Price of admission to baths. Royal Life Mr. Ewart's character. Mr. Roe to succeed Mr. Ewart. Other changes contemplated. 146. Many of the suburban schools are long distances from public baths, and thus have not an opportunity of forming clubs. When the Toowong baths have been opened it is likely that the Milton and Toowong schools will form clubs. The association believes that there would be a large increase in the number of pupils who attend the weekly swims of the existing clubs if the bath proprietors would reduce the price of admission for school children. Efforts have been made by the association to obtain special concessions, but the efforts have been fruitless except in the case of the South Brisbane Municipal Council. That council has arranged that children will be admitted to the South Brisbane baths by ticket, and that one dozen tickets may be purchased for sixpence. The public would doubtless be glad to see the other proprietors make similar concessions, and the children would certainly welcome and appreciate the favour. 147. There is a branch in Brisbane of the Royal Life Saving Society, and one of the objects of the society is to promote technical education in life saving and in the resuscitation of the apparently drowned. The branch supplies free to schools, on application, a copy of the society's mounted chart showing approved methods of rescue and of resuscitation. The branch is doing useful work, and lessons as to the best ways of rescuing drowning persons, and of treating the apparently drowned, might with advantage be combined with the swimming lessons. RETIREMENT OF DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION. 148. Mr. David Ewart, Director of Education, will retire on the 30th June, proximo. His service began on the 14th October, 1864, when he became an assistant teacher under the Board of General Education. Mr. Ewart has thus been a servant of the State for more than forty-four years, and has filled successively the offices of Assistant Teacher, Head Teacher, Organizing Master, Inspector, Registrar of the Department, General Inspector, and Director of Education. During the five years that I have been associated officially with Mr. Ewart I have formed an exceedingly high opinion of his ability, strength of character, sound and mature judgment, rugged honesty, purity of purpose, and intense loyalty to the Department and profession. Mr. Ewart is an officer who has always striven to do that which he regarded as right, irrespective of consequences to himself, and he has ever had the courage to say "Yea" when yea should be said, and Nay" when the proper reply was nay. 149. Mr. Ewart's reports have been characteristic of his own personality; they have formed bright and delightful reading, and have been free from stereotyped official restraint and stiffness; his language has been admirable, his illustrations apt, and his metaphors well chosen. His remarks on the various forms of school work have been terse, pithy, and keenly analytical: he has applauded the good: trenchantly condemned the bad; made clear the obscure. His reports have been brimful of sound common sense, and have been exceedingly helpful to Inspectors and teachers, who have always looked to these reports for light and leading on current school matters. 150. It gives me unalloyed pleasure to record in this permanent official way the Government's high appreciation of Mr. Ewart's services in the cause of education. сто APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTOR-GENERAL. 151. Mr. Reginald Heber Roe, M.A., head master of the Brisbane Grammar School for Boys, has been appointed to succeed Mr. Ewart. Mr. Roe had a distinguished school and University career, and his administration of the Brisbane Grammar School has been eminently successful. He has ripe scholarship, a wide knowledge of education in its various branches, and a thorough grasp of the conditions of Queensland and of its requirements. His many qualifications fit him for the responsible position which he has been chosen to fill. 152. It is intended to make a change in the internal arrangement of the Professional Branch of the Department, whereby the Inspector-General will be relieved of many purely office duties and much routine work, and thus be made. free to spend a considerable portion of his time in making visits to schools. This change becomes particularly necessary as one of Mr. Roe's duties will be to inspect the Grammar schools annually. This rearrangement should have many advantages; the inspector-General will come into direct contact with teachers, and will see for himself the work of the schools; he will not have to depend entirely upon the reports of Inspectors. From personal observation he will be able to note weaknesses where they exist and suggest changes. His presence in the schools should also have an inspiriting effect upon the teachers. APPENDICES. Tables (A, B, C, D) of statistics relating to number of schools in operation, number of teachers employed, and attendance of pupils. Report of Director of Education. Reports of District Inspectors. Report of the Inspector of Technical Colleges. Reports from the Trustees of the following State Grammar schools:--- Examination papers given in December, 1908, to candidates for Grammar NUMBER OF INSTRUCTORS. COMPARATIVE VIEW OF PRIMARY SCHOOL OPERATIONS DURING TWENTY SUCCESSIVE YEARS, 1889-1908. ANNUAL ENROLMENT. MEAN QUARTERLY AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE. EXPENDITURE. 18:2 ... 657 455 171 198 437 1891. 498 466 1891 584 422 145 158 332 135 26.782 55,860 | 21,390 83 32.62830,035 182 52 £ 8. d. 1897... 797 484 176 301 414 165 1907 262 2,413 54,460 14,489 6 0 76-89 77:36 278,972 0 11 14,186 17 1 65-34 65-24 65-29 78-34 77-57 77 96 286,629 1 4 24,896 2 3 50,796 105,382 44,978 42,120 87 098 34,761 32,088 66,849 63.68 63:17 63 43 77.28 76-18 76 75 297,209 12 3 30,840 2 9 50,976 105,436 45,040 42,189 87,229 34,958 32,351 67,309 64:19 63:46 63-84 77-61 76-68 77-16 299,227 2 4 NOTE.-Children under six years of age were not admitted between 1st August, 1893, and 12th October, 1895. |