Appendix D.]

E.—2.

taking a one-year course only and others taking a two-year course, it is impossible to frame a timetable which will enable the one-year students to take the course of study called for by the Department, without sacrificing the interests of the two-year students. Various reasons are urged for which a one-year course should be sanctioned. Of these, the only valid one I have heard is the argument that a young man or woman of, say, twenty-two to twenty-five years of age cannot be expected to continue a training course on £30 a year, a much less salary than that received in the last year of the pupil-teachership, and of which about £5 may be required for books and incidentals. Some pupilteacliers do not enter upon their pupil-teachership till about nineteen or twenty years of age, and then are kept three or four years as pupil-teachers. If, as I gather from the Department's reports, it is thought that a two-years course of training is desirable, this condition deserves consideration. And the time should now be rapidly approaching when Boards might encourage the training scheme by giving preference of appointment to those who have taken a two-years course of training. As a result of the past year's work I feel it will be a question requiring consideration in the coming year whether or not one-year students should be allowed to attempt terms at Canterbury College. The same question must be considered in relation to those who do not, at the end of their first year of training, make a substantial step towards their C certificate, including, of course, the compulsory subjects common to C and D. Except in cases where some particular line of work at the University by an undoubtedly earnest student justifies a departure from the general scheme, students ought to finish their C certificate examination in all subjects (or all but music) at the end of their second year of training. As connected with the students' work, I may note that the number of examinations in the latter part of the year is often found trying by those who take both the departmental examinations and also the University ones. I endeavour after each of the term or examination crises of the year to give a short holiday, even if only a couple of days ; but not enough rest is given for students to recover spring, and so it comes about that each year we look forward to doing certain work, either between or after Canterbury College terms, and each year fall short of what we hoped to do. Satisfactory arrangements for holidays cannot be made, because the school holidays of the district do not fall at the same time as Canterbury College vacations; and so, while the school is taking holiday, students attending Canterbury College lectures have to continue here at work, or go home and miss lectures for a time. Staff. —The increase in the children's department now justifies an application for the second Grade I assistant, whom we have not hitherto felt we could claim. If we can secure permission to open a kindergarten department we shall also be entitled to a kindergarten assistant. lam still of opinion that a more liberal provision should be made for a tutor, one of whose duties it will be to take charge cf great part, if not all, of the students' science work. If this science work is to include practical work (as it does in this institution) it makes great demands on the time of the teacher or teachers. I may not inappropriately here refer to the loss the institution has sustained through the recent deaths of Miss Starkiss (kindergarten mistress) and Mr. Peacock (third assistant master). Both had identified themselves thoroughly with the interests and progress of the institution. Considering the great importance of the Infants' School work, our students lose much by the removal of Miss Starkiss's good influence and skilful guidance. The Year's Work. —A review of the year's work leads me to venture the opinion that, though we have done our best to secure the dual aim of the institution — i.e., both the intellectual and the professional equipment of our students —the cruxes of training-college schemes still remain with us to a large extent, and we can only work out such plans as thought and experience prove to be best for the particular conditions that have to be faced. A practical answer has to be found to the many questions that may be propounded on training-college work, an answer that will keep us progressing with the hope that solutions may finally come, and that in the meantime all will not be found barren from Dan to Beersheba. I have, &c, The Secretary, Education Board, Christchurch. Edwin Watkins.

Statistics of the Training College for the Year 1910. [Abridged.] Number of students remaining from 1909 — Male. Female. Total. Division A .. .. .. .. 10 27 37 Division B .. .. .. .. ..1 11 12 Totals . . . . * . . 11 38 49 Number who entered during 1910— Division A .. .. .. .. ..9 38 47 Division 8.. .. .. .. ..1 2 3 Totals .. .. .. ..10 40 50 Total number in attendance during 1910 — Division A .. .. .. " .. .. 19 65 84 Division B .. .. .. .. 2 13 15 Totals .. .. .. ..21 78 99 Number remaining for the year 1911 — Division A .. .. .. .. 5 31 36 Division 8.. .. .. .. ..1 1 2 Totals .. .. .. ..6 32 38

iii—E. 2. (App. D).

XVII