27

E.—IB

The Standard VI schedule is not altogether satisfactory. Pupils recently promoted to that standard either in their own schools, or in schools of another district where the time of examination is different from that of the school to which they have migrated, are not necessarily candidates either for proficiency or competency in Standard VI. A number of the smaller schools improved in arithmetic, and the general standard at the time of the central Standard VI examinations was considerably higher than the experience of the previous year. Geography.—This is one of the most disappointing subjects in respect of both Course A and Course B. The former comprises physical and methematical geography and nature-study. The latter is human geography. It is very difficult to get Course A treated fully at first hand. Certain books have been published dealing with this part of the subject. While these are suggestive they also tend to be informative, and this leads the teacher back into making the subject bookish. The following answer to a question under Course B, geography, illustrates the difference between real and bookish geography: "Kerosene comes from the United States. Kerosene that we use comes from Havelock." A useful little booklet by Gibson, of Auckland, " Elementary Weather Studies," keeps closer to the ideal, but is limited to the study of atmospheric phenomena. For general suggestiveness Huxley and Gregory's "Physiography" is recommended. Mathematical geography is rarely satisfactory. A large part of nature-study comes under Course A. Its special province is to cultivate a love of nature and a natural alertness. It supplies the material for " object-lessons," which are compulsory under the Act. The training of the observation may certainly be made by means of books —when books take the form of pictures. To repeat an admonition that can bear repetition, each teacher should take a collection of pictures showing typical river-beds, mountains, plains, delta-fans, glaciers, sea-beaches, &c. These are continually appearing in the illustrated papers and on post-cards. Professor Herbertson, of Oxford, says, that "if a headmaster cannot plan the work of his school so as to allow a reasonable number of occasions for outdoor geography he is not fit to be a headmaster." This is the language of the specialist emphasizing his point; nevertheless it indicates the more strenuous advocacy of the claims of geography as a science of observation. Elsewhere he says, " Little and often is a good motto. A small area frequently visited and intimately known comes at last to be understood as a whole. In geography, as in other things, it is a surer sign of education to discover more and more in the familiar than to be impressed chiefly by the unfamiliar." Much more may be made of scale geography, one aspect of which is the judging of the relative sizes and distances of rivers, lakes, countries, before a map of the world. As for Course B, it was thought that by adopting the principles of Jacotot, the School Journal would suffice. It is found in practice that however the experienced teacher may succeed without a text-book, the less experienced finds the book practically essential. Therefore, while the better-qualified teachers are given liberty to do without a special text, I have found it advisable to recommend definite geographical readers to others. Whitcombe and Tombs's Geographical Readers appear the most suitable at present. Moreover, teachers of Standards 111 and IV are enjoined when dealing with Course B to give the major portion of their attention to the geography of New Zealand. Teachers already very frequently use pictures in illustration of Course B. The Exhibition number of the Christchureh Press has proved very useful in illustrating the towns of New Zealand. More may be made of the New Zealand Year-book. From its nature it tends to make geography a living subject. The good teacher gathers up the dry statistics as the prism gathers the common light of da)', and sets them forth in beautiful and interesting collocations. Bartholomew's Atlas of the World's Commerce (15s. ; Longmans) would prove of great use in ever} - schoolroom. It costs just the same as one large wall-map, so the-Board may consider the advisability of supplying a copy to at least each graded school. Much more variety may be introduced into the maps drawn. Maps of the following types may be mentioned : Orographical (showing altitude), rocks and soils, minerals, the major natural regions, vegetation and crops, arable and pasture land, climate, wind, rainfall, temperature, seasons, distribution of water, currents, animals, distribution of races, languages, density of population, political, occupations, railways, canals, roads, trade-routes by land and sea, telegraphs, religions. These require to be studied in connection with one another, and the connection with man should be emphasized throughout. In Standard VII political, social, and economic maps of various kinds may be formed, bringing out especially the physical basis. In modern times geography, as the link between the humanities and science, is making great claims, and in such a university as Oxford it is now recognised as a subject for a pass degree, and so too in the other leading universities of England. Rightly used, geography is a corrective to history. The patriotism inspired by the latter tends to bo narrow. The former sets forth the physical basis underlying differences of race, language, and custom, proves that these are not fixed, and so presents a ground for a mutual understanding of different peoples. Drawing.—During 1908 I shall look for improvement in scale, geometric, and model drawing. Many schools are doing nature study and object-drawing. At present some of the examples are simple for the standard, but the schools where nature-study drawing has been practised for some time are gradually realising the stage required, and some presentable work has been produced, both by brush and by pencil. More designing is possible with the rectilineal elements prescribed for Standards I and 11. Books by Lydon and Spanton contain useful illustrations. In several small schools the correlation of drawing and composition has been successfully attempted. The classes attending the Technical School have made considerable progress in correlating drawing and woodwork. Booklets on design published by Fountain Barber, of Christchurch, have been found useful. History.—-As with geography, so with history: it has been found inadvisable to do without a text-book. The syllabus presents a scheme of lessons to be covered in the four standards, 111 to VI, and the use of the School Journal alone would apparently leave the field far from exhausted.