E.—6

21

The Wairarapa classes continue under the instruction of Miss Millington. The lessons for the first half-year are given at Masterton, Clareville, Featherston, Greytown, and Carterton, and for the second half-year at Eketahuna, Mangatainoka, Hukanui, Scarborough, and Pahiatua. Training of Teachers.—The special grant of £200 for training of teachers in manual and techmca subjects has been expended in giving teachers and pupil-teachers class instruction in freehand model and memory drawing, perspective, light and shade, brushwork, and cardboard modelling—under the direction of the Technical School, and in science (chemistry) under Mr. Foster. Extract from the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. We are pleased to notice that some of our teachers in the country are taking up a course of lessons on the simpler facts of such animal and plant life as may be seen in their district, and combining these lessons with a course in handwork, such as cottage-gardening. One note in the new syllabus is worthy of repetition : " Even with careful attention to individual practical work, a course of science for young children will probably fail as an educational instrument if it is too far dissociated from their daily life and experience." It is worth noting here that the successful work done in agriculture by Mr. Davies in the Mauriceville West School has attracted the attention of the Government Biologist, Mr. T. W. Kirk. In the Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1903 (p. 420) photos of the laboratory and school garden are reproduced, with a plan of the garden, and a syllabus of work for two years as set out by Mr. Davies is given. Mr. Kirk remarks, " The teacher, Mr. W. C. Davies, is a thoroughly able enthusiast. Nothing more need be said. The pictures and syllabus speak for themselves. It is to be hoped that the example set by Mr. Davies will be followed in many rural schools. We teel sure that Mr. Kirk will willingly assist those teachers who are following the example of Mauriceville West. , Handwork is finding more favour with our teachers. Last year seventy schools earned capitation under the Manual and Technical Act, and this year we expect that the number will increase. The subjects taken'were modelling, paper-folding, cutting and mounting, mat-weaving, cane-weavmg, stick-laying, brick-laying, brushwork, design, free-arm drawing, cottage-gardening, cookery, elementary agriculture, swimming, and sewing. We hope to see some schools earning capitation in physics, chemistry, botany, physiography, first aid and ambulance, and cardboard modelling. The Saturday drawing, technical, and drill classes are being continued as before, and we hope later in the year to establish classes for the teachers in woodwork and cookery. A grant from the Department enabled the Board to fit up cookery rooms in the Newtown and Terrace Schools. These centres are now being used under the temporary charge of Mrs. Neeley, a teacher who holds first-class certificates in artisan and highclass cookery. The Wairarapa classes, which have given such satisfaction to the country people in the past, are being continued by Miss Millington. Extract from the Report of the Director of the Technical School. The inspection of drawing and kindred subjects in connection with the primary schools, usually conducted by the Technical School, ceased upon the change in the Board of Management. Assistance in the transfer of this section of work to the Education Board in relation to forms and applications has been rendered where necessary. Cookery classes were carried on by the new Board until April in the Pahiatua District, and until June in the Wellington Centre, after which periods the work was handed over to the Education Board. At the Wellington Centre, 256 pupils, drawn from ten schools, received instruction, and at Fortymile Bush, 125 pupils, drawn from six schools. The Wellington Gas Company generously donated the sum of £25 towards the Wellington Centre. f 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 in design from plant-form, as well as clay-modelling. Useful work is being done in this section, which acts as a con-necting-link between the primary and the technical schools. These free studentships are now to be offered half as industrial and half as commercial, available in each case for twelve months, the selection to be made by the Education Board authorities. I would again urge the establishment of an intermediate school between the primary and technical work. A school so established would enable a course of instruction to be given upon the most modern lines to all scholars now in the seventh standards, particularly in the city and suburban schools. Manual and domestic instruction, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and commercial subjects could by this means be more practically dealt with. Some such scheme of an intermediate school is an urgent necessity in this city, for a very large percentage of children will otherwise proceed to work at a time when additional training provided by such a school would be of exceptional advantage. The number of students on the rolls of the various classes was for the first quarter 1,064 ; for the second, 1,072 ; for the third, 1,089 ; and for the last quarter, 953. Instruction to Teachers and Pupil-teachers. Classes have been continued, as in former years, in plane and solid geometry, freehand, model, light and shade, and memory drawing, and in cardboard modelling, and brush form-work, drawing from life, animals, birds, plants. The numbers in attendance were very satisfactory. A special course of six lectures was given at Masterton and Pahiatua during the letter part of the year, with excellent attendance in both centres. The subjects dealt with were drawing, modelling, paper-mounting, and brushwork as applicable to the standards. Classes were also held at Masterton throughout the year, and at Carterton up to the 30th June.