Wellington Girls Hight School.

Visitor:

• His Excellency the Governor.

Board of Governors:

• J. R. Blair, Esq. (Chairman).
• H. Bunny, Esq., J. P.
• His Worship the Mayor.
• C. J. Johnston, Esq., M.H.R.
• G. Fisher, Esq., M.H.R.
• Dr. Hector, C.M.G., F.R.S.
• Dr. Newman, M.H.R.
• Rev. J. Paterson.

Staff:

• Lady Principal: Miss Hamilton.
• Mr. John Innes, M.A.
• Miss E. H. Searle, M.A.
• Miss Gillon.
• Miss Richmond.
• French, German, and Italian—Mr. A. F. Merlet.
• Class Singing—Mr. R. Parker and Miss Richmond.
• Pianoforte—Mr. R. Parker, Miss Black, and Miss Swainson.
• Drawing—Mr. F. De I. Clere, F.R.I.B.A.
• Dancing—
• Drill Instructor—Mr. De Mey.

Course of Instruction.

The course of instruction includes English Language and Literature, History, Geography (Physical and Political), Elements of Physical, Natural, and Social Science, Latin, Arithmetic, Euclid, Algebra, Trigonometry, French Language and Literature, Writing, Drawing, Vocal Music, Needlework, and Calisthenics.

Pupils are prepared by the regular course for the Matriculation and Junior Scholarship Examinations of the New Zealand University.

All pupils on admission must have a fair knowledge of Reading, Writing, and Elementary Arithmetic.

School Year.

The School year consists of forty-two weeks, divided into three Terms, the first Term commencing on the 1st February of each year.

Hours of Attendance, from 9.30 to 12.30, and from 2 to 4.

School Fees.

In addition to which a charge of 12s. per annum is made for Stationery.

All Fees must be paid in advance.

Repopt of the Examiner.

We have had the honour of conducting, according to your instructions, an examination of the pupils in the Girls' High School, a task which has been to us one of peculiar pleasure, because of the high state of efficiency in which we found the several classes examined.

The large majority of the girls have done so exceptionally well that we did not see our way to single out any by name for special commendation, for fear of doing injustice to others almost equally as good. The marks earned by the girls speak for themselves, and do not require to be explained or enlarged upon by more than general comment. Suffice it to say that they show in all classes most satisfactory progress, and in some surprising proficiency.

The examination was conducted partly in writing and partly orally.

Of the work of the Fifth Form in English we can speak in terms of high commendation. The papers set for this Form in History, Geography, and Grammar were equal in point of difficulty to the University Matriculation papers, and were quite as severe as any set this year for the Fifth Form boys of the Wellington College. The whole of the Form came up to our requirements for a pass, and a large number obtained a very high percentage of marks in the several subjects. The answering, for fullness and accuracy as well as the method and style of the work, was in very many cases excellent. The English Literature paper was well answered, and showed upon the part of the pupils a good knowledge of the history of our literature throughout the period studied.

Some of the essays submitted are above average merit, and show independent thought as well as grace and felicity of expression. We congratulate the Lady Principal on the work done by the Fifth Form, and we fully expect that when the results of the Matriculation Examinations are known, the members of this Form who presented themselves will take a good place.

Of the work of the Third and Fourth Forms we can speak in favourable terms. The answering of the Fourth Form in Geography, Grammar, History, and Literature was very good, and the Third Form did excellent work in the same subjects. A few of the pupils in each of these Forms show weakness in spelling. The writing and style of work was all that we could desire.

The answering of the First and Second Forms in History, Geography, and Grammar was both intelligent and accurate. A few of the First Form showed weakness in Arithmetic and an imperfect knowledge of their tables, and a few in the Second Form did the question in Numeration poorly; also we note that the spelling of some of the pupils in each of these Forms was weak. However, a large majority of the girls did their work well, and showed that they had been thoroughly drilled by their teachers in the essentials of each of the subjects. The writing of the candidates in each of these Forms is fairly good, and we were pleased to see page 6 the neatness with which their exercise and copy books are kept. The piece given as a reading exercise was read fairly well, and the girls showed that they had been taught to read with their minds awake as to the meaning of what they read.

In French, the two divisions of the Fifth Form and the Fourth Form were examined by paper, and acquitted themselves most creditably, although the questions are acknowledged by the Examiner to have been of a searching nature. The Fourth Form succeeded in scoring an average of over 80 out of possible 100 marks, the highest being 92 and the lowest 73. In one or two instances the marks allotted do not do justice to the pupils, who had been at a disadvantage through their absence from the class. Notice has been taken of these cases in memoranda appended to the lists of marks, which fact should be taken into consideration.

