Appendix D.J

III

i<;. 2.

lectures on education given by the Principals of the training colleges, who for this purpose are recognized as members of the University college staff. Any other Un'versity work undertaken varies greatly according to the aims and educational status of individual students, but is necessarily subordinated to the aims and requirements of their special professional training, and the due relation of the two claims constitutes one of the chief problems of organization with which the Principals of training colleges have to deal. Of such work mental science, as bearing directly on education, has been generally taken at one of the centres, and at the second centre it is also taken by a substantial proportion, but few take it elsewhere. Of other subjects, about one-third of the students take Latin, and mathematics, with much fewer attendants, appears next in order. At one centre the University College, apart from English and education, is represented specially by botany, and by a course of voice-production, the latter being attended by the whole of the students. Table P3 contains parallel facts for special classes of professional training for which provision has been made within the training college itself or in intimate connexion with it. It deals only with students who are in their second year of training. The subjects are largely more or less compulsory in character, though not of necessity for the second year, and include methods of teaching, elementary hygiene, elementary handwork and kindergarten study, physical (including agricultural and domestic) science, physical exercises, vocal music, and drawing. In most cases there is still much to be desired in the training in natural and experimental science that is given to young teachers. It must be regarded as an absolute essential for every teacher that he or she should have at least an elementary knowledge (complete as far as it goes) of scientific method, and this can be got only by a course of individual practical work. The two to four hours' work per week assigned to this course, under the Training College Regulations, is by no means too much. If the student cannot take such work at the University College he should take it at the Training College. For men the course in agriculture, and for women the course in home science, properly carried out, will give opportunities for much that is wanted in this respect. From Table P4 may be learnt the initial status of the students at admission as set out in terms of the Department's certificate provisions, or with respect to the University qualifications on which they were admitted to the training college. Table P5 shows the certificate status as revised after the examinations of January, 1913, but including those to whom trained teachers' certificates were granted at the close of their training course without further examination. The analysis is of special interest at the present time, in view of the abandonment of general certificate examination tests for training-college students after their admission, and the substitution therefor of evidence otherwise furnished of the satisfactory completion of a training-college course as prescribed by the regulations. Eight students at admission held Class C certificates, and 166 Class D. By the end of the year three students held a Class A certificate, ten a Class B, 148 a Class C, and 182 a Class D. The number of male and female students receiving training in the four training colleges during the last quarter, 1911 and 1912, is indicated in the following table :— , 1911. , , 1912. , Men. Women. Total. Men. Women. Total. Auckland ... ... ... 37 64 . 101 29 72 101 Wellington ... ... ... 31 65 96 25 69 94 Christchurch ... ... ... 23 72 95 21 76 97 Dunedin ... . ... 40 57 97 38 68 106 Totals ... ... 131 258 389 113 285 398