MATERIAL ORGANIZATION.

During the year a number of additions to buildings and other improvements were effected. To meet the need for increased accommodation the school-house at Bell was enlarged by an addition of 16 feet, and needful furniture was supplied; at Warra an addition to the eastern end was made; at Dalby some extra furniture was supplied; at Oakey a new room 40 feet by 25 feet with 10 feet verandas was built-another room was raised and joined at right angles to the former-and new furniture was supplied for the infants' room; a new school-house to replace the provisional building was in course of erection at South Glen; extra furniture was supplied to Silverleigh. The school-house at Ashlea was to be removed to Rosalie Plains and re-erected with an additional veranda and a new tank. A playshed was erected at Narko, and the ends of the school verandas were enclosed. At Blaxland improvements were made to the building and a new tank and stand were supplied. New tanks were supplied to Hill Top, Mocatty's Corner, Gowrie Mountain, and Sunnyvale. Shelters for pupils were put up at Malakoff road, and minor improvements and repairs were carried out at Kingsthorpe, Oakey, Jondaryan, Gowrie Mountain, Gowrie Little Plain, Crosshill, and Kaimkillenbun. The buildings at Daiwan and Cattle Gully were painted.. The school-house at Charlton (Gowrie Estate) was raised and placed on high blocks; the ground underneath was concreted and enclosed by screens on two sides. Heating stoves were supplied to Cooranga North and Mocatty's Corner.

Practically all the school buildings were in a good state of repair. Except in a very few instances the supply of school furniture was adequate. Where there was a deficiency, immediate steps were taken to remedy the defects. The tent school-house at Blackwood urgently needed repairs, owing to defective blinds, rollers, &c.

The supply of school requisites was generally equal to the demand. Teachers, however, sometimes cut their requisitions too fine, and discover in the course of a few months that their supply of reading books is insufficient, and because they do not like to apply for a supplementary supply of reading books their work and that of their pupils cannot be carried on satisfactorily and efficiently. They are hampered until the next year's supplies arrive. It will be far better when errors of judgment have occurred, with respect to the supply requisitioned, to apply for supplementary requisites at the end of the quarter or half-year rather than have the work of the pupils retarded and made more difficult through the shortage of necessary school requisites. There should be an adequate supply of reading books, one for each pupil-not one for two or three pupils. Where the supply was deficient, the teacher was generally at fault, though the binding of the books also helped to cause a shortage in the number of books fit for class use.

On the whole, great care was taken of the school property, and there were many evidences of attempts to improve the school grounds and to increase the attractiveness of the school-rooms.

Improvements to the grounds included a concrete drain at Bell; clearing away pricklypear at Narko, Mayburn, Hilltop, Brigalow, Quinalow; clearing away fallen timber and undergrowth at Jondowae, Kupunn, Koondai-i Creek, Cooranga North, Sunnyvale; tree-planting and gardening at over 70 per cent. of the schools. It was pleasing to note a number of instances where the committee had assisted, as at Kupunn, Koondai-i Creek, Cooranga North, Moola Road, Sunnyvale, and Thornville-where they had rendered valuable manual assistance.

Generally the accommodation provided was adequate, but at the time of my visit there was overcrowding at Bell, Ashlea, Bowenville, Jondowae, Silverleigh, Dalby, and to a slighter extent at Thornville. An addition has been made to Bell school-house, and Ashlea schoolhouse has been replaced by two buildings-the old one at Rosalie Plains, a new one at Kulpi. Bowenville is to be enlarged, a new school-house is to be built at Jandowae, and something is to be done at Silverleigh. A new room for High School purposes is needed at Dalby. Nungil school-house is to be removed and re-erected on a more central site. The grounds were unfenced at Peranga, Ehlma, Perthton.

Married men appointed to the charge of country schools find it extremely difficult to secure suitable houses as residences. To overcome this pressing difficulty teachers' residences are needed at Bell, Cooyar, Kaimkillenbun, and one or two other places.

GARDENING. That interest is taken in this work is evident from the fact that nearly all the State schools do more or less work in connection with the cultivation of flowers, pot plants, trees, and in a few cases kitchen stuff. At the same time the main object has been the improvement of the school grounds, and, if possible, to have a fine show of blooms when the Inspector visits. The beautifying of the school surroundings. should not be the only aim or even the main aim. Kitchen gardening should hold first place, because of its utilitarian and educative nature when taught on right lines. Hitherto this branch of gardening has been neglected at most schools. The most successful gardens were those at Kingsthorpe, Koondai-i Creek, Cooyar, Greenwood, Charlton, Jandowae, Yee-am, Wutul, Silverleigh. The finest collections of pot plants were seen at Dalby, Wutul, Inverai, Jondaryan, St. Ruth, Malakoff Road, Blackwood, Cooyar.

ARBOR DAY was more generally observed. A fair number of trees were planted, and strenuous efforts were made to keep them alive. It would be well for teachers to try the plan suggested by Professor Shelton, the first Principal of Gatton Agricultural College-viz., to plant trees in a cluster or clump in a corner of the grounds, where they would grow like the trees of the forest, and later on prove a veritable shelter as well as a shade for the pupils during the midday recess. Isolated trees and avenues of trees look well, but they do not afford the shelter and protection from winds and heat that a clump of trees afford.

The school grounds were usually kept very neat and free from litter, but there were a few schools where attention had to be called to the untidy state of the school grounds.

The school-houses were almost without exception clean, neat, and orderly, but their attractiveness varied. Most schools boasted of a fair number of pictures, others a very fair number, Malakoff Road, Sunnyvale, Charlton, Cooyar, and a few-Kingsthorpe, Koondai-i Creek, Daiwan, Dalby, Ehlma, and Wutul-had fairly good collections. The remarks made last year respecting the need for orderly and tasteful arrangement of pictures, maps, and natural. history specimens are still necessary. untidy presses were noted, and some unsightly corners filled with worn-out school materials were observed at a few schools.

A few

LIBRARIES. The number of school libraries

is larger than it was two years ago, but there are still many schools, nearly half of the schools in the district, without libraries. Probably about 60 per cent. of the State schools have libraries, but few of the other schools have any. The presence of a good school library, but more especially the use made of it by the pupils, is a very reliable indication of the kind of interest the teacher takes in his pupils' truest welfare. To develop the whole child and to inspire him with a deep love for pure literature should be every teacher's aim, but unfortunately some teachers have been neglectful of their highest duties. New volumes were needed at some schools in order to maintain and increase the interest of the senior pupils who had read most of the library

books. Greater use might have been made of the historical books in the school library in conneetion with the great war. Books of travel, too, might have been more extensively used to enlighten the pupils respecting the countries and peoples affected directly and indirectly by the war. Teachers who did not make full use of this opportunity to bring home to the hearts and consciences of their pupils a sound appreciation of the privileges, liberties, and blessings handed down to us by our forefathers failed miserably in their duty as true patriots and leaders and educators of the young. It is worthy of note that a library for ex-pupils was in use at Charlton (formerly Gowrie Estate) State School. There were 350 volumes in the library, and about twenty ex-pupils were subscribers to the same. This is an example that other schools might well

copy.

INTERNAL ORGANIZATION.

STAFFS. At the date of inspection there were 103 teachers as compared with 92 teachers in the previous year. The number of classified teachers was the same-viz., 21 classified head teachers and 12 classified assistant teachers. Unclassified teachers numbered 53-viz., 48 unclassified head teachers, 5 unclassified assistant teachers an increase of 4 unclassified head teachers and of 2 unclassified assistant teachers as compared with last year's list. Pupil-teachers were 17 in number, an increase of 5 teachers as compared with last year.

