, 1880-02-28

Concerning the state Of the Schools M the
tom of Charlotte Ansalia
for the gear 1879.

for the gear 1879.
AS the CARRYING out of the School Ordi-
nance of 18th Febr. 1876, was accomplished
at the end of the year 1878 and circumstan-
ces have not allowed the authorities con-
cerned to proceed to the establishment OF
the Rural Schools prescribed by the SAID
Ordinance, the state of the educational de.
partment is, in so far as regards the MAN
features, not changed since the last report.
Besides the public schools, whose number
of pupils has increased considerably There
exists at present nearly the same number
of private schools as at the end OF 1873.
/. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A. Communal Schools.
The number of pupils IN the SIX Commu-
nal Schools, was in December month 1919,
$50. In the month of December 1879 these
schools numbered641 pupils. The great me
quality in the distribution of the pupils a.
mong the different schools, caused by a very
large increase of the attendance OF the
newly established schools in the eastern
part of thetown, has been remediod By a
modification of the limits Of the different
school districts.
AS will be seen from the table below ap.
pended, the number of pupils exceeds, III
four fthe schools, the limit fixed by the 9th
section of the School Ordinance. Although
the School Board are of opinion that just
at present there is no necessity
for establishing one or moro new schoois,
they have still found it advisable to
call the attention of Government to thus
circumstance seeing that in case the atten-
dance of the present year inc rease at the
same rate as last year, the augmentation
of the schools as above suggested, VIII
become an absolute necessity.
4 Amongst the teachers attached to the Com
munal Schools, there has been no change un-
til the end of the year, when Mr.. 10 Shaw
accepted an appointment in tho Burgber
School in Christiansted. In one of the
schools it hes been necessary, on account
of the teachers illness, for some time to
entrust his work to another In all the
girls schools assistant female teachers are
employed to assist the teachers III giving
instruction in needle work. In four OF the
schools the children have since LIST Octo-
Der 1879 received instruction III Danish,
whereas, in regard 70 the two Otner schools,
owing to a want Of teachers in this branch,
1t has been necessary to defer such nstruc-
ton temporarily.
In accordance with the expressed wish
of the teachers, the timetable has been
modified to the effect, that the End class,
which receives instruction in the afternoon,
attend school Only the 5 first week days,
and that. hence, the instruction on Satur-
day is over at IL O'Clock a. m.--by which
arrangement, however, as q matter of
course, the weekly number of ms ,uctiOn
hours fixed by the School Ordinance, re-
mains unaltered. The figure, hereunder
stated, of the average daily attendance
does. therefore not apply to Saturday.
The progress Of the pupils has been most
satisfactory in the year now ended. The
teachers have, with untiring zeal, done
their arduous work, and many OF the pupils
have displayed great intelligence and doci-
lity. The great majority Of parents have
also, by c~onscientiously sending their chill
dren to school, and allowing them to
miss attendance only when incapacita-
ted by sickness, shown that they ap-
preciate the efforts made for the instruc-
tion of their children, and recognize the
significance of instruction. AS a matter
of course, there have been cases in
which it became necessary to apply the
means of o%ompulsion provided by the
School Ordinance; but as a rule the pa
rents have been willing to send their
children to school, and the children to go.
Theryearly. examinations where held on
the 18th Goth and 23rd December.
In regard to further particulars reference
10 made to the subjoinsd table.