Wichita eagle., 1888-07-14
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS.
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM EXISTING
IN NEW ZEALAND.

The Work Of Inspection-Classes OF Certi-
ficaSes-Study and Drill in the Schools.
Probationary Teachers Teaching by
Means of Pictures.
The British colony of New Zealand consists
mainly Of two large islands, called the North
and South islands For educational purposes
it is divided into eleven districts some of
which coincide In names and extent with the
provinces into which the colony was origin
ally divided for political purposes. The
supreme control Of educational affairs is in
the hands Of the minister Of education, who
Is member Of the cabinet The work of in
spection is carried on by an inspector general
of schools and inspectors The large dis
| tricts of Auckland in the North Island and
| Otago in the South Island have each three
inspectors of schools, while each of the other
districts has one The Office of the inspector
general is in Wellington, the seat Of govern
ment, commonly called by the coIoniSts ''the
Empire City"
AL schools for primary education are called
| public or state schools, and education is free
compulsory and secular. Occasionally relig
| ious instruction is given in these schools by
| ministers Of religion to those children whose
parentk wish them to receive it, but this
forms nc part of the state system The
pupils of every school are divided for pur.
poses of inspection and examination, but not
necessarily for purposes Of instruction, into
six standards. All pupils below the first
standard are put into preparatory class,
while pupils who have passed standard six
form class seven. The subjects Of instruc>
ton are divided into pass subjects, class sub
| jects and additional subjects. No child Is
allowed to pass into higher standard until
he can show certificate of having passed the
standard below The class subjects for
standard six are drawing, English history
and elementary science while the additional
subjects are recitation, singing, drill, extra
drawing, with needle work for girls. Draw
ing is usually taught by a visiting teacher
while singing is taught by the regu
lar staff of the schools, with occasional visit.
| ing lessons by teacher in the service Of the
board.
Drill is taught in all the schools, and all
teachers who are not qualified are required
to qualify az soon possible In drawing,
| singing and drill Drill is given daily in
company movements. and on one afternoon
| in the week exercises with Indian clubs and
wands are taught School work usually be,
gin. at $50 a. m and goes on, with an inter
val for recreation till 1880 p m, begins
again at p. N and ends at 4 p. NJ but
teachers are required &c sign their names in
the attendance book at least twenty minutes
before the beginning Of morning and after
noon school The children are marshaled on
the play ground about fifteen minutes before
school begins and march into school in single
| file, hanging up their hats as they pass down
h.,h an No el,o1, -.
| and in school sit together and separate from
| the boys, though they are members Of the
| same classes and are taught at the same time
| as the boys They take their seats by word
| Of command, roll is called and exercise books
| collected All is then ready for beginning
| the appointed work eft $50 q N. or at D. m
The large city schools usually have al
tached to them quite number Of probation
| airy teachers ard pupil teachers The former
are persons who have not been trained as
teachers, but who are accepted by a board and
| paid small saiary-fron $50 to $500
year-while they acquire practice in school
work. At first they corrct the exercise books
| containing the home work Of the chill
| dren, assist In keeping order ct drill, and oc-
casionally they are employed by the heao
teachers to administer punishment to idle or
disoruerly boys. The punishment rnrely, if
ever, exceeds few strokes on the hand with
a cane. On Saturday mornings probationary
and pupil teachers have to attend classes at
| the training college, where instruction is
| given In drawing, singing, drill and other
| subjects In schools where the head teacher
, has taste for science quite creditable coliec-
| lions of scientific apparatus have been got to
| Gesher, and lectures, accompanied By expert
| menss, are, 10 the great delight Of the chill
sren, given once a week Occasionally. too.
an enthusiastic teacher makes collection
OF geological OF meteorological specimens.
which serve as a basis for illustration. and 70
awaken s. taste for such matters in the minds
| Of the children Instructions are issued b.
the boards for the guidance Of teachers IN
these books Of Instructions are found note
on the way IN which the inspector Of the
district wishes the various subjects Of the
school course 70 be taught. also hints
On organization and discipline All hassy
infection Of corporal punishment is ii
I recssd % b avoided, saA p1sib srv q