Classified teachers formed 32 per cent., unclassified teachers 51-5 per cent., and pupilteachers 16-5 per cent. of the total staff of teachers. The classification is shown in the following table:

There was no teacher of Class I. on the staffs. The one-teacher schools included 46 State schools and 7 Provisional schools. There were 8 schools with 2 teachers each, 3 schools with 3 teachers each, 1 school with 4 teachers, another with 9 teachers, and 1 with 10 teachers. The number of Half-time schools--one teacher to two schools-was two. The list of teachers given above does not include the staff of the Roman Catholic school, Dalby. Including the latter school there were 15 schools having two or more teachers.

The numerical strength of the staff was generally satisfactory. The schools at Dalby, Evergreen, Kaimkillenbun, Greenwood, Silverleigh, and Thornville were near the margin for the addition of another teacher. Before the end of the year the staff at Evergreen was strengthened by the return of a pupil-teacher to duty.

Head Teachers (a).-Classified head teachers were in charge of all the larger schools and of seven one-teacher schools. Of the latter there were three female head teachers whose work during the year was very favourably reported upon. All except three of the male head teachers did very creditable work on the whole. Naturally they varied in personality, in ability, in temperament, in adaptability, in resourcefulness, in driving power, and in progressiveness; but nearly all of them appeared to be imbued with honesty of purpose, zeal, and faithfulness in the discharge of their duties, and a perfect willingness to spend and be spent in the service of their pupils and of the Department. Few, if any, were time-servers, although some undoubtedly had limited outlooks and rather narrow views of things. Of the classified male teachers in charge of one-teacher schools, three did very fine work; the work of the

The

other two teachers was not satisfactory. work of one head teacher of a school with two teachers was unsatisfactory.

Where there were pupil-teachers, sufficient attention was not always given during school hours to their training in the art of teaching. At schools where there are only the head teacher and a pupil-teacher, the former can arrange for his classes to do some silent reading or similar work at least once or twice during the school week, so that he may give the pupil-teacher some special training in the art of teaching.

Criticism lessons should form a regular part of the school routine where there are two or more teachers. During the past year this part of teachers' training was very much neglected.

Head Teachers (b).-Amongst the unclassified head teachers there was greater divergence in personal characteristics, in ability, in temperament, in aptitude for teaching, in training, in educational attainments, in general deportment, and in sympathy with and love of children. Most of them, however, were animated with a spirit of earnestness, determination, cheerfulness, and energy which enabled them to successfully combat and overcome many of the difficulties and trials incident to a young teacher's entrance into the practical work of teaching under somewhat trying circumstances. That their efforts were not in vain may be gleaned from the fact that about 13 received very satisfactory reports, about 20 satisfactory reports, about 4 fair reports. Of the remaining 11, 8 did work approaching fair, 2 did unsatisfactory work, and 1 very unsatisfactory work.

Most of the unclassified teachers desire to become classified teachers, and many are studying with that object in view. The mistake that some make is in attempting to complete the course in too limited a time. Since they have their school duties to attend to primarily, teachers will do well to extend their course of preparation for the classification examination (Class III.) over two years, and to make use of the Tuition by Correspondence Courses instituted by the Department for their special benefit. By spreading the course of study over two years, the teacher will be able to attend to his school duties satisfactorily, and at the same time to cover the course of study and find pleasure therein. Probably he would be able to get his Correspondence Courses arranged on a two-years' basis.

Some of the unclassified teachers would benefit by the Short Course at the Training College, more especially if they attend with the main purpose of improving their teaching methods and not of preparing themselves for the Class III. examination. The quality of the teaching needs to be improved, and attendance at the Training College is desirable for that reason alone. But teachers who are unable to

enter the Training College can considerably improve their teaching methods by systematic study and practice of the various methods suggested in the Notes on the Syllabus and in Practical School Method (Cox and Macdonald). There were some lackadaisical teachers who seemed content to jog on from day to day just as they always jogged. They were without ambition to improve themselves in scholarship, in school work, and in position. They need continual goading.

