33

8.—5

Donations to the funds were received from the Borough Council, gas company, W. J. Cox and Co., and Mr. A. Gillman, which, together with the Government subsidy, was of very material help. In addition Messrs. A. Parnell and Co. donated prizes of tools for competition amongst the pupils of the woodwork class. We desire to appeal to the parents of boys and girls to assist us by having them attend some class. We hope to see a greater interest taken next year, and that new classes may be formed. Our thanks are due to the various teachers of the classes for their attention, sometimes under depressing conditions. Classes for teachers on Saturdays in woodwork, and in cookery and dressmaking, have been held during the year, and were fairly well attended. Statement of Beceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1905, in respect of Special Classes conducted at Gisborne. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 12 13 3 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 243 13 0 Capitation an clashes .. .. .. 81 9 3 Office expenses (including salaries, stationF irniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 115 0 4 cry, &a.) .. .. .. .. 2 0 0 Material .. .. .. .. 4 8 0 Advertising and printing .. .. 18 7 6 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 51 11 10 Lighting ant heating .. .. .. 23 6 4 F-ies .. .. .. .. .. 95 19 3 Material for class use .. .. .. 42 311 V luntary contributions .. .. 54 2 0 Caretaker and cleaning .. .. 28 12 3 Sales .. .. .. .. .. 390 I'oach fares to and from classes .. .. 20 10 0 Grant by Education Board of Hawke's Bay Sundries .. .. .. .. 0 17 6 towards s ilary of instructor of teachers' Architect, &o. .. .. .. .. 13 10 0 c ok-ry dais .. .. .. .. 25 0 0 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 263 0 0 High School Board advances .. .. 62 16 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 11 18 1 Transfer from Secondary Account, High Suhool .. .. .. 161 9 8 £667 18 7 £667 18 7 W. Morgan, Secretary.

MARLBOROUGH. Extract from the Report op the Education Board. After some unsuccessful attempts to obtain a suitable site for the Technical School, it was ultimately resolved to erect the same on the north-western corner of the Borough School grounds, and a contract for the erection of the building was let at the end of the year. Under the" energetic management of Mr. Strachan, the Board's Inspector, a winter school for teachers was organized, and set to work during the winter holidays. This was attended by nearly all the teachers of public schools in the district, and by several teachers of private schools. The Department's assistance in granting railway passes, as well as substantial aid of a pecuniary character, is gratefully acknowledged, and more especially for giving us the personal assistance of the Inspector General and of Mr. Isaac, the Organizing Inspector. Saturday classes for teachers have been held during the year at Havelock and Blenheim; the latter were well attended by all the teachers along the line of railway, and by not a few from less favoured localities. The good effect of these classes is beginning to show itself in the ordinary work, of the schools, and the Board has to thank the Inspector for the energy and perseverance with which he organized and followed them up. Extract from the Report of the Inspector of School*. During the inspection visits it was frequently observed that teachers were hampered in their efforts to cope with the latest modifications of the syllabus by not knowing exactly where to begin Geography Course A, or nature-study, or how to correlate handwork with other subjects. Singing also was a source of trouble to those members of the staff who had not had the advantage of training. As many of the teachers are situated in remote localities where they have little opportunity to compare notes, and where they cannot well attend Saturday classes, it was thought best to organize a winter school. The Department generously granted railway facilities, material, and capitation, thus removing financial difficulties. Messrs. Hogben, Isaac, Strong, and Sturrock, and Miss Ellerbeck lent valuable aid, the subjects treated being the mathematical geography of the new syllabus, plasticine-modelling, and carton-work, science for country schools, singing, brush and blackboard drawing, chemistry, and history. A week in July was given to this work, and almost every teacher in the district was present, both from public and private schools. There is no doubt that the gathering succeeded in securing the objects desired, and enabled the teachers to attack their work with new spirit. I expect the results to show more clearly in 1906 than in 1905. Brush drawing has made considerable progress. Both nature-study drawing and design are cultivated, and progress and freedom may be expected in 1906. Model-drawing shows improvement, the teachers' Saturday class evidently bearing good fruit. Teachers' Instruction Classes in Drawing. —Miss Brown continued with success the Saturday class in brush drawing that had been instituted in 1904. Miss Ellerbeck was afterwards specially retained, and taught Saturday classes in brush, blackboard, nature-study, and model drawing. She was also employed in showing some of the teachers in their own schools how to practically adapt the subjects to the children. Handwork. —The number of schools employing handwork during 1905 was twenty-nine, as compared with eighteen during 1904. Four of the six private schools examined also included handwork in the subjects taught. The means adopted were brush drawing, crayon drawing, paper--s—B. 5.