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events, the interest has proved lasting. 1 will only mention one instauce : Mr. Marshall, the headmaster of the B. G. School, was so struck with what he heard of the sloyd system on that occasion that he determined, if possible, to introduce it into his school, and he has only been waiting for the completion of his new workshop in order to begin. He intends to make sloyd part of the regular school curriculum, so as to insure its taking its right place as an educational subject. I have since then given lectures and addresses at Balcombe, Brighton again, Cambridge, Bradford, Sheffield, Leeds, Bedford, and Oxford. Through the medium of the Journal of Education, which is always so ready to give a fair hearing to new ideas, and to further them if they are worthy, we were able to bring before the public the principles of sloyd, and to prepare them for the first attempt in this country to train teachers in its practice so as to enable them to introduce it into their respective schools. .4s this training can only be given in the holidays—for it means several hours' work a day—we resolved to give our first course during the summer holidays, and we chose Bedford for the purpose on account of its being an educational centre, and also within a few minutes' w 7alk of the country —a great consideration to jaded teachers. Fourteen members joined the course, some of whom have already begun to teach sloyd in their turn. As an indication of the remarkable way in which the wave is spreading all over the world in favour of manual training as part of education, I may mention that we have received invitations from the United States and even from Natal. I pass over the many wo have had from different parts of this country. Another point worthy of remark is that we are beginning to receive applications from private families as well as schools for sloyd-teachers. These we have hitherto been unable to supply, but we hope soon to open a register for sloyd-teachers, so that we may be able to supply this demand. The numerous inquiries we continue to receive on the subject of sloyd, and the indications to be met with on every side as to the general interest attaching to the question of hand-education, have determined us not only to give another course of sloyd-training during the Christmas holidays, but to start an institute which we hope will become a centre for sloyd in this country. We intend, though on a small scale, to make the arrangements of this institute as perfect as possible, so that those who wish to introduce sloyd into their schools may be able to see the best kind of benches, tools, wood, and fittings for school purposes. We also hope to hold classes for boys and girls, as well as for adults, for it is impossible fairly to judge of the merits of sloyd unless it is seen at work on children. We have determined to establish ourselves at Birmingham, which, true to its motto, " Forward," is so ready to welcome new ideas and methods. We hope to be able to open the institute in time for our next course for teachers during the Christmas holidays. --Vs few can spare six weeks during the shorter winter vacation, we propose to give a four-weeks course instead of six, but to devote six hours a day to the practical work instead of four, so that as many hours will be given to it as during the summer course. W re trust that students will not find six hours a day more tiring in winter than four in summer. Before drawing this pamphlet to a close it might perhaps be as well to mention some of the advantages to bo gained from studying the sloyd system in England rather than in Sweden. I do not at all wish to deny the counter-attractions of going to study it in its native soil, such as change of air, scene, customs, and surroundings, and the satisfaction of feeling that one is acquiring knowledge of the system at head-quarters. On the other hand it is clearly an advantage to learn from a compatriot or from some one who possesses our language as thoroughly as Miss Nystrom does rather than from those who either do not know English at all or very imperfectly. Secondly, we never mean to take more than a limited number, so as to be able to give each student thorough individual attention. Thirdly, the series of models given at Nails, though admirable for Sweden, naturally enough does not in every particular suit this country, with its different ways and customs. Few teachers have time and experience enough to alter the series, for it demands much thought and care to replace certain models by others answering the same purpose with regard to sequence and processes, and yet of use in this country. We have begun to do this, and hope to get in time a series of models still more applicable to this country and yet strictly carried out on the Nails principles. Lastly, at Niias the students have often to spend considerable time and strength in sawing off the wood they require from rough logs. It does not so much matter in their case, as their course is a longer one. Still, this really hard sawing is severe work for women, and, in order to economize time and strength, we have the wood carefully prepared. One word in conclusion. Here is a system of tried value which has already borne excellent fruits, and brightened and rounded many young lives. Shall we thankfully accept it, or are we going to have nothing to do with it, or, worse still, " damn it with faint praise " ? The need of such a system is universally admitted ; many of us feel that we have suffered all our lives from the want of some such practical training in our own young days. Are we not ready to give our boys and girls this training, which will make them more complete, and thus better equipped to fight the battle of life ? Is there any other system ready and able to help us in this matter as it has been proved by years of trial that sloyd can do ? If not, is it not our duty —shall it not be our pleasure— to do what in us lies to give it a hearty welcome in our midst ? We are proud, and justly proud, of our position as Englishmen ; but I think we can well afford to recognise more heartily and generously the quota which each civilised nation brings to the intellectual wealth of all. Even those who are small in population, and not so well endowed as ourselves with natural advantages, do their part relatively perhaps better than we do ourselves. Certainly Sweden has contributed largely to the progress of this century. I will only remind you of these three facts : It was a Swede, Captain Nordenskjold, who, in the little "Vega," first made the North-east Passage; it was a Swede, Peter Henrilk-Ling, who has given to the world the most scientific and comprehensive system of gymnastics ; and it is Sweden who again comes forward and offers us the hand-education which, if rightly used, will give our children a completeness in their training which it at present lacks. [Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing (1,375 copies), i?42 25.-]

Authority: George Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBB.

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