State schools.

11. Important additions, repairs, and improvements were made in connec- Additions to tion with 18 existing State schools. Of the additions the largest were at Ross Island, Queenton, North Ipswich, Emerald, Lowood, West Ipswich, and Bulimba. Particulars respecting these works will be found in Table I, appended to this Report.

accommodation

12. The amount of accommodation in the State schools of the Colony was Increase in increased by 6,373 square feet during the year 1892. Of this increase 1,602 square in State schools feet was furnished by new schools, and 4,771 square feet by additions to existing schools. Allowing 8 square feet of floor space for each child, provision was made for an increase of 796 pupils. The actual increase for the year in State schools was 1,008.

accommodation

13. At the end of the year, the total floor space in the State schools of the Total amount of Colony was 430,571 square feet, exclusive of verandahs. Supposing the average in Stato schools. height of the rooms to be 12 feet, 8 square feet of floor space for each child are required in order to secure 100 cubic feet of space per pupil. On this basis the State schools would accommodate 53,21 pupils. The average attendance for the year 1892 was 39,779 in the State schools.

schools.

14. Thirty-one new Provisional schools were opened during the year. They New Provisional are distributed amongst the several districts as follows:-In East Moreton-Deception Bay, Delaney's Creek, Kilcoy Township, Teutoburg, Mudgeraba Lower, Peachester, Sarabah, Teviot Junction, Bigriggan, Ferndale, and Westbury; in West Moreton-Coal Creek and Cannon Vale; in Darling Downs-Jackson and Thane's Creek; in Wide Bay and Burnett-Biggenden, Biggenden Mines, Booie, Doongal Lower, Electra, Grosvenor Flat, Paradise, Reid's Creek, and Widgee; in Port Curtis-Etna Creek, Monal, and Ulam Upper; in the Warrego DistrictHungerford; in South Kennedy-Mirani and Grass Tree; in Cook-Muldiva.

15. Five Provisional schools which had been closed for some time were Re-opened. re-opened, viz.: Anakie, Mount Larcombe, Calliope River, Mount Britten, and the pair of half-time schools-Invercoe and Moralgaran-taught by the same teacher.

State to

16. Twenty-two schools which had been classed as State schools were reduced Reduced from in status on account of diminished attendance and added to the list of Provisional Provisional. schools. These were Bunya, Camp Flat, Cedar Creek, Pimpama, Pullen Vale, Redbank, Seventeen-mile Rocks, and Tallebudgera, in East Moreton; Clifton Homestead Area, Condamine, Cross Hill, Maida Hill, Mount Kent, Sandy Creek, Toolburra South, and Tummaville, in the Darling Downs; Burketown, Cumberland, and Watsonville, in the North of the Colony; Muttaburra and Yaamba, in the Central District; and Elliot in the Burnett.

17. Seven Provisional schools were closed on account of insufficient atten- Closed. dance, viz.:-Lilymere, Bajool, and Calliope Crossing, in Port Curtis District; Glenbar in Wide Bay; Mountain View and Severn River in Darling Downs; and Tipton in East Moreton,

applied for.

18. Apart from the 9 State schools opened, the following action was taken State schools with respect to 8 other applications for the establishment of State schools :-At the end of the year a State school was in course of erection at Longreach, the terminus of the Central Railway; tenders had been accepted for the erection of a school at Mount Beppo in West Moreton; plans had been prepared for a State school at the Wallumbilla Village Settlement near Roma; estimates had been supplied for a State school at Duaringa; and the usual forms had been sent in answer to applications from Aldershot near Maryborough, and Bremer Estate near Ipswich. The remaining two applications, one from Brandon on the Burdekin, the other from Wynnum near Brisbane, were not entertained, as on inquiry the existing provision for education was considered sufficient.

schools

19. In addition to the 31 new Provisional schools opened during the year, Provisional there were applications for the establishment of Provisional schools at 68 other applied for. places. The action with regard to each of these applications is specified in Table H, appended to this Report.

SCHOOLS

Number of schools.

Classification of schools.

SCHOOLS IN OPERATION IN 1892.

20. At the close of the year there were in operation 648 schools-326 State and 322 Provisional. The net increase for the year was 20 schools, the State schools having lost 12, and the Provisional schools having gained 32.

The total number of schools open during the whole or some part of the year was 657.

21. The tabular statement below shows the classification of the schools open at the end of the year:

Half-time schools.

Special

Provisional schools.

Increase in the percentage of Provisional schools.

Tables A, B, and C.

Enrolment.

Statute age.

