11

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of " circle " and " angle " in two or three different incorrect ways in the same book, and by pupil after pupil ? Some of the books sanctioned by the department were responsible for the misconception with regard to the drawing required for Standard IV. Thus, in one series of books the part devoted to model drawing consists of flat examples which the pupils are supposed to copy, and the teachers thought .that work of this kind would be sufficient. But the syllabus requires that the drawing shall be from actual objects, and of course nothing short of this can be considered model drawing. During the year Mr. David Blair, art examiner under the department, established drawing classes at three different centres. These classes were fairly well attended by the teachers, especially by the pupil-teachers, and many showed considerable aptitude for the work, and found that drawing— in so far as becoming proficient enough in it to teach the requirements of the syllabus is concerned —was not such a fornlidable subject as it at first appeared. With the number of subjects in the syllabus, to get sufficient time to give pupils enough practice in drawing now appears to be the greatest difficulty. Class Subjects. — Geography is a class-subject in Standard 11. and Standard IV. The teaching of the former class was on the whole good, and the paper work in the latter very fair, with the exception of mapping and the spelling of proper names. — History every year is disappointing, and the quality of the work varies very much at different schools. Undoubtedly I get more absurd answering in history, not only from pupils but also from pupil-teachers, than in any other subject; and in the paper work the spelling and composition are often very bad.—ln Science very little was ever thoroughly understood. —In Object-lessons there was considerable improvement shown at those schools where "form " had been fully treated. Lessons on animals, it appears to me, still take up too much time in the standard classes. The chief weakness, however, in these so-called objectlessons is that teachers endeavour to give too much of what is known as useful information, and they neglect to cultivate the minds of the children by leading them to observe for themselves. Thus, while examining a class on an object-lesson given during the year on a piece of blackboard chalk, I found the pupils brimming over with information concerning the chalk cliffs of Dover, but they were unable to explain, after the facts were shown by experiment, why chalk leaves a white mark on a rough surface, and will not do so on a polished one; they could not state clearly the difference in shape between the object and a pure cylinder; and in their answers they confused shape, size, and general appearance. Hold an ebony ruler and a piece of chalk before a class, and ask what is the difference in shape between the two, and the answer, " One is white, the other is black," comes at once. Partly with a view to check this kind of answering I recommended the giving of object-lessons on form.— Becitation in a few schools is very fine, but in far too many are pupils allowed to gabble away in a most hurtful manner, and it is nothing unusual to find not only words slurred over but also words put in which make the lines absolute nonsense. Frequently, too, nothing is understood of the subject-matter of the lines. When there are not any really fine pieces in the reading book I would recommend teachers to give their pupils some pieces found elsewhere to transcribe in exercise books and learn. In the highest classes it would be found of great advantage to get the pupils to learn a passage from one of Shakespeare's plays, each pupil taking a different character when reciting.— Needlework is very well taught at the majority of schools where female assistants are employed. - With regard to these class subjects lam still of opinion that some should be compulsory and some optional in the smaller schools, so that a teacher who has all, or nearly all, classes to instruct may be able to give more time than he can at present to the absolutely essential subjects. As to history, the more I examine it in Standard 111. the more I am convinced that it should be omitted from the work Si that class. As a prescribed subject in Standard IV. also it might disappear from the syllabus in the ease of small schools, provided that the use of an historical reader, in addition to the ordinary reader, were required. That only one reading book is prescribed for each standard appears to me a blot on the syllabus. Oeganization and Methods op Insteuction. —Speaking generally, these improve year by year. There is, naturally enough in such a large district, with several bush schools, no small amount of weak and ill-directed teaching, and a more earnest desire to become acquainted with better methods mirjht be shown; but the majority of teachers put a great deal of energy into their work, and discharge their duties faithfully and honestly. I would ask all teachers to follow the example of those who take notes of the difficulties they encounter during the year, and consult with me on my inspection visits with regard to these difficulties. The revisal of back work is too often neglected, or it is left until shortly before the annual examination, in place of being evenly distributed throughout the whole year. I would strongly recommend teachers to prepare their lessons carefully beforehand, and to use note books; otherwise it is difficult to give interesting connected lessons. And no one need think such preparation beneath his dignity : for, as Inspector Petrie pointed out in one of his reports, even the great Dr. Arnold, of Bugby, never neglected to study and prepare notes on every lesson he gave in Boman history, notwithstanding his most intimate acquaintance with the subject; and when asked why he did so he answered, " I want my boys to drink out of a running stream rather than out of a stagnant pool." In small schools where all the classes are taught by one teacher the work of organization is a difficult one, and the teacher has to resort to a great deal of ingenuity, and to every expedient which his daily experience suggests, to keep all the classes constantly employed. As one of the objects of an Inspector's report is to offer some suggestions for the guidance of teachers in the district, I shall venture the following with regard to the management of these small schools : In the first place the teacher should carefully apportion the time he means to give to the respective classes ; he should see that each class receives a due share-of his attention, and that, when he is not with it, it is kept fully employed by a monitor, or with slate or exercise-book work. Ido not mean that a