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APPENDIX.

MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION IN THE SEVERAL EDUCATION DISTRICTS

AUCKLAND. Extract from the Report of the Education Board. Manual and Technical Instruction. —Towards the end of the year a portion of the new Seddon Memorial Technical College, which hud been in the course of erection since May, 1909, was occupied for classes, the number of individual students in attendance at classes in Auckland for 1912 being 1,519. The College is now fully occupied, but a considerable sum of money would be required to provide adequate equipment, whilst the additional two stories to complete the building are urgently required. Manual-training and technical schools were opened during the year at Devonport, Helensville, Waihi, and Pukekohe. Local contributions were also made during the year towards the cost of the erection of manual-training schools at Te Kopuru, Dargaville, Waipu, Maungaturoto, Paparoa, and Te Aroha; and it is hoped the Department will rind the necessary balance to allow these schools to be erected as soon as possible. The number of schools in which elementary agriculture was taught during the year was 167, as compared with 140 of the previous year. Handwork was taught in '2-iO schools, being an increase of thirty-three over 1911. In fourteen schools instruction in swimming and lifesaving was given during the year, and in schools below Grade IV taught by a male teacher seventy-two were recognized for sewing. Extract from the Keport of the Inspectors of Schools. Rural Course in District High Schools. -The rural course lias been in operation in some of our district high schools during the past year, but, owing to a variety of causes, can hardly yet be considered as firmly established, owing mainly to the small salaries offered. The difficulty of obtaining suitable teachers has been considerable; while, in addition, several of the centres are still unprovided with such facilities for manual training as the course demands. This is much to be regretted, in view of the importance of the rural course, and we look forward to the time when the difficulties in the way of extending more widely the benefits to be derived from this form of instruction may be removed. At present the rural course is in operation only in the Cambridge, Waihi, Pukekohe, and Paeroa District High Schools. School-gardening. —The gardening movement still continues to grow a considerable number of schools having qualified for recognition under the Regulations for Manual and Technical Instruction, and others, though not applying for recognition, have done much towards adding to the attractive appearance of the school-grounds, and providing material and opportunity for nature-study. We cannot say, however, that we are altogether satisfied with the progress made in this direction, or that the utmost benefit has been derived from the courses undertaken. Some schools have done really well, utilizing the schemes adopted for highly educative purposes; but in others the important matters at issue have to some extent been lost sight of. It is of the utmost importance that definite courses providing for both outdoor and indoor work and experiment be prepared, and that these be arranged in such a way as to provide for regular and systematic work throughout the year. A carefully dated calendar-record of operations and experiments should be kept, and in the pupils' notebooks a summary of the work dealt with, as well as an account of each experiment and what it teaches, should appear. iAs an attractive feature of school environment a garden has its undoubted value; but under skilful direction it becomes of even greater utility, affording opportunities for acquiring knowledge and experience which cannot fail to be helpful in future years. If this is to be the outcome of gardening operations the efforts on the part of the teacher and pupil must not be confined to the actual work in the garden, but should have close connexion with indoor lessons, where the principles underlying operations should be carefully and systematically studied. Practical operations are altogether essential, and under no circumstances should they be omitted —indeed, in all cases they should comprise the larger part of whatever course it is decided to adopt; but what are commonly known as theoretical considerations should by no means be abandoned, these being necessary if the full meaning and significance of the operations in question are to be thoroughly grasped. Extract from the Report of the Director of Technical Education and Manual Training. Handwork in the Primary Schools. —Handwork, including such subjects as brush drawing, paper folding and cutting, crayon work, plasticine-modelling, &c, was taught in 230 of the schools, as against 197 in the previous year. In many of these work of a very high order of excellence was done, particularly in the direction of drawing and painting from nature. In a country such as this, which is dependent for its very existence upon the products of the land,

E.—s.