CO882-(1-2) — Page 346

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Grand River School.

S. Thornton, Master; P. Jamadio, Assistant; Miss Cablé, Mistress.

I have met with many favourable notices of this Master in Reports of the Education Committee, but at present he is decidedly inefficient. It could scarcely be otherwise, his health is so weak.The attendance at his school has fallen away considerably, but though this is ascribed by him to the establishment of a rival school, supported by influential people in the neighbourhood, I have little doubt that, with an efficient teacher, the school would be suitably attended. Before this I should have recommended the master to resign, and apply for a retiring pension, but I felt averse to taking such a step with one who was generally looked upon as a meritorious public servant, as his salary is encumbered on account of an advance of 1501. allowed him for travelling home by the Local Government, and subsequently disallowed elsewhere. Were he now to retire, the annual charge, on account of the incum- brance, would require all his retiring pension to be devoted to it during more than three years. The Assistant is old and incompetent, and it is doubtful if his services are worth more than the monthly sum of 14, he receives.

The Mistress is young and inexperienced, but intelligent.

Roche-bois School.

T. R. Brown, Master; Mrs. Brown, Mistress.

The Master is well acquainted with French and not deficient, except as regards the more advanced parts of arithmetic, in the acquirements expected from the teacher of an elementary school. But he is very apathetic, and wants energy; and the children who attend his school are neither so numerous nor well-instructed as they ought to be. The Mistress appears a very inferior person; she does not know English, and appears to have little taste or ability for managing a school.

Pieter Both School,

L. Nemorin, Master; Mrs. Michaud, Mistress.

Of the Master of this school, a man of colour, and the mistress, a native of Switzerland, I have reason to think well, and the state of his school in most respects is satisfactory. The Mistress, however, does not know English, and the Master's acquaintance with it is not very intimate. He has been but a very short time Master, so I cannot judge of bis qualifications by the decisive test of the acquirements and numbers of the children attending the school.

Terre Rouge School.

J. Jones, Master; J. Madge, Assistant.

The Master has lately resigned from ill-health.

The Assistant is deficient in energy, and also, I think, in ability to impart instruction.

Pamplemousses School,

R. Bell, Master; W. Grassy, Assistant; Mrs. Bell, Mistress.

The Master is an intelligent young man, and speaks French with fluency. The school has improved much both in attendance and efficiency since June last, when it first came under his care. The qualifications of the Mistress are not high, but this is the case with most of the country school-mistresses. The Assistant is generally efficient; his knowledge of English is imperfect, but improving.

Arsenal School.

C. O'Leary, Master; Mrs. O'Leary, Mistress,

The Master speaks French rather well, and is more successful than several of the English teachers in accommodating himself to the Creoles, and inducing them to attend his school. He appears, however, to be at times rather quarrelsome. The state of his school, except as to attendance, is not satisfactory, but this results more from neglect on his part than inefficiency. I am not without some hopes that he may turn out eventually a useful teacher. I cannot account for the appointment of the Mistress on any grounds except that she is the Master's wife.

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Grand Bay School.

F. Meyer, Master; Miss Meyer, Mistress.

The Master, a native of Germany, is well acquainted with French and English. So also is the Mistress. The Master appears to possess many of the qualifications of a useful teacher, but I found the acquirements of the children of his school at rather a low ebb. The school had not been long under his care. The Mistress, who is very young, promises to

make an efficient teacher.

Mapou School.

J. J. Brasse, Master; E. Bou, Assistant; Mrs. Brown, Mistress.

The Master, a coloured man, does not know English, and his qualifications generally do not appear high. Of the Mistress, the same may be said. The Assistant, also coloured, is a hardworking young man, but by no means clever. The teachers apparently exert them- selves, and the state of the schools is by no means unsatisfactory.

Poudre d'Or School.

F. Casimir, Master; Mrs. Casimir, Mistress,

The master, a coloured man, is tolerably efficient. The increased attendance at the school since his appointment last July is a symptom that he has gained the confidence of his neighbours. The Mistress, who did not appear to have any great aptitude for her calling, has lately resigned.

Flacq School,

F. de la Châtu Ogle, Master; Madame de la C. Ogle, Mistress.

The Master is a man of general intelligence, and well acquainted with French and English. Formerly, I do not think he paid as much attention to his school as he ought; but latterly, it has been otherwise. Except at Mahebourg, I do not think that English is better taught in any Government school than his. The Mistress, like most others, knows French only, and is generally deficient.

Mahebourg School.

G. Clarke, Master; Adely Poisson, Teacher under training; Aurélie Poisson, Assistant; Mrs. Clarke, Mistress; Miss Baptiste, Assistant; Miss Michaud, Monitor; Servant,

This Master is the most successful in the island. He owes his success, perhaps, rather more to his energy and talents-than to any peculiar excellence of system. As it is probable

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may have occasion, some time or other, to recommend this Master for promotion, there is a circumstance connected with him which I deem it necessary to mention.

A little more than two years ago, it was proposed to make him Acting Superintendent on the retirement or absence of the Rev. Mr. De Joux. Charges were then brought against him in one of the local press (the "Sentinelle," I believe,) and urged with much vehemence. The Master did not accept the proffered promotion, and so the matter terminated. I have not seen the paper in which he was attacked, and I am not aware that the charges amounted to anything more than might be brought against most men. The jealousy of other teachers at a member of their body being placed in a position to exercise control over them, may not have been without much effect in raising the storm against the Master. I should add that it was the intention of the late Governor to have promoted Mr. Clarke, notwithstanding what has just been stated; and that were an opportunity now to arise, I should not hesitate to recommend him for promotion. I do not believe that his promotion on the former occasion would have produced the effect it had, were it not for the jealousy of the other Masters at finding a person in their own position about to be placed in immediate authority over them.

The Assistants appear to know their business very respectably. I cannot speak of the Mistress from experience, as she was absent owing to ill-health, when I was at Mahébourg. Her place was supplied by her daughter.

Bouillac School.

C. Bell, Master; Miss Bell, Mistrøm.

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The Master and Mistress did not strike me as inefficient, but the attendance at the...- school is very low. No Master succeeds in this colony, I am informed, who is not active at