22. The half-time schools were :-Pikedale No. 1 with Pikedale No. 2; Kunioon with Booie; and Invercoe with Moralgaran. These were open on alternate weeks. Each pair is taught by one teacher, who is paid at the same rate as the teacher of a full-time Provisional school.

23. Special Provisional schools are those with an average attendance of less than twelve scholars, or those established to meet special circumstances, such as schools at lighthouses, pilot-stations, and the like. Of these schools there were 22. Eight of them are at pilot stations or at lighthouses-Cape Moreton, Moreton Island, Double Island Point, Flat Top, Inskip Point, Mary River Heads, Sandy Cape, and Sea Hill. At most of these places the Harbour's Department contributes to the maintenance of the teacher, either by arranging for free board or by a small subsidy. The remaining fourteen were originally ordinary Provisional schools maintaining an average of at least 12 pupils though unable to do so now. The salaries of the teachers are specially determined by the Minister, and are proportionately less than those paid in ordinary Provisional schools.

24. In 1876, when the Department was formed, the percentage of Provisional schools was 21.6. It has now reached 49'7; that is to say, nearly half of the schools in the Colony are Provisional, having an attendance under 30. It is plain that for many years to come a large proportion of the children of the Colony must be taught in small schools, and to supply these schools with efficient teachers at a reasonable cost will tax to the utmost the resources of the Department.

25. Tables A, B, and C, appended to this Report, give full particulars respecting the schools in operation during the year 1892.

ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN.

26. For the year 1892 the gross enrolment was 78,889. Deducting the multiple enrolments, which amounted to 8,394, we get 70,495 as the net enrolment, or number of distinct children who attended the schools during the year. The net enrolment shows an increase of 2,564 on that of 1891.

27. The Regulations of the Department made and promulgated under " The State Education Act of 1875" have always contemplated and, as far as possible, provided for the education of children between the ages of five and fifteen in all schools; and, where separate infant departments existed, for the education of children from

the

the age of four to fifteen. According to Part III. of the Education Act, which deals with compulsory education, the compulsory clauses of the Act can be applied to children between the ages of six and twelve only, and this period has therefore been termed the "statute age," although no age limit is mentioned in the statute except when dealing with the application of the compulsory clauses.

Of the net enrolment of 70,495 we find that 45,730, or 64.9 per cent., were of "statute age"; 10,868, or 15.4 per cent., were under; and 13,897, or 19.7 per cent., were over it. The enrolment outside the statute age was proportionately a little smaller than in 1891.

enrolments.

28. The multiple enrolments-that is to say, enrolments of the same pupil in Multiple more than one school, amounted to 10'64 per cent. of the gross enrolment. In 1891 the corresponding percentage was 11·9.

attendance.

29. The average daily attendance was 45,975-being 39,779 in the State and Average daily 6,196 in the Provisional schools. The net increase in the average daily attendance was 971, the State schools giving 1,008 more, and the Provisional schools 37 less, than in 1891. Certain exceptional schools having a total average attendance of 838 pupils (Eidsvold, Dunellan, Lake's Creek, and Thompson Estate), which in 1891 were classed as Provisional schools, appear as State schools in 1892, and it is this transfer which causes the decrease of 37 in the Provisional school attendance for 1892 as compared with 1891.

children.

30. The annual returns from head teachers for the year 1892 show a total Neglected of 1,784 children (1,016 boys and 768 girls) between the ages of five and fifteen who are not educated up to the standard of education and are not attending any school. Of these, 965 are of statute age (between the ages of six and twelve), and would therefore be subject to the compulsory clauses of the Education Act if they were

enforced.

neglected

31. The number of children reported as not attending school the minimum Partially number of days required by the Education Act (sixty in the half-year) was 8,636 in children. the half-year ending June, and 7,503 in the half-year ending December.

CLASSIFICATION OF PUPILS.

32. Particulars of the classification of pupils for each of the seventeen years Table E. during which the Department has existed are given in Table E. When introducing the new Regulations of 1892, it became necessary to alter the names of some of the classes, and for purposes of comparison, the equivalents in the following tabular statement should be kept in view :

Previous to 1892
From January, 1892

First Class
First Class

Lower Second
Class
Second Class... Third Class ... Fourth Class Fifth Class

Upper Second Third Class ... Fourth Class Fifth Class.
Class

...

Sixth Class.

33. In Class I. (the lowest class) the enrolment at the end of the year was Class I. 26,976, being 44.2 per cent. of the whole. The average age of the children was 7.13 years. The pupils in this class read Nelson's Royal Infant Series and Blackie's Century Reader No. 1; they write and transcribe on slates; do sums in simple addition; have suitable object lessons and lessons on conduct and manners, and sing suitable songs.

