69

A.—2.

Music. —Form of notation used. What songs are taught ? How are they selected ? Is there any individual teaching of instrumental music ? ' Observation Lessons and Nature-study. —Principles|£on which subjects are selected. How far are they correlated with other subjects— e.g., drawing ? f/ Geography. —Text-books, maps, atlases. The place given to local geography journeys or expeditions. History. —Text-books. The place given to the history of the colony and the British Empire respectively. Is any classical or European history taught ? How far is history correlated with geography % Hygiene and Physical^Exercises. —ls any special system of physical exercises prescribed ? Is instruction in hygiene direct or incidental ? The place in the curriculum of organized games during school hours. Domestic Subjects for Qirls. —Is instruction confined to needlework or extended to include cookery and laundrywork, or housewifery ? Handwork, Gardening, &c. —Is handwork part of the ordinary curriculum, or is special instruction given in special classes ? What forms of handwork are commonly taught ? 4. What arrangements are there for the giving of religious instruction. ? 5. How far is the curriculum designed with a vocational bias 1 Specify the subjects — e.g., domestic subjects and handwork —introduced with this aim, the time devoted to each, and the method of treatment ? How far has it been successful in experience ? 6. School age. Duration of school life. Arrangements for granting exemption from attendance to children of school age who have reached a certain standard. Is there any half-time system ? How is the curriculum arranged for such half-time scholars ? 7. How far is the curriculum modified with a view to facilitating the passage of scholars from elementary schools to secondary schools and places of higher education 1 8. Is there any periodical examination of elementary schools ? If so, by whom is it conducted, and what form does it take ? Is there any form of leaving-certificate ? SECONDARY SCHOOLS OR DEPARTMENTS. 1. The age at which secondary education is begun. Do the children normally proceed from the elementary school to the secondary school or department, or have the majority of secondaryschool pupils attended preparatory schools with a curriculum differing from that of the elementary schools ? How far is secondary work confined to separate secondary schools, and how far is it given at the top of schools of which the lower part is elementary. 2. What arrangements are made for the grading of schools ? What is the general leaving-age of each grade ? Is there a and if so, is this identical for all schools, or is there a higher and a lower certificate ? 3. Are external examinations taken ? If they are taken, by whom are they conducted, and what is their influence on the curriculum ? Is this influence generally regarded as satisfactory ? 4. Relation of the secondary schools to higher education and technical schools. 5. Development and Range of the Curriculum. — (a.) A brief introductory history of the development of the curriculum, explaining the circumstances which have influenced its expansion, &c. (6.) Range : What subjects are included ? Is there a syllabus officially prescribed in detail 1 Are all subjects compulsory, or may the curriculum be modified for individual schools ? (c.) What arrangements are made for providing alternative courses for the pupils within a school ? What opportunity is given for specialization to pupils in the upper forms ? (d.) Are specified text-books recommended ? 6. Distribution of Time. —Are there general regulations as to the time to be allotted to the various subjects ? If not, what would appear to be the usual amount allotted ? Time allotted to home-work. 7. Subjects and Treatment. Religious Instruction. —What part does it take in the school-work ? What study of the Bible and Greek Testament is undertaken. Languages. —What foreign languages are taught ? The order in which they are taken, and the time elapsing between the taking of each. (a.) Ancient languages : To what extent are they taught ? Extent of reading, and standard attained. What pronunciation is used ? (b.) Modern languages : What methods are used ? To what extent is provision made for oral work ? Is the " direct " method used ? English. —The general treatment of the subject. Are specific authors studied ? What is the general method of teaching composition ? History. —What parts of history are studied ? Is there any study of history besides the history of the colony and the British Empire ? How far, in the case of pupils learning foreign languages, is instruction given in the history of the countries concerned ? Is there any study of ancient history ? Geography. —General scope of the work. Is there any instruction in practical geography ? Mathematics. —The general scope of the subject. How far practically studied. The methods of teaching geometry employed. Standard reached. Science. —What amount of time is devoted to its study, in the case of girls and boys respectively ? What provision is made for practical work, and what amount of time is assigned to it ? What branches of science are most usually taken ? How far is science studied with a vocational bias towards — (a) Agriculture ; (b) engineering, &c.; (c) domestic science?