Appendix D.

E.—2.

practising school closes in May and September, at the time of the vacations of the other city schools ; the students, however, continue their usual classes, part of the time being devoted to examination purposes. I have referred in detail to the question of terms, because I think it would be much better if the College working-year were divided into three, instead of two. We should then have three work-ing-periods, each of thirteen or fourteen weeks, instead of two long periods of nineteen each—periods far too long for continued and unremitting mental work, such as our students are called upon to do. The present arrangement is necessitated by the University terms ; as all our students attend lectures it is inexpedient to adopt an arrangement that would break in upon attendance at lectures. I hardly like to suggest that a similar arrangement would not be disadvantageous to the University. By starting a very little earlier in the year the same time could be given to lectures as at present, with the advantage of two breaks of two weeks each instead of one of three weeks. A three-term arrangement is adopted in the Sydney University. For last year the dates were : First term, 21st March to 28th May ; ten weeks.: second term, 13th June to 20th August; ten weeks : third term, 26th September to 3rd December ; ten weeks. A complicating factor is introduced into the working of our University year by the " November examinations," which necessitates the closing of the session in the middle of October; but even with this obstructing factor it would be possible to work a three-term arrangement. For last year (1910) this would have been : Ist March to 6th May, ten weeks ; 23rd May to 29th July, ten weeks ; 15th August to 22nd October, ten weeks. The College term examinations would be conducted in the last week of the third term. I have hesitated to put forward this suggestion, because it may seem to be outside my province ; yet the interests of the students are paramount, and I feel that the present arrangements are not the most satisfactory that could be devised. Admissions and Classifications. —The admissions were : — Men. Women. Total. First year .. .. .. .. .. 15 34 49 Second year .. .. .. .. .. 12 39 51 Totals . . .. .. .. .. 27 73 100 Mr. Jordan, a very promising student, died suddenly early in the year ; and two others, for health and family reasons, were obliged to withdraw, so that the net roll at the end of the year was 97. The students were classified as follows :— Men. Women. Total. Division A .. .. .. .. .. 21 59 80 Division B .. .. .. . . .. 6 12 18 Division C .. .. .... .... 2 2 Totals .. .. .. .. ..27 73 100 Only Division A students were admitted as first-year students. A large number of very eligible B candidates applied; but as preference has to be given to ex-pupil teachers, and as the number of these brought the total up to the limit, no others could be admitted. The same seems likely to happen again this year. It is regrettable that in the circumstances some of the best among the applicants are thus necessarily excluded —it is to be hoped only temporarily —from training and from access to their university studies. This year graduate students are put on the same footing with regard to admission as the A students ; they are admitted, however, only for a year. This concession, valuable and necessary though it is, hardly meets the case fully. The claims of those applying for a two-years course under Division B, who have gained the B.A. or the first section of the 8.A., should be considered along with pupil-teachers. The best candidates offering should be secured—those who are likeliest to make the best use of their time alike in academic and professional study. Districts represented. —Although we are still far from realizing the ideal that all those who enter the service of the various Boards as pupil-teachers should take advantage of the college course offered to them, and although the requests of the pupil-teachers and the needs of the district are still too often urged as valid reasons against entrance to a training college, it is at the same time true that there is a more general tendency on the part of Boards to make a course at a training college compulsory for all pupil-teachers and probationers who have qualified. In the two largest Boards it is so, and from the numbers of applicants coming forward from the. other districts it is evident that the Boards concerned are endeavouring to secure for their future teachers the full available course of training. This matter should not be left to the will and wish of the" young people themselves. All qualified pupilteachers should be required to complete a, training-college course, such a course being looked upon as an integral and necessary part of their preparation. The numbers sent forward by the various education districts were : Wanganui, 34; Wellington, 34 ; Hawke's Bay, 14 ; Nelson, 5 ; Marlborough, 3 ; Westland, 4 ; Grey, 2 ; Taranaki, 2 ; other districts, 2. A difficulty crops up occasionally in the fact that students coming from the smaller districts show a disinclination to return on the completion of their course. When this happens, as it has in more than one instance, the Board concerned naturally raises the question, What advantage is it to us to send our students to Wellington ? I have tried to counteract this tendency by asking each Board towards the end of the year to let me have a list of the vacancies in its district, and by endeavouring to secure applicants for these from their own or from other students. It would be better, however, if each Board kept watch over its own students, and made a point of offering situations to them on the completion of their term. All the circumstances attending admission to and going from the College point to the need of a more definite contract between Board and pupil-teacher—on the one hand that the whole course of training, including the college course, shall be undertaken and completed, and on the other that employment shall be offered in the district to which the student belongs.

XI