E.—s

8

Primary Drawing Free Studentships. The work of the sixty-two scholars holding free studentships has been satisfactory. The boys' course of manual instruction has been considerably improved. The scholars manifest a keen interest in this branch of the work. The girls' course included light and shade and colour work, as well as clay-modelling. Useful work is being done in this section, which acts as a connectinglink between the primary and the technical schools. The number of competitors continues to be as large as in former years, 182 competing for fifty vacancies. These free studentships will in future be awarded to the city and suburban schools upon the basis of attendance. For the twelve second-year free studentships there were twentyfour competitors. The above are awarded to holders of first-year studentships, the work of the past year being taken into consideration, as well as the results of the second-grade drawing examination. Instruction to Teachers and Pupil-teachers. These classes have been continued as during the previous year, perspective, model, freehand, light and shade, blackboard-work, and colour being the main features of instruction. The work done in perspective and model-drawing was fairly efficient ; the freehand and blackboard drawing showed lack of interest, particularly the latter subject, which is generally considered a trial by junior teachers. If those in attendance would only try to appreciate the great advantages this work gives them in ordinary class-teaching there would not be the present tendency to shirk the same when possible. The more advanced classes have kept up their efficiency. During the year special preliminary courses of work were given in clay-modelling, cardboardmodelling, and brush-work. These subjects will be enlarged upon during the present year, and special courses of lectures delivered relating to the teaching of drawing and kindred subjects in the standards. A special class in manual training in wood was established during the last six months of the year, but the indifference displayed and irregular attendance of the majority compelled its being discontinued. The teachers of this district will in time to come seriously regret their attitude regarding this work. It simply means that this district will be hopelessly behind in educational advance. Classes in drawing were also held at Pahiatua, Carterton, and Masterton during the year. Technical Instruction. The average number of students attending the several classes was as follows: — Central Technical School : Day classes —Design, 24; drawing and painting (whole-day students), 17; drawing and painting (half-day students), 42; geometry and perspective, 10; secondary-school scholars (drawing), 29; secondary-school scholars (manual instruction), 12; primary-school scholars, 45 ; teachers and pupil-teachers, 124 ; wood-carving, 20 ; manual instruction (Saturday class), 9; advanced geometry, 7; clay-modelling, 25; cookery, not including primary schools, 17. Evening classes —Architectural and building construction, 26 ; mechanical drawing, 52 ; drawing, 73 ; life class, 7 ; practical plumbing, 34 ; theory of plumbing, 21 ; woodcarving and modelling, 27 ; mathematics, 15 ; joinery and carpentry, 18 ; design, 10 ; geometry and model, 69 ; arithmetic, 15 ; electric lighting, 16; book-keeping, 22 ; Latin, 8; English, 6; shorthand, 46 ; typewriting, 11; practical mechanics, 13. Country Technical Classes : Pahiatua—Drawing, 17. Masterton —Drawing, 7. Carterton — Drawing, 11. reports upon classes. Drawing, Painting, and Modelling. —The work in the day classes has been fairly satisfactory. The usual difficulty, want of interest and serious study, will, I suppose, always be with us in the colony ; where a bazaar or a picnic intervenes serious work is completely set aside by a number of our students. In the more-advanced sections of antique, still life, and drawing from the life, better work has been done all round, and a higher standard obtained. Modelling has been continued as a part of the school course; but, unfortunately, the value of this work is not by any means sufficiently appreciated by our students. Apparently the aim of a large number of students is to do only such things as show immediate and pretty results; it is the same old story of'" paint " —anything to show a result —the serious question of knowledge being altogether set aside. If our students would only realise the advantage to be gained from a knowledge of form obtained by modelling the room would be crowded daily, particularly should this be so in connection with students of the life and antique classes. I would again urge the necessity for students practising memory drawing away from the school. The mere making of an accurate copy of a cast, model, or object is in itself of little importance. An effort has been made during the year to lead students in the direction of original work in black and white for illustration purposes, and also of the application of the life-class work to decorative design. The original black-and-white drawings recently presented to the school have proved of great advantage to this section. The evening classes are, in the matter of interest and hard work, the opposite of the day classes—the work is earnest and painstaking throughout. Plane and Solid Geometry and Model-drawing. —This class has been largely attended throughout the year, and the results obtained are particularly satisfactory. The course will be revised in order that the application of the work to modern requirements may be made more effective. Students are now realising the advantages of going through such a course of study, and little difficulty is found in persuading students to adopt this work as a sound basis for future instruction. Design. —This class has suffered from the absence and finally the resignation of the instructor. The work was carried on temporarily by Miss Kimbell until the end of the year. The Committee decided to obtain the services of an experienced instructor in design and modelling from England. It is hoped that considerable impetus will be given under the new conditions to design and its application to modern requirements.