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and ancient and modern history are omitted in the junior division, and, as far as possible, the curriculum is adapted to ascertained individual requirements. I propose to make a few alterations in the time-table this year, but none of any great moment. I wish it were possible to include German in the course without detriment to more essential subjects, but it is impracticable at present. The tutor shares with me the work of both divisions, each of us taking entire charge of certain subjects. Mr. Watkins is responsible for the Latin, ancient and modern history, geography, sanitary science, music, Euclid, junior arithmetic and algebra, and grammar. I take the school management, sacred and English history, political economy, senior arithmetic, algebra, grammar, and English literature. In addition to this, devolves upon me the general superintendence of the Practising Schools, a duty I can only imperfectly discharge at present, as my work in the Training Department fully occupies my time. The professional preparation of the students is placed in the forefront of our work. No effort is spared to impress upon them the difficulty and responsibility of the office they seek, and the necessity of earnest, diligent, life-long study of it. I give lectures daily on education to one or other division. A model lesson is given weekly. Sometimes questions of school management are discussed in the class, under my presidency, and thus original thought is stimulated. During the coming year I propose to have original essays on subjects connected with the profession read periodically by the students, to be discussed by their fellows. As mentioned in my last report, the students- practise in the schools in weekly rotation, six at a time, .and the number will be increased shortly. Igo into the school and observe their work as often as possible, and receive weekly detailed reports from the heads of departments upon the efficiency of those sent. These reports are afterwards made the subject of a private personal interview. The students have also the opportunity of visiting the schools at other times and studying the methods of more competent teachers than themselves, and thus it would seem that everything is done that can be done to train them thoroughly for their important work. The Public Lectures on Education are so closely connected with the work of training that a notice of them follows naturally hero. The Second Course —on methods of teaching and organization—closed in November last. Forty-one lectures have been given in all, and there is at present no sign of waning interest in them. Although the novelty has long since passed away, the average attendance is about 170. lam glad to bear my public testimony to the earnestness of the Canterbury teachers, a large percentage of whom put themselves to any inconvenience rather than miss the lectures. The Third Course (to be begun shortly) will be on great teachers and systems of education, and should prove no less helpful and interesting than its predecessors. Lectures have also been given monthly in Timaru, which have been well attended, the teachers of the South being no less anxious for help than those in the northern part of the province. A syllabus of each course is appended. But while the lectures have undoubtedly done good, they can only deal with general difficulties. I have been often asked to visit schools and give the teachers practical advice after observing the special conditions under which they have to work, but the pressure of other duties prevents my doing so, although I gladly would. I trust that at no very distant day a travelling organizing master will be appointed to afford teachers this more real help. It is one of the greatest requirements in our educational machinery. The Teachers' Technical Library is highly appreciated and well used. A copy of the rules is added to this report. As only a small proportion of the books we wanted could be obtained readily, and it was necessary to send to England for the bulk of them, the library was at first too small to bo of much practical utility. I therefore increased it temporarily from my own resources, but the recent arrival of our English order has rendered a continuance of the loan scarcely necessary. It would be well if an annual subsidy were provided to keep the shelves supplied with the most recent editions and approved text-books in the various departments. It will thus be seen that I am able to report gratifying results in each of the three branches of work above mentioned—the Training Department, the Public Lectures, and the Teachers' Library. But as the year went on other useful lines of operation opened out, and among them the formation of a Museum of the best educational appliances. It had its beginning in a private importation of the best German and English school apparatus, which the Board found so greatly superior to that in general use that it purchased the whole collection, and allowed it to be publicly exhibited in one of the rooms of the Practising Department, where it excited very great interest. The collection is of course but small at present, but will, I hope, eventually be an educational museum worthy of the name, and prove of the very greatest practical benefit. And last, though not least, among the special efforts of the year are to be reckoned the preliminary steps towards the introduction into New Zealand of Frobel's Kindergarten system of infant training. A thoroughly-qualified mistress has been sent for from England, and may be expected shortly. I regard this as a gigantic stride in the direction of real education, certainly as one of the most important steps yet taken. The lectures have done something to disseminate a knowledge of Frobel's principles, and it needs only to see his system in actual work to convince impartial observers that it is the wisest and happiest, because the most natural, system of infant training that has yet been devised, and I shall continue my efforts to popularize it on these grounds. It remains for me to speak of the Practising Department, opened April, 1876. This also furnishes satisfactory indications of progress. The average attendance for the year 1876 was 391 —viz., 215 boys, 176 girls. The year 1877 shows an increase of nearly 50 per cent, on this, the numbers being —Total, 580, viz., 323 boys and 257 girls. The numbers on the books for the quarter ending December 31st, 1877, were —Boys, 405 ; girls, 399 : total, 804. The average attendance for the same quarter was —Boys, 333 ; girls, 283: total, 610. The average is not absolutely satisfactory, but relatively the school stands well in this respect, the boys' percentage being equal, and the girls' superior, to any school in the district, and I have reason to think this year's returns will show a great improvement. The increased attendance rendered reorganization necessary in August last, and the Boys' and Girls' Schools were divided into Senior and Junior Departments, the Junior School comprising children below the Third Standard. The Boys' Division was placed under the care of Miss Mackett, the Girls'