Assistant Teachers.-Two assistant teachers belonged to the Second Class, ten to the Third Class, and five were unclassified. Though teachers should be ambitious to pass the higher examinations, they should remember that their practical efficiency in school work and their powers as educators and trainers of the young are of far more value in school than the mere fact that they have passed a high examination. In school the question is, not what is the highest educational test the teacher has passed, but what can he do, what can he teach, how can he teach, and in what spirit does he teach. A teacher's value is determined more by what he is and what he can do as a teacher and as a disciplinarian than by what he knows. With the foregoing explanation, it will be better understood when it is stated that assistant teachers of the lowest rank often proved themselves of greater value in school than their more highly classified colleagues; that the work of the junior assistants as a body more than compared favourably with that of their senior colleagues. They were specially helpful in the play-ground, in school games, in junior cadet training, in gardening, and other outside work. Their work was praiseworthy.

PUPIL-TEACHERS.-There was an increase in the number of pupil-teachers, and most of the new probationers seemed to be of the right material. They were bright, alert, active, and industrious. Their attention to their studies was favourably reported upon, and their work in school was in practically every instance commendable. The other pupilteachers had made steady progress in efficiency. In only one instance had exception to be taken to the way a pupil-teacher's training was being carried out. In that case there was a noticeable deterioration in teaching efficiency.

ATTENDANCE.-The total number of chil

dren enrolled on the day of inspection was 2,712, and of this number 2,230, or 82.2 per cent., were inspected. There was an increase of 149 pupils in the enrolment as compared with that of the previous year. The percentage of pupils inspected (82-2 per cent. of those enrolled) was the same as it was in the year 1914.

The enrolment of the pupils was as follows:

During the quarter preceding the date of inspection, 1,719 pupils out of 2,396 pupils in State schools, and 111 pupils out of 140 pupils in Provisional schools, attended 80 per cent. of their school time. This gave 71.1 per cent. for State schools and 79.2 per cent. for Provisional schools. There was a slight falling off in the quality of the attendance at the State schools, and a marked improvement in the attendance at Provisional schools, as compared with the previous year.

The quality of the attendance deserves more than a passing notice on account of the dairy; ing industry as it affects school attendance, and on account of the trying times passed through owing mainly to drought, but partly to the war and the departure of so many young men from the selections to fight for their King and country. At the following schools all the pupils (100 per cent.) attended 80 per cent. of the regular school days: Gowrie Mountain, Mayburn, Peranga, Rangemore, and Spring Flat. At eight schools the quality was above 90 per cent. :-Gowrie Colliery (96), Apunyal (94-7), Brymaroo (94), Meandarra (94), Malakoff Road (92-8), Jandowae (92), Gowrie Junction (91), Greenwood (90.7), and at 17 schools it was above 80 per cent: Kumbarilla (88), Mocatty's Corner (88.8), Hill Top (88-8), Charlton (87-8), Cecil Plains (87), Pirrinuan (87), Undulla Creek (87), Gowrie Little Plain (86.8), Ehlma (86-2), Jondaryan (84.9), Silverleigh (84.6), King's Tent (83), Warra (82), Crosshill (82), Oakey (81-9), Cooyar (80-9), and South Glen (80). At 17 schools the quality averaged between 70 per cent. and 79 per cent.; at 12 schools it ranged between 60 per cent. and 69 per cent. At the following five schools it was just above 50 per cent: Devon Park (56), Irvingdale (52), Pine Grove (52), Quinalow (52), and Thornville (51). The quality of the attendance was poorest at St. Ruth (25), Inverai (28.5), The Gums (35), Ashlea (32.6), Evergreen (39.6), Kaimkillenbun (31).

Head teachers at the end of the year furnished particulars respecting any causes that adversely affected the attendance of pupils. In the returns sent to me the causes assigned for diminished attendances for periods of a month or more were:-(a) Dry weather-drought conditions Evergreen, Kupunn, Kumbarilla, Bowenville, Undulla Creek, St. Ruth, Meandarra, The Gums, and Spring Flat. Other schools were affected by the dry weather, but those mentioned apparently suffered most from its ill-effects. (b) Unfortunately blight and other eye troubles followed on the period of drought and diminished the attendance at nearly 40 per cent. of the schools of the district. (c) Influenza, dengue, mumps, measles, scarlet fever, chickenpox, and gastritis affected the pupils at 50 per cent. of the schools during the year. Sickness seems to have been more prevalent than it was for some years past.

