13. The usual examinations of teachers and pupil-teachers for promotion, and of candidates for admission, were held in January and December-it having been deemed advisable to hold these examinations before, instead of after, the Christmas vacation. In January there were in Brisbane 27 candidates for promotion, and 30 for admission; in Ipswich, 16 for promotion, and 17 for admission; and in Toowoomba, 28 for promotion, and 20 for admission. The results of these examinations were on the whole satisfactory. In December there were in all 333 candidates, but the results of the examinations are not yet known. They were held at Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Maryborough, Gympie, and Rockhampton. INSPECTION AND TRAINING. 14. The General Inspector, Mr. MacDonnell-his leave of absence having nearly expired-resumed his duties in July, Mr. Anderson having continued to occupy the position of Acting General Inspector, in the meantime. 15. The work of District Inspection was distributed as follows :— East Moreton West Moreton Mr. EWART. Mr. MCINTYRE. ... ... Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. BOYD. The north and north-west, as far as Bowen, Nebo, The extreme north beyond Bowen ... (Mr. BOYD resigned his appointment in August.) 16. Reference is made with satisfaction to the Annual Reports of the District Inspectors, which will be found appended. 17. The Board are again unable to report favorably of the Training School. The principal work of the Training Master has been the instruction of pupil-teachers, which instruction could probably be given equally well by the principal teachers of the several schools, as is the case outside Brisbane; indeed, it is a question whether better results might not be obtained in this way, especially if some little pecuniary advantage were to accrue to the principals of schools from the successful passing of their pupil-teachers. The Training Master's Report for the year is annexed. SCHOLARSHIPS. 18. The Board did not intend to hold examinations for Grammar School Scholarships this year, and on the 21st October, they announced that, "no provision having been made, either by the Legislature in the new Education Act, or by the Government in the Parliamentary Estimates, for further exhibitions to Grammar Schools," they were unable to do so. On the 17th November, however, the Board intimated by public advertisement that the Government had expressed their desire that the examinations should be held as usual, and that the names of the successful candidates should be reported to the Government, to enable them to take such action as might be deemed desirable. Arrangements were made accordingly, and examinations took place December 16 at Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Gympie, Maryborough, Mackay, and Townsville, at which forty-five candidates presented themselves. It had been notified by the Government that the value of the scholarships would be the amount of instruction fees charged in each case by the Grammar Schools, together with reasonable travelling expenses once a-year. 19. It is gratifying to be able to state that the reports on the Primary School scholars received from the Grammar Schools have been almost uniformly favorable and that in many instances the boys have distinguished themselves. (Copies of the examination papers of 1875 will be found at the end of this Report.) FINANCE. FINANCE. 20. The following is a Statement of Receipts and Expenditure from 1st January to 31st December, 1875. 21. The Board of Education as now constituted is as follows:- W. L. G. DREW, Esquire SIMON FRASER, Esquire, M.L.A. ALBERT J. HOCKINGS, Esquire The Honorable JOHN MULLEN, Esquire, M.D., M.L.C. CONCLUSION. 22. As "The State Education Act of 1875" comes into operation on the 1st January, 1876, the functions of the Board now cease. Its members desire, however, on relinquishing their office, to express their high opinion of the efficiency with which the Secretary, the Inspectors, and the other Officers of the Department, have discharged their respective duties. 23. The foregoing is the Annual Report of the Board of General Education for the year 1875, in testimony whereof the Board's Corporate Seal is affixed. By direction of the Board, E. BUTTERFIELD, Secretary. Education Office, Brisbane, December, 31, 1875. This sum can only be regarded as an approximation, the last Estimates having been voted for the year ending 30th June, 1876; half the amount thus voted has been added to the sum voted for the half-year ending 30th June, 1875. Including a sum of £22 18s., forfeited by a contractor. Mr. Griffith succeeded Mr. Macalister as Chairman in September. § Mr. Dickson was appointed in May, in place of Mr. Abbott, who resigned in March. Mr. Drew was appointed in November, in place of Mr. Stephens, whose seat had become vacant by reason of his absence from more than six consecutive duly-convened meetings of the Board. |