1896.

QUEENSLAND.

TWENTIETH REPORT

OF THE

SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

FOR THE YEAR

1895.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY COMMAND.

BRISBANE:

BY AUTHORITY: EDMUND GREGORY, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WILLIAM STREET.

C. A. 15-1896.

1896.

C.-LIST OF SCHOOLS, WITH ATTENDANCE, STAFFS, AND COST OF MAINTENANCE
D.-ANNUAL ENROLMENT, MULTIPLE ENROLMENTS, AND NET ANNUAL ENROLMENT

16-37

38

TWENTIETH REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION IN QUEENSLAND, BEING THE REPORT FOR
THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1895.

To His Excellency The Right Honourable CHARLES WALLACE ALEXANDER
NAPIER, Baron Lamington of Lamington, in the county of Lanark, in
the Peerage of the United Kingdom, Knight Commander of the Most
Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and
Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Queensland and its Dependencies.
SIR,-I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the Report of the
Department of Public Instruction for the year 1895.

GENERAL.

1. This Report with its Appendices deals with the educational work carried Contents. on under the provisions of "The State Education Act of 1875." It also contains certain particulars respecting State aid to the following:-Secondary education in the form of grants to Grammar schools, scholarships to Grammar schools, and exhibitions to Universities; The Museum; and the Orphanages.

Minister.

2. During the first three months of the year the Department was in charge Change of of my predecessor, the Hon. Robert Philp. My period of office as Secretary for Public Instruction dates from the 29th of March, 1895.

amended.

3. In accordance with a resolution of Parliament on the 13th September, Regulations 1895, two important changes were made in the Regulations. The part of clause 10 that required local subscriptions to the extent of one-fifth of the cost of ordinary maintenance and repairs was rescinded by Proclamation in the Government Gazette of the 12th October; and the whole cost of such maintenance and repairs now devolves on the State, as it did prior to the issue of the Regulations of 1st September, 1894; also, clause 104 was amended by substituting five years for six as the minimum age for the admission of children to any school. This change was a reversion to the practice obtaining prior to the issue of the Regulations of 1st September, 1894.

teachers for

service.

4. Clause 32 of the Regulations lays down the conditions on which classified Promotion of teachers may gain promotion in classification, and these conditions include a period of meritorious meritorious service ranging from three years in the lowest grade to five years in the highest. During the years 1893 and 1894 such promotions were suspended for financial reasons, but in 1895 the course of promotion was restored, and Parliament voted a sum of £5,472 for the increases of salary consequent on the raising of the status of 444 classified teachers-201 males and 243 females. When the Estimates were prepared the total number of classified teachers was 887-466 males and 421 females, so that provision was made for a permanent advance in salary and status of half the classified teachers. The increase of that part of a teacher's salary which depends on classification ranged from £12 to £18 per annum to each individual promoted.

for University

5. The examination papers for exhibitions to Universities, until this year, Examination were prepared specially for that examination by Professors of the Sydney University; exhibitions. but in 1895 the claims of the competitors were tested by means of the papers set for the Sydney Senior Examination in November, 1895. This change was first suggested in October, 1893, by the Professorial Board of the Sydney University. The Hon. Sir Samuel Griffith, M.A., the Hon. T. J. Byrnes, M.A., and the head masters of all the Grammar schools were consulted on the matter, and the change was finally made with their approbation. There is no reason to doubt that the object sought-namely, the discriminating of the students of highest attainments,