye,has been introduced into our curriculum, and although the syllabus appears at first sight rather formidable to teachers, I think the work can be overtaken by devoting, on an average, not more than an hour per week to the subject. The highest marks for class proficiency were obtained in the following schools: Sixth Class. North Toowoomba (boys), 794; South Toowoomba (girls), 789; Gowrie Fifth Class-Augathella, 833; South Toowoomba (boys), 80; North Toowoomba (girls), 786; Fourth Class.-Glencoe, 824; Dalby, 773; Gowrie Road, 77; North Toowoomba (girls), Third Class.Glencoe, 833; Gowrie Road, 805; South Toowoomba (girls), 799; North Second Class.-Glencoe, $53; South Toowoomba (girls), 786; North Toowoomba (girls), First Class-- South Toowoomba (girls), $23; Glence 792; Morven, 783; South Toowoomba (infants), 765; Gown'e Lite Plan, 716 North Toowoomba (girls), 734. The promotions made du: year were 2,718, or 72 5 per cent. of the enrolment, in State schools, and 549, or 707 per cent., in Iovis onal scope's V good progress was reported in all except a few schools. SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS. Schools which deserve special ment on for general efficiency and good progress are:-Glencoe, 819; South Toowoomba (girls), 786; Gow,' - Road, 765; South Toowoomba (infants), 765; North Toowoomba (girls), 755; Morven, 739; Au leda, 735; Gowrie Junction, 73; Dalby, 72'S; Goombungee, 723; North Toowoomba (boys), 704; Middle R ge, 706, and Taroom, 702; the average results for the whole district being 68 in State schools and 64 in Provisional schools. I have, &c., J. KILHAM, The Under Secretary, Department of Public Instruction. District Inspector. |