SCHOOL 
     
    
   
   
    
     VISITORS’ 
     
    
   
   
    
     R E PO RT. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “ 
     
    
   
   
    
     on this topic, with the view of establishing harmony, 
     
     by assiniilating on the principle ofequality, the course 
     
     and terms of instruction, and to obviate the dis- 
     
     crepancy and disparity, Members of the Board 
     
     agreed that the Summar vacation, this Season, would 
     
     befour weeks, from the Stli July to the 8th of August. 
     
     I informed the Teachers of this provisional order, 
     
     which included the Normal School. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Miss Davis asked permission to close her School 
     
     a week earlier, but promised to observe the limits 
     
     prescribed, in respect to tliefour weeks. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The other Teachers complied with the order, ex- 
     
     cept Mr. R. McNeill, who closed his on the 6th 
     
     instant. He does not teach on Saturdays, consider- 
     
    
   
   
    
     ing himself entitled to eXemption granted to the 
     
     Grammar and the Normal Schools. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Some of the other schools are open on alternate 
     
     Saturdays. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Mr. \Vebster says that the terms of the Normal: 
     
    
   
   
    
     School have been defined by a previous order oftlie' 
     
     Board. 
     
    

    
     Miss McKinnon does not teach on Saturdays. 
     
    

    
     It is desirable that this irregularity would be im-. 
     
     mediater rectified, to avoid confusion and con- 
     
     troversy. 
     
    

    
     All of which is respectfully submitted by 
     
    
   
   
    
     JOHN AR BUCKLE, 
     
     School Visitor. 
     
    
   
   
    
     8th July, 1864. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     l adequate 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION; 
     
     GENTLEMEN ; 
     
    

    
     I respectfully submit the accompanying docu- 
     
     ments Comprising Sunin‘iarised Statistics of the 
     
     School Districts in the Eastern Section, on a scale 
     
     adapted to the general course on the Registers, With 
     
     an appendix, giving a condensed Pi'eCis of ex- 
     
     aminations. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I presume that reference in detail to the manner 
     
     in which the Orders of the Board have been carried 
     
     out with respect to the selection of Candidates for 
     
     the Scholarships; the duration of the Midsummer 
     
     Holidays in the City Districts; the Vacations on 
     
     alternate Saturdays in all Districts; the establish- 
     
     ment ofGrainmar Schools, by merging two Districts 
     
     into one; the removal of old School-houses to new 
     
     sites, together with other subjects, would be now 
     
     unnecessary recapitulation of the Reports then sub- 
     
     mitted. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I think that the progress of Education is, on the 
     
     whole, Very satisfactory : the improvement in Spell- 
     
     ing, Reading and \Vriting, is particularly gratify- 
     
     ing; likewise in discipline and method. 
     
    

    
     As a class, the Teachers deserve praise for zeal 
     
     and faithfulness; but there are a few who ought never 
     
     to have been Sclioolmasters. Competent Teachers 
     
     expect, and they are entitled to remuneration 
     
     to their services ; and I regret to 
     
     state that the late amendment of the Statute, has 
     
     disheartened all of them. Few received, in reality, 
     
     the subsidy to compensate for the reduction of their 
     
     salaries from Government; and Trustees as well as 
     
     Teachers are clamorous fora remedy, as the amend- 
     
     ment failed in its practical workincr. 
     
    

    
     Old School-houses are disappearing before more 
     
     commodious ones. 
     
    

    
     Several new Districts have been established, and 
     
     aid has been granted by Government to localities 
     
     that petitioned for such as the law provides. 
     
    

    
     In weak settlements, such as Stanhope, in this 
     
     County; the Union Road, in King’s, and other 
     
     places, to maintain “the average,” is difficult; how- 
     
     ever, the irregular attendance is generally attribut- 
     
     able to the negligence or indifference of parents. 
     
    
   
   
    
     I, am, Gentlemen, 
     
     Your obedient servant, _ 
     
    
   
   
    
     JOIIN ARBUCKLE, 
     
     School Visitor. 
     
     30th March, 1865.