The remaining Classes were examined orally, and displayed equal excellence. In the Third Form (a large one of 23), three girls gained 90 marks and over, five girls 80 and over, six girls 70 and over, and only one got less than half marks. A similar result attended the examination of the Second Form and Form 1A. The best marks of all were gained by Form 1 b, in which one girl gained 100 marks, another 90, and all the remainder 85, giving an average of 88. The "Preparatory" section of Form I was also fortunate in showing most successful results.

Three pupils were submitted to examination in German, and acquitted themselves satisfactorily. We would wish to point out the advisability of encouraging the study of this language, which opens up a literature of great wealth and sterling value, and which is at the present day (next to English) the most important and widely spoken tongue of the world. We recognise with approval the commencement of its study in this School, and would strongly recommend its diligent pursuit in this and other cognate institutions.

In Latin, the two highest Classes have gone through a large amount of work during the session, and withal have done it very carefully. The passages from the authors read—Virgil, Horace, Livy, and Cæsar—were translated with great accuracy and in very good style. The same may be also said of the unseen passage which was set them. In the Grammar and Composition paper the answers were on the whole satisfactory. The rendering of some English sentences into Latin was very fairly done by both Forms, and shows that they have been taught to appreciate the niceties of the language. There were, however, inaccuracies in the grammar that one could scarcely have been led to expect from the general correctness of the translation. In the Junior Classes the girls are being carefully grounded in the rudiments, and show a very creditable knowledge of the accidence, and considerable facility in turning easy sentences from Latin into English and from English into Latin. It struck us they were better up in their conjugations than in their declensions, and we notice this in order that the matter may be attended to next year; for we believe, and it cannot be too often reiterated, that in a thorough knowledge of its grammar lies the great secret of attaining high proficiency in any language.

Coming now to the Mathematics of the School, it affords us much pleasure to be able to report, that although this is usually considered to be a subject for which girls have not much aptitude, the result of the present examination does not bear out or justify that view. The whole School was examined in Arithmetic, and, excepting in one Class, the work was very satisfactorily done. The pupils generally displayed an intelligent acquaintance with the principles underlying the various rules, as well as the best methods of solution. The Third Class alone failed, with a few exceptions, to come up to our requirements.

Three Classes were examined in Algebra and acquitted themselves to our entire satisfaction. The two higher Classes show a thorough mastery of the work they profess; while the lowest Class has made a very fair and promising commencement with the subject. 'The Classes examined in Algebra were like-wise examined in Geometry, and in this subject, as in the former, the more advanced pupils showed very considerable proficiency. The highest Class has done all the work in this subject, and in Algebra, required of candidates for the Junior Scholarships in the University. The lowest Class has got well through the first page 7 book of Euclid, though some of the girls are not as yet able to reproduce any save the very simplest propositions. They have now made a fair start with the subject, and are beginning to understand the nature of mathematical reasoning.

In conclusion, we beg to congratulate the Governors on the high state of efficiency of the Girls' High School, as shown by the recent examination. The methodical manner in which the work was done, and the neatness and tidiness which characterized it, proved to us the careful training which the pupils had undergone. At the same time the high state of discipline in this school, and the enthusiasm of the pupils for their work, showed to us how well the staff had succeeded in establishing their authority over the girls, and interesting them in the subjects taken up.

The kindly relations existing between teachers and pupils particularly impressed us, as evidence that the former are admirably suited for their respective posts, and that the latter do not find their studies irksome, and that both are fond of their work. It is, we are assured, entitled to rank in the first class among Girls' Schools in the colony, and well deserves the encouragement and impetus which its projected removal to a larger and more commodious abode will give it, by enlarging its resources and widening its scope.

Dr. Hutchinson's Report.

I beg to lay before you the results of an examination in Physiology I lately held at the Girls' High School. The class was a junior one, the number of pupils 18. The paper I set was, while elementary, designed to educe the intelligence of the scholars rather than their memory for names, or even for bare facts. The results are gratifying. Out of 18 papers 11 were awarded more than half marks, and 5 more than 70 per cent. The highest marked paper of all was excellent. The subject has evidently been very accurately taught. What the girls know they know well.

I may venture to express my surprise when I found that the examination was to be confined to a junior class, for I reasonably expected to find so important a subject as Physiology taught, and more extensively taught, to the seniors. It is surely a truism that it could not be exhausted by a junior class, but rather that only with more advanced age and intelligence could it be adequately taught and learned. It is also one of the most necessary of the subjects for a modern school course; it is intensely practical. Only by an adequate knowledge of the structure and functions of the human body can our women learn to discharge properly their duties as wives and mothers, and educators. At present the ignorance of women about matters it is so important for them to know is pitiable, and the results disastrous. They enter upon the most serious duties of life without the guiding instinct of the animal or the half-instinct of the savage, while they lack the scientific knowledge which in this stage of the world's history ought to supply the deficiency of instinct.