No teacher gave dairying as a specific reason for low or irregular attendance. The schools mentioned above as having the best quality of attendance of pupils are all situated in farming districts. Generally country parents do their best to send their children to school regularly; this is especially noticeable in the

case of Provisional schools. The quality of the attendance showed marked improvement at the following schools:-Hill Top from 42 per cent. to 88-8 per cent.; Sunnyvale from 45 per cent. to 78.5 per cent.; and Narko from 48.5 per cent. to 78 per cent.

GOVERNMENT.-The general administration was found to be very satisfactory in 16 schools, satisfactory in 42 schools, fairly satisfactory in 6 schools, moderately satisfactory in 6 schools, and quite unsatisfactory in 1 school. Order and ing, and invigorating in about a dozen schools. discipline were not sufficiently strong, stimulatPrompt and willing obedience, close application, pleasure in giving satisfaction to the teacher, eagerness to answer questions combined with conduct generally, thoroughness in work, good thoughtful answering, good manners and right order without unnecessary physical or mental restraint, and collective and individual self-control-the tests by which sound class discipline can be estimated-were fairly well exemplified in most of the other schools, but more especially in the first sixteen schools.

Class movements were generally carried out orderly, promptly, and with precision, but the distribution and the collection of school materials were not always so well executed. Sometimes copybooks and exercise-books, instead of being passed from hand to hand by the pupils until the owner was reached, were tossed to the pupil concerned.

Good tone characterized most schools, but there were a number in which it was not altogether healthy. The tone of a school, whether good or bad, is the outcome of the whole of the teacher's training from beginning to end, and is less indebted, perhaps, to direct efforts to secure it than to the numberless silent and indirect influences by which the conduct and character are unconsciously moulded. Although the personality of the head teacher should be the dominant factor in the tone and discipline of a school, yet the tone and discipline of each class have their own peculiar variations that are mainly dependent on the personality of the class teacher. Good tone cannot be produced by mere homilies on duty, nor is it likely to be exhibited on special occasions unless it be systematically cultivated..

Oftentimes it seems to me that the majority of teachers seldom pause to question themselves as to the end and aim of their work. They act as though they have to go through a certain routine, to instruct their pupils in certain prescribed subjects up to a specified standard, and to enforce some kind of order and discipline so that their routine work may be accomplished, and as though their duty, so far as they are personally concerned, is then done. They forget or overlook the fact that the purpose of the school is education in the fullest sense of the word, and that the high function of the teacher is to prepare the child for the life of a good citizen, to create and foster the aptitude for work, and for the intelligent use of leisure, and to develop those features of character which are most readily influenced by school life, such as loyalty to comrades, loyalty to institutions, unselfishness, and an orderly and disciplined habit of mind.

The commonest form of bad government is owing to the teacher's feeble personal influence. He is unable to control, and his pupils are not governed. Occasionally he may be energetic, talk abundantly, remonstrate, shout, threaten or entreat to little purpose. Such teachers fail to assert themselves, they accept short-comings hopelessly are dull, tame, or timid-they surrender their authority and allow themselves to be ignored.

Time-tables were generally found to be workable and suited to local requirements. Every half-year the time-tables need revising, more especially if there have been draft or class promotions. Common defects in time-tables are

omission of regular daily exercises in speech in Classes I. and II.; omission of weekly specific lessons on Morals and Civics as distinct from History and the Authorized Bible Lessons, and the sequence of lessons-one involving keen mental effort not always being followed by one of a more mechanical and less arduous nature.

CLASSIFICATION.