34. In Class II. the enrolment at the end of the year was 12,636, being 20·7 Class II. per cent. of the whole. The average age of the children was 9.55 years. The pupils in this class read the Royal Reader No. 2 and the Century Reader No. 2; write on paper; do sums in the four simple rules and in addition and subtraction of money; have suitable geography and object lessons, and lessons on conduct and manners, and sing suitable songs.

35. In Class III. the enrolment at the end of the year was 8,792, being 14'4 Class III. per cent. of the whole. The average age of the children was 11-3 years. The pupils in this class read the Royal Reader No. 3 and the Century Reader No. 3; write on paper; do sums in the compound rules and bills of parcels; have suitable lessons in the geography and history of Australia, in grammar, needlework, object lessons, lessons on conduct and manners, temperance, and first aid in accidents, and they sing suitable songs.

36. In

Class IV.

Class V.

Class VI.

Number of teachers.

36. In Class IV. the enrolment at the end of the year was 7,491, being 12.2 per cent. of the whole. The average age of the children was 12.5 years The pupils in this class read the Royal Reader No. 4 and the Century Reader No. 4; write on paper from dictation; do sums in vulgar and decimal fractions, practice, and proportion; have suitable lessons in geography, history, grammar, needlework, objects, conduct and manners, temperance, first aid in accidents, and the notation of music; they also sing suitable songs and rounds in parts.

37. In Class V. the enrolment at the end of the year was 4,239, being 7 per cent. of the whole. The average age of the children was 13.5 years. The pupils in this class read the Royal Reader No. 5; write on paper from dictation; do sums in interest, discount, percentages, square root and mensuration of plane surfaces; have suitable lessons in geography, history, grammar, needlework, domestic economy, mechanics, conduct and manners, temperance, first aid in accidents, the notation of music, and, where practicable, military drill; they also sing suitable songs in parts. 38. In Class VI. the enrolment at the end of the year was 937, being 1.5 per cent. of the whole. The average age of the children was 145 years. The pupils in this Class read the Royal Reader No. 6 and Blackwood's Geographical Reader No. 6; write on paper from dictation; do more difficult sums in all the rules previously gone over, together with the mensuration of solids; have suitable lessons in geography, history, grammar, domestic economy, mechanics, conduct and manners, temperance, first aid in accidents, the notation of music, and, where practicable, military drill; they also sing suitable songs in parts.

TEACHERS EMPLOYED.

39. At the end of 1891 the total number of teachers employed was 1,480; at the end of 1892 it was 1,487. Of classified teachers there was an increase of 69, of unclassified an increase of 6, and of pupil-teachers a decrease of 68. The tabular statement following gives the numbers in detail, the minus sign indicating a decrease :

Average number

of pupils to

each teacher.

In State schools.

In Provisional schools.

Number of teachers in

State and in Provisional schools.

40. At the end of the year 1892, the number of pupils to each teacher, based on the average daily attendance, was 45,975÷1,487-30-9. In 1891 it was 30.1.

41. In the State schools the number of pupils to each teacher, based on the average daily attendance, was 39,779÷1,164-34 2. In 1891 it was 32·44.

42. In the Provisional schools the number of pupils to each teacher, based on the average attendance, was 6,196÷323=19·1. In 1891 it was 21.87.

43. The following is a comparative view of the number of teachers who were employed in State and in Provisional schools respectively at the end of the year 1892:

in 1892.

44. The number of teachers who left the service during the year (including Left the service those whose services terminated on the last day of the year) was 126-viz., 29 males and 97 females, showing a decrease of 12 on the corresponding number in 1891. Of those who left, 7 were re-admitted before the end of the year.

The tabular statement following gives the status and sex of the teachers who left during 1892:

45. An analysis of the reasons assigned for leaving the service gives the Reasons for following results:

leaving the service.

46. Of the entire teaching staff of the Colony 63.6 per cent. were classified, 20.5 per cent. unclassified, and 15.9 per cent. were pupil-teachers. In the State schools 77.1 of the teachers were classified, 2.5 per cent. were unclassified, and 204 per cent. were pupil-teachers. In the Provisional schools 14-6 per cent. of the teachers were classified, and 85.4 per cent. were unclassified. There were no pupil-teachers in the Provisional schools. The number of classified teachers in each rank, and the number of pupil-teachers in each class, are shown in the condensed statement below:

Status of teachers.