I hope the study of Physiology will be promoted to a leading position in the school course of the future, and thus some share be carried out in the school of the great and most needful work, that of arresting the decline of the race.

Report of Examiner in Recitation and Reading.

At the request of the Lady Principal of the Wellington Girls' High School, I have awarded Mr. FitzGerald's prizes for Recitation and Reading. In the highest Class I had some difficulty in awarding the prize. The pupil to whom I awarded it recited with less force and expression than the two to whom I accorded honourable mention. One of these two adopted a tone somewhat too grave for the subject ("The Skylark "—Shelley) and the other was not quite perfect as to memory. All three deserve much credit for purity of intonation, and for manifest appreciation of the spirit of the poetry.

The best recitation in each of the other classes was very good indeed. Below the best there was too much exaggerated emphasis, and too little of sustained expression; too much stress put upon a word here and a word there, instead of an even tone adapted to the sentiment of a sentence or phrase. But all the competitors showed a good comprehension of the theme, which in each Class was an extract from "childe Harold."

W. Jas. Habens.

At the public distribution of prizes, the Venerable Archdeacon Stock, who had examined in Scripture, expressed himself greatly pleased with the accuracy and aptness oi the quotations written in answer to questions set by the Lady Principal.

Gold Medallists.

• 1883.—No Medal awarded.
• 1884.—Ernard Krull.
• 1885.—Mary E. King.
• 1886.—May C. Morrah.

Prize List, 1886.

page 10

Euclid.

Form V.	J. Kebbell, i.; M. Morrah, ii.
IV.	E. Marchant, i.; F. Sanderson, ii.
III.	G. FitzGerald, i.; B. Riddick, ii.

page 11

Best Cake.

• Kathleen Blundell, i.; Jessie Seed, ii.; May Palmer, iii.

Syllabus for 1886.

page 13

Geography.

• V. As for Matriculation, with special reference to England and New Zealand.
• IV. Nelson's Royal Geographical Reader, No. 5, Asia. Mss. notes on New Zealand Geography.
• III. Northern and Central Europe, and British America, in detail.
• II. Nelson's Reader, No. 3, with special reference to the British Empire.
• I. Use of Geographical Terms; Europe.

In each Form composition lessons are given in class, and in the highest Form essays on standard works have been written at home.

page 14

Arithmetic.

• V. The whole subject, chiefly from Hamblin Smith.
• IV. Upper. Barnard Smith. Unitary method applied to Simple and Compound Proportion, Simple and Compound Interest, Discount, Profit and Loss, Stocks.
• IV. Lower. Barnard Smith. Vulgar and Decimal Fractions, Reduction, Weights and Measures, Decimal Coinage, Reduction of Fractions and Decimals, Practice.
• III. Hamblin Smith. Vulgar Fractions, Reduction, Weights and Measures, Simple Problems on the Unitary Method, Practice.
• II. Colenso. Weights and Measures.
• I. Simple Rules, and Money Rules.

Classification.

The basis of Classification is fourfold—English, Mathematics, Classics, and Modern Languages. All the girls are classified according to their proficiency in each of these four divisions, without any reference to their rank in the other three, and so it frequently happens that a girl is in a high class in one of these departments, while she may be in a low one in the others. She may, for instance, be in the fourth English Class, the second Mathematical, and the third Classical.

Botany is taught in Form IV., and Physiology in Form III., the text-book for the latter being A. Buckton's "Health in the House."

Plain Needlework is taught in all Forms except the highest.

A Scripture Class, which is very largely attended, is conducted by the Lady Principal every morning, before the School opens. Lady Jervois offers a prize for Scripture annually.

During the Second Term Miss Marsden gave lectures on Nursing, which were much appreciated.

Instruction in Drill and Calisthenics is given twice a week, in lessons of half an hour's duration.

A report is issued to parents at the close of each Term, stating each pupil's Class and position in the subjects taken up.

page 15

The following pupils have passed the Matriculation Examination:—

• 1884.—Ernard Krull, Rosamond Rolleston.
• 1885.—Mary Kino, Elvina Dransfteld, May Morrah.

This year we have sent in eight girls for the Matriculation Examination, and one as a candidate for Junior University Scholarship.

Board Scholar, 1886.—Ethel Wilson.

Caledonian Scholar, 1886.—Emily Broome.

Of the two candidates from the Girls' High School who sat for scholarships, one headed the list of Board Scholars, and the other the list of Caledonian Scholars.

The Governors hope that the New High School Building will be ready for occupation at the beginning of the Third Term of this year.

Lyon & Blair, Printers, Wellington, N.Z.