Pupils were, on the whole, well graded as to attainments, but the average ages per class were slightly above the standard. At 5 schools Fifth Class pupils, at 1 school Fourth Class pupils, at 4 schools Third Class pupils, at 5 schools Second Class pupils, and at 9 schools First Class pupils were above the average time in class. Various causes contributed to this state of things, some beyond the control of the teacher. Strenuous efforts are needed to remedy this state of things. Care must be taken not to promote pupils too rapidly or before they are well grounded in the work of the lower class, notwithstanding their time in class. At the same time pupils should not be kept marking time or rather stagnating because some of the members of their class are backward. There should be a slow, steady onward movement up the educational ladder.

ATTAINMENTS OF PUPILS.-On the whole the

pupils reach a fair standard as regards the three R's-Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic-in nearly all the schools, but the fourth R-Reasoning meets with moderate success. It is to be regretted that in the practice of speech in the mother tongue, in the study and practice of its grammar, in the correct use of words, in the study of the derivation of words, and in conversational work generally the pupils are not up to a satisfactory standard. The study of material things in the way of geography, plant and animal life, minerals, agriculture, and general physics is only partially satisfactory. The study of spiritual, moral, social, and political duties as illustrated by the pages of history receives scant attention. The study of beauty of form and of colour is attempted in a few schools, and it is not always associated with the beauty of form and of colour as illustrated by natural objects outside the school-room. The refining and ennobling influence of music in verse and song is not sufficiently appreciated. The physical training and development of the bodily frame receives more attention, but the educative side of the exercises is often overlooked. Lastly, there is too little referring all things-in animate and in inanimate nature-back to the All Wise Creator, thus instilling a reverence for Him and a truer sense of the nobility of right-doing and rightliving.

INSTRUCTION.

METHODS.-Children can be stupefied by faulty methods of instruction. At many country schools where the pupils were said to be dull and without ambition, the teachers never attributed their pupils' slackness to their own faulty methods of teaching. Teachers often forget that primary teaching touches upon every-day life. at all points; that education must be according to Nature, that it is the harmonious development of all the faculties of the human being, and that education is continuous. What the teacher is, and how the teaching is done, that is all and in all. Not what is taught as much as the spirit in which it is taught makes all the difference; above all, the character of the teacher. Dull pupils with normal mental and physical faculties are generally the reflex of dull, stereotyped, wooden methods of teaching.

To assist teachers to improve their methods of teaching, the Department supplied each school with a copy of Practical School Method (Cox and Macdonald) and one or more copies of Notes on the Syllabus-one for each member of the staff. These aids are helpful and suggestive to all teachers, but more especially to teachers of small schools and others lacking training and teaching experience. In them they will find hints and suggestions that will enable them to successfully meet and overcome any difficulties that may arise in teaching the subjects prescribed in Schedule XVI.

Careful inquiry at each school visited by myself showed that the Notes on the Syllabus had been well used at 16 schools, fairly well used at 47 per cent. of the schools, not much used at about 20 per cent. of the schools, and not used at all at a few schools. The best teachers had made. the greatest use of the Notes; others who needed the Notes most had made little or no use of them. Less use had been made of Practical School Method, nearly half the teachers reporting that they had made little or no use of the text-book. Again, it must be noted that the best teachers in the district made use of it, and reported that they found it very useful and very practical. It was noted on each report whether teachers had made use of the aids supplied.

Methods were reported to be-very satisfactory in 3 per cent. of the schools, satisfactory in 34 per cent. of the schools, very fair in 30 per cent., progressive in 11 per cent., fair in 10 per cent., below fair or unsatisfactory in the other schools.

Teachers' Note-books were seldom in evidence. Head teachers did not insist on teaching notes being prepared. Thorough preparation of carefully inspect their subordinate teachers' lessons is necessary, and head teachers should

notes of lessons. By their systematic and close supervision of the teachers' note-books they can bring it about that no teacher will come with lessons totally unprepared.

PROFICIENCY.

ENGLISH. Apparently very few teachers recognized the necessity for them to teach their pupils how to speak correctly, clearly, and distinctly. The majority had overlooked the Schedule requirements, paragraph one, Second Class-Correct pronunciation, accurate use of