E.—2.

"Appendix D.

this event by Mr. A. Rowe, one of our first " Old A's," and it now adorns the central hall. The students of 1911 who have just left the College presented twenty-five well-bound volumes to the College library, and will in due course present an engraving also. Normal School. —There have been changes in the staff during the year to an unusual degree. Mks Toy, who has been assistant in the primer department since the school's commencement, left us for a better-paid post. We were loth to lose her, and trust that at some future time she will resume her work with us. Miss Craig, who was in charge of Standard I, was also promoted to another school. These vacancies have been filled by Miss Bayliss and Miss Western respectively. Mr. Priestly, who had been a year with us in charge of the Model Country School, received promotion to the Inspectorate. We lost his broad-minded services with regret, but feel sure that in his wider sphere he will do valuable work. Mr. R. Harrison has filled the vacancy thus caused, and, as he has had American as well as local experience, he will be of great help in our school-method discussions. Miss A. M. Monstedt has been appointed to the new Junior Model School. Miss Newman returned from her American and European tour reinvigorated, and her chatty accounts of her educational experiences were very interesting. The various school activities that have been made a feature of have received the usual attention, and success has attended the parents' days, the magic-lantern lessons, the visits to the museum and domain, the keeping of the school-gardens and flower-brackets, and the swimmingsports. In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge the hearty co-operation of the headmaster and staff in all work connected with the students. I must not forget to thank, too, those gentlemen who gave us their help in lectures to the students, including Mr. G. W. Murray, Professor Brown, the Inspector-General of Schools, and Miss Newman. The Advisory Committee has met regularly as occasion required, and I find it a great help, the ripe judgment of Professor Thomas and the Chief Inspector (Mr. E. K. Mulgan) being invaluable, backed up as it is by an excellent chairman in Mr. G. J. Garland. I have, &c, The Secretary, Board of Education, Auckland. H. A. E. Milnes.

WELLINGTON. Report op Principal for the Year 1911. Sir, — Training College, December, 1911. I have the honour to present my report on the work of the Training College for the year 1911. Training College Tear and Terms. —The College year extended from the 21st February to the • Ist December, thirty-eight weeks in all, divided into two terms of nineteen weeks. In my last report I set out fully the disadvantage of this arrangement, and it is not necessary to repeat what I said then. Suffice it to say that so long as the University holds to its two-term system —a system that, I feel sure, is not conducive to the best work —so long will it be necessary for the Training College also to hold to a two-term system. It has to be noted, however, that in the case of the Training College the terms are six weeks longer than those at the University. We cannot expect our students to do their best work under the present arrangement; it is little wonder that the last few weeks of study prove burdensome even to the strongest. Students admitted. —Students were admitted from the various districts as follows : Wellington, 37; Wanganui, 24; Hawke's Bay, 18; Taranaki, 4; Nelson, 5; Marlborough, 4; Westland, 3; Grey, 2 : in all, 97. All except three were ex-pupil-teachers or probationers. Men. Women. Total. First year ... ... ... ... •'•• 15 35 50 Secondyear ... ... ... ... ... 16 31 47 31 66 97 One graduate was admitted under the special clause for University students. The practical exclusion of Division B students raises the important question, Is the College getting the best students that are offering, those most likely to do justice to all sides of the course of training. I feel bound to say that some of those who have entered might well have been rejected in favour of others applying'direct from secondary schools. From these we have in. previous years received a fair number of students, and almost without exception they are now giving a good account of themselves in the schools. If we must pick and choose, then we should have the best, and it should be considered to the advantage of a candidate that he has had two or three years' extra secondary-school instruction. University Classes. —Classes were attended as follows: English, 80; mental science, 41; Latin, 36; education, 35; English history, 6; constitutional history, 6; biology, 5; botany, 2; electricity, 2; geology, 1; French, 4; German, 3; chemistry, 3; economics, 5, mathematics, 7; jurisprudence, 1; physics, 1. English is a compulsory class, and. a large number of students enter for it in both years of their training. Mental science is virtually a compulsory subject, and is usually taken in the first year. Latin is taken by those entering on the course for the B.A. English history is now taught at the University, and the class will probably be more largely attended in future. The science courses, necessitating as they do from seven hours to ten hours' attendance (lectures and

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