653
54. In Class I the results were very disappointing. The paper set was not absolutely straightforward so the boys seemed to be quite content if they succeeded in working out one or two examples. Full marks were given for 5/6 of the paper, yet only three out of seven- teen boys examined got over 50% Divison A had an average of 34% and division B an average of 31%. More time might with advantage be given to Arithmetic.
55. Algebra. Classes II, III and IV all did their work well. The boys showed they understood Algebraical symbols and the working of the ordinary rules.
56. In Class IV divisions A, B, C all got over 60% and there was very little difference between them. D and E were a good deal weaker. In each of the divisions several boys were very bad.
57. In Class II the results were much the same, division A got 59%, B 62% and C 40%.
58. In both divisions of Class II the boys are much more level. All except two got over 50%. Division A got 60% and B 62%. A were really the best, but one bad paper brought down the average.
59. In Class I the divisions had separate papers but in neither case were the results satisfactory. The work offered in the syllabus is a great advance on that offered by Class II, but the boys have not been able to master it. In IB the average was only 37%.
This may be partly accounted for by the length of the paper, but it is much more the result of inaccuracy. In Class I A the boys apparently at once came to the conclusion that the paper was too hard for them, and they therefore did not make a real attempt at it. The highest mark obtained was 32% and the average of the nine boys examined was 16%. Boys who are supposed to have done indices and surds ought to have been able to make a reasonable attempt at some part of question 4, yet not one boy showed that he knew anything about it. If they had done the chapter on "Progressions" they ought to have been able to do the first piece of bookwork in that chapter. Many knew the formula and most of them could use it.
Neither of the problems were attempted perhaps because of a lack of knowledge of English. No one made any real attempt at the 2nd factor in question I.
Some boys wrote down an answer they must have known to be wrong, others seeing that they could not guess the answer gave it up. All of them must have been taught the method in such cases. Classes I A and B are not large classes and it ought to be possible to give them sufficient individual attention if more time was given to the subject or if the boys were not
taken on so fast.
60. Geometry.-Class IV did a paper on geometrical drawing and the results were on the whole very good. No explanations were as a rule given as to how the result was arrived at, but perhaps this was not to be expected in a class so low in the school.
61. Class III did very good papers, though in definitions it is doubtful how much of what they wrote they really understood. When a boy can write "A circle is a plane figure traced by a point contained by a line which moves so that.............." it makes one doubt whether the other boys who were lucky enough not to reverse the expressions really understand the definition. The propositions were well done and showed that they were understood. There was some idea of how to attempt the problems, but as a rule some violent assumption was made. The papers done in A which averaged 52% really came up to quite a high standard. B & C were a good deal weaker.
62. Class II did not show so much advance on III as they ought to have done. Question I was not so well done as in III and no one could discuss it.
The attempt at problems was slightly better but showed the same failing. Division A got an average of 50% and B 34%.
63. Class I showed a distinct advance. They knew their propositions, and they were very much better at the problems. Their work in Trigonometry and Mensuration must of course help them in this respect. Four boys got over 65% which was very good for so long a paper. The average for A was 50% and for B 40%.