^OL. VII. No. 1 6.5. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



269 



AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 



The following are the general reports of the e.xami- 

 ner, Mr. F. A. Stockdale, B.A., F.L.S., on the re.sult of 

 the half-yearly examination of the Agricultural Schools 

 under the charge of this Department, for the period 

 ended June last- — ' 



ST. VINCKNT. 



Twenty pupil.s sat for the examiiiatidii. Five took 

 papers set for the senior class, eleven those set fur the junior 

 class, and there were four new hoys. 



The work throughout the school is now niucli more 

 uniform, tlie lower hoys having heen imjiroved. Robin is 

 top of the seniors with Tl".'? per cent, of the total marks. 

 Samuel is top of the juniors with 66'6 per cent. In 

 this class the progress made by Learmond is marked, for 

 he has been but a short residence at the school. \Vallace 

 has also done well. (). Haynes is top of the new boys 

 with 62'5 per cent. As the working lor the year according 

 to the present syllabus commences with the next term, 

 I would suggest that T. Samuel, F. Fvederick, and C. Arrin- 

 dell be promoted to the senior class. Wallace has not yet 

 been in residence for a sufficiently long jieriod to lie well 

 grounded in the work anil to receive j)romotion. 



The science subjects are generally satisfactory and 

 several of the answers sent in were creditable to the school. 

 Agriculture and Botany have, on tlie whole, slightly imjiroved, 

 but Chemistiy is still weak. This last subject has not been 

 .satisfactory for nearly two years. Some improvement was 

 shown at the last examination, but this has not lieen main- 

 tained. I would recommend that during the whole of the 

 next year this subject should receive cai-eful attention and 

 that extra instruction be given to the jiupils. 



In the general subjects some improvement has been 

 made in Geography, and the Composition and Dictation 

 papers were fairly satisfactory. Continued attention should 

 bi given to Geograjihy, and it is necessary that imiirovement 

 should be made in Arithmetic. In the last examination it 

 was noted that many careless bhnulers were made in working 

 out answers in Arithmetic, but they were more frequent at 

 this examination. 



The results of the examination of the new boys indicated 

 what material has to be worked on at the school, and it will 

 be interesting to watch carefully their ijrogiess thrfiugh their 

 course of instruction. 



ST. LUCH. 



Seventeen pupils sent in papers for examination. Eight 

 took those for the senior class, seven those for the juniors, 

 and there were two new boys. Papers from five candidates 

 for admission into the school were also submitted. 



Gabriel is top of the seniors with 63' 1 per cent, of the 

 total marks ; E. Joseph top of the juniors with .59'2 per cent., 

 while Auguste and Moise are the best of the candidates. It 

 is observed that Clovis, Welch, Daniel, Arrindell, St. Prix, 

 and Clement have been doing the work of the .senior class 

 during the past half-year. As, however, the working for the 

 year, according to the present .syllabus, commences with next 

 term, I would recommend that they all be allowed to continue 

 with the work of the senior class, and I would advise that 

 E. Joseph, who has made good progress, be promoted from 

 the juniors. None of the other juniors .should be allowed to 

 proceed with the senior work ; but they should continue to be 

 grounded in the elements of the principles of agriculture. 



The science subjects in the senior class show .slight 



improvement, and they should receive further careful atten- 

 tion. Chemistry is still weak, and better draw-ings of 

 specimens in Botany should be insisted upon. The Arith- 

 metic is only fair, although iuijirovement has been made in the 

 neatness of the working. (^Jeography, I am pleased to note, 

 has slightly improved, but further attention should be devote<l 

 to this subject. ;' - 



The junior class, with the exception of E. Joseph, sent 

 in only moderately fair answers. .\I1 the science subjects 

 should receive careful attention, and the boys .should be 

 thoroughly iiistructed in th& elementary knowdedge required 

 of them. They should not^be advanced too rapidly, and care 

 should be taken to ascertain that they thoroughly understand 

 the parts of the subjects taught them before other portions 

 are dealt with. The general school subjects should also be 

 carefully looked after, particularly Arithmetic and Geography, 

 and attention should be given to writing and neatness. 



The new boys were fair, while Auguste and Moise are the 

 best of the candidates. 



JJOMINK A. 



Seventeen boys sent in papers for e.xamination ; nine 

 in the jimior class and eight were new boys. 



The work throughout the school has shown some 

 inqjrovement. The science subjects, however, have made 

 but slight improvement during the last six months, atid 

 therefore they should now receive careful attention. The 

 separate rei)orts on the different subjects should be 

 consulted and every effort made for improvement. Some 

 <jf the boys have a fair knowledge of the elements, but 

 I am of opinion that it would be advisable for the resident 

 Master-in- Charge at the beginning of next term, to endeavour 

 to ascertain how far the general principles of agricultural 

 science are thoroughly known by the different pupils. Then, 

 the essential points — particularly where any difficulties are 

 experienced — could be iilainly set forward and an attempt 

 made to build upon the foundations that have already been 

 laid. It would be most desirable that no attempt should 

 be made to cram the boys, but that the elements should 

 be insisted upon. Every effort .should be directed towards 

 inducing the boys to take an intelligent interest in the 

 different operations in the fiekl and to apply the knowledge 

 taught them in the schoolroom in practice. Further, 

 as the working for the year, according to the present 

 syllabus, commences with the next term, I would suggest 

 that only Carbon and Lachevf)tier be allowed to proceed 

 with the work prescribed for a senior class. The remainder 

 of the boys should rejjeat the work prescribed for the 

 junior class, with which also the new boys will pnx^eed. 

 It might be found that such a large junior class could with 

 advantage be divided into two divi.sions — an upjier and 

 a lower — in order that the new boys and the poorer of the 

 pre.sent juniors should not keep back the more advanced of 

 the pupils. 



The general school subjects have shown some improve- 

 ment. The Arithmetic was satisfactory, but continued atten- 

 tion should be given to the neatness of working out the 

 answers. Marked improvement has been made in Geography 

 and with further attention this subject may soon be quite 

 good. The Composition and Dictation were fair. The writ- 

 ing and neatness were, on the whole, fairly satisfactory, but 

 the .spelling in the majority of cases is very weak. Attention 

 .should be given to this point. 



Some of the new boys appear to be promising, but it 

 nmst be urged that they should not be advanced too rapidly. 

 Only elementary ideas in science subjects should be given 

 them at present, and every effort should be made to improve 

 the general school subjects. 



