82

E.—l

English. —Both classes showed a good knowledge of the work read. The answers, however, showed that the pupils have little acquaintance with the principles of composition. The text of the play in this edition is too much abridged to form a full year's work. Latin. —In Class I. the translation was faithful, but too little care was taken to express it in English idiom. The questions in parsing and inflections were most accurately answered, and those iv syntax and composition very fairly. Class 11., while not exempt from the faults of translation seen in Class 1., answered in every part of the subject with highly creditable accuracy. French. —Both classes passed a very creditable examination. The work read is very well known. Geometry. —The work was very well done by all the classes. Of Class 111. five pupils, and of Class 11. three pupils, obtained full marks. Trigonometry. —Two pupils obtained 81, and one pupil 65 per cent, of the marks. Algebra. —Class I. answered well, four gaining full marks, and all more than 60 per cent. Class 11. answered rather unequally, half the papers being good and half inferior. The conditions of the problems were not very fully or very intelligently stated in mathematical terms by most. Class 111. did very fairly indeed, and. three of the papers were very good. In connection with the treatment of English in all the district high schools, we may point out that formal instruction in composition does not appear to be given. This is a mistake, and we would suggest by way of remedy the use of such a work as Dr. Smith's " English Composition," or Dr. Abbott's pithy little treatise, " How to write clearly." In the translation of Latin and French texts a good deal of practice in composition is secured, but considerations of purity and arrangement need more careful and systematic study. We have, &c, The Secretary, Otago Education Board. P. Goyen, ) P

Dunedin School of Akt. Sib,— I have the honour to submit my annual report on the School of Art for the year 1889. The total number of students who received instruction in the school during the year was 398, being fifteen less than that of last year. This total includes 107 teachers and pupil-teachers, sixty-four students in training, seventy-three students who attended the day classes, and 154 students who attended the evening classes. The school was open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from 5.45 to 9in the evening. The morning class from 8 to 9.30 was attended by students from the School of Mines and by ladies who were otherwise employed during the day. The course of lectures and class instruction for the former included practical plane and solid geometry, and machine drawing to scale, and for the latter drawing and painting in monochrome from the antique. With students in training the course has been pursued as formerly : for the junior division, freehand and model drawing, practical geometry and perspective ; for the senior division, drawing in light and shade from the cast, and model drawing on the blackboard. As regards the senior students, T may point out that their instruction was so directed as to enable them not only to draw on a large scale, but to give them confidence when called upon to instruct a class in drawing. The pupil-teacher's work was as follows: Fourth class, freehand drawing; third class, model drawing ; second class, practical geometry ; first class, perspective. At the annual examination the number of pupil-teachers examined in the second grade amounted to 142, of whom 130 were successful—thirty-four freehand, thirty-four model, thirty-five practical geometry, twenty-seven perspective. Specimens of the ordinary class work were exhibited in the Education Court of the Exhibition. A few country pupil-teachers who could not attend the ordinary classes owing to the arrangement of the trains, consulted me on Saturdays in regard to their work. Regarding the afternoon classes for elementary and advanced drawing and painting, I have to speak of the students in terms of commendation for their productions during the year, their studies in light and shade in chalk, and in monochrome from the cast. Their fruit and flowers, painted from nature, reflect great credit upon them. The following students are worthy of mention for the excellence of their work : Misses M. Wain, M. A. Cook, B. Hodges, J. Durie, J. McLean, L. Moss, Messrs. O'Keeffe, J. Kilgour, S. Hales, and I. Webb. The evening classes were open every evening from 7 to 9 —on Mondays and Wednesdays for the study of freehand and model drawing, drawing and shading from the cast, painting in monochrome from the antique, and modelling in clay ; on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the study of practical plane and solid geometry, mechanical and architectural drawing; and on Fridays for drawing and painting from the living model. These classes still maintain their numbers ; those attending seem to fully appreciate the advantage of studying drawing either in connection with their occupation or as a source of amusement, are anxious to make the most of their time in school, and often request the loan of studies for work at home. A good deal of excellent work in connection with their occupation was turned out during the year. The Boys' and Girls' High Schools were attended as usual. The arrangement of the classes and the course of instruction have been the same as previously reported. The work done in the various classes was very good, and the progress satisfactory. I would specially mention the model drawing of the third form (Girls' School) as being the best 1 have ever seen from pupils at this stage. Specimens of the ordinary class work of eacli form were shown in the Education Court of the Exhibition. The studies produced by the students duringjthe year were not exhibited as usual, owing to the best and most interesting of them having been sent to the Education Court of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition.