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65. In Class II ten papers were done by each Division. In A five papers scored 70% or more, and in B three scored 70 % or more, the rest being marked at 30% or less. One paper in both A and B scored no marks. Question IV was either not done or hopelessly wrong in 14 papers out of 20 examined.
out of 20 examined. In some other cases the sum was worked in £. s. d. instead of dollars. Some allowance was made for this slip, where the method was correct.
66. In Class I also 20 papers were examined, ten from A and ten from B. In Division A five anwers to Question I were quite wrong, and six boys failed altogether to understand Question III. In B also five answers to Question I were quite wrong, while seven boys either did not attempt Question III or did it wrongly. The marks obtained were 60 % and over in eight papers. One paper obtained 50 and the rest were 40 and less per cent.
67. On the whole the Upper School work in this subject was fairly well done. Out of sixty-six papers thirty-four obtained 60% and over.
68. Algebra.---This subject has been introduced into the Lower School curriculum during the past twelve months. It is now taught in Class IV. The paper set was a very elementary one, and in IV A the result shewed that the subject was understood. The per- formance was on the whole very fair, sixty per cent. of the papers obtaining over 60% of the marks. Question I was not understood: no good attempt was made to explain the expres- sions. The remaining questions which involved only work by rule were fairly done. With two exceptions, the boys in IV B and C had no idea of the subject.
69. Twenty-six boys were examined in Class III, ten each from A and B and six from C. On the whole the result was good: sixteen papers were marked at 60 % or more, six being at 80%. But here again it was noticeable that the application of a rule was known before its reason was understood, the explanation being that the introductions to chapters in the text book are not learned: the rule is taught, but not the principle on which it is based. Not a single boy answered question IV.
70. In Class II, ten boys from each Division were examined. Division A produced most of the good papers-seven obtaining 80%, and one 60%-while B produced one at 80, one at 60, one at 55 and 2 at 50%. All the rest in both Divisions obtained 40% or less. One paper in A and one in B did not obtain any marks. Thirteen boys out of the twenty failed in Question III, which required some little thought. On the whole, however, the results were good.
71. The results in Class I were disappointing. Not a single boy could answer the first question, although it would appear that to be able to deduce the formula is as important as to be able to apply the rule. Question III was too much for three boys in each Division. One boy worked the problem correctly, but in £. s. d. instead of dollars. Some allowance was made for this. It evidently did not occur to any of those who were wrong to check their results by reversing the sum- an easy thing to have done.
72. On considering the subject as a whole, it appears that many of the boys have a very fair knowledge of how to work, but comparatively few seem to know why they work by any special rule or formula. When it is remembered how large many of the Divisions are, and what a difference there is between the top and bottom boys, it seems reasonable to suppose that the individual attention necessary for explanations can not be given.
73. Geometrical Drawing. A paper in this subject was set to twenty-six boys in Class IV. It was very simple, and was on the whole fairly well done. Five papers obtained 75 and eight 50 %. The subject as illustrated by the paper does not appear to prove very interesting. Probably the reproduction on paper of the geometrical patterns of which the Chinese are so foud would have excited more interest. Not sufficient care was taken to make measurements accurately, although there was evidently a fair understanding of the subject. Though not as yet introduced to the proposition that any two sides of a triangle are together greater than the third side, a few boys certainly discovered it practically for themselves. This subject appears to be valuable, as preparing the way for the further study of geometry.
74. Geometry. Twenty-five boys were examined in Class III-ten from A and B, and five from C. In Division A one paper obtained 90%, three 50% and the rest varied from 23 to 40%. In B there was a complete collapse. Six papers scored nothing, one 8 and three 10%. In C one obtained 55 and one 38 %, while the remaining three were marked at 18, 15 and 0 % respectively. Only one boy out of the whole Class did Question II correctly. Several others appeared to be trying to express some idea of it; but their English was so poor that they could get no credit.
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