Appendix A.]

E.—2.

Instruction of Teachers. —The following Saturday classes were held for the instruction of teachers: Wellington—Elementary home science and hygiene;; singing ; woodwork and cardboard-modelling ; drawing and handwe.rk. Masterton- Elementary hygiene, physiology, and first aid; drawing and handweirk ; singing. Pahiatua—Elementary hygiene, physiology, and first aid. A course of continuous instruction feu- uncertificated teachers was held at the Training College on the lines which had been attended with much suoceess in previous years. Though held in February, 1916, it formed, part of the 1915 courses, and is therefore included in this report. The purpose e>f the course was to give such instruction and afford such guidance in the main subjects of study for the certificate as, faithfully followed, would enable the students to gain the certificate. The main subjects of study were —Agriculture (Mr. Tennant and Mr. Cumming) ; method (Mr. Webb) ; hygiene, drawing (Mr. Tennant) ; first aid (Dr. Arthur) ; music (Mr. Parker) ; physical drill (Miss Blackburne). The course was attended by twenty-nine teachers, including a number from Nelson, Grey, and Taranaki, whom the Board was very pleased indeed to admit to the course. A course of instruction, in elementary agriculture, extending over a fortnight, "was hold at the Masterton District High School in September, and was attended by fe>rty-six teachers. The course included both lecture and practical work in agriculture, nature study, hygiene, and instruction in the making of suitable nature-study and science aids. The class was in charge of Mr. Cumming, who was ably assisted by Mr. Steivenson, Miss Lazarus, Messrs. Howe and Grant. The Board acknowledges valued assistance also from Mr. Morris, instructor in agriculture, Hawke's Bay, who delivered a lecture on " Sprays and' Compatible Spray Mixtures used in combating Insect and Fungus Pests." It is to be added that for the former course the teachers attending deprived themselves of a part of the summer holiday, and for the latter of the whole of the term holiday in. September. The Board is satisfied that excellent work was done at both courses. Training College. —A full statement of the work of the year will be found in the report of the Principal in Appendix D. The following is a brief statement of the statistics of the institution : Firstyear students, 18 men, 43 women ; second-year students, 17 men, 31 women. They were classified as follow : Divisiem A, 93 ;B, 5 ; C, 10 ; I), 1. The students moved into the fine new college at Kelburn on the 28th July, where the work is pursued under conditions of very much greater comfort and efficiency. The thanks of the Board are gratefully accorded to the proprietors of the Women Students' Hostel, the Friends' Hostel, and the Catholic Girls' Hostel, for the excellent provision made for lodging our women students. The Board would be very grateful indeed if similar provision could be made for the accommodation of male students. Manual Instruction.— The following table shows in detail the subjects of manual instruction undertaken in recognized classes, the number of schools at which the various subjects were taught, and. the number of pupils under instruction : — c, , • . Number of Number of Sub]l,ct ' Sohools. Pupils. Handwork .. .. .. .. .. ..138 15.964 Elementary agriculture .. .. .. .. ..91 1,763 Needlework .. .. .. .. .. ..19 ! 247 Elementary physical science .. .. .. .. 8 365 Physiology and first aid .. .. .. ..13 682 Swimming and life-saving .. .. .. .. ..12 1,008 Elementary physical measurements .. .. .. ..15 947 Home science .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 55 Dairy-work .. .. .. .. .. 2 20 Botany .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 254 Dressmaking .. . . .. .. .. . . 9 248 Cookery —Wairarapa and Pahiatua. centres .. .. .. 6 287 ~ Wellington centres .. .. .. .. 14 709 ~ Petone centre .. .. .. .. .. 2 126 ~ Horowhenua centres .. .. .. .. 2 79 Woodwork—Wellington centre .. .. .. ..15 858 Petone centre .. .. .. .. 2 1.92 ~ Wairarapa and Pahiatua centres .. .. 6 319 ~ Horeiwhenua centre .. .. .. .. 2 83 Building-construction and drawing .. .. .. .. 7 129 Laundry-work—Wellington centre .. . . .. 13 458 The full rural course was undertaken at the district high schools—Levin, Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Masterton, Carterton, and Greyteiwn. Over ninety schools undertook elementary agriculture, and in this subject the Inspectors and the instructors report progress. To this result the excellent courses at the Training College, and the special courses for teachers which have been held at Greytown. and Masterton for some years, no doubt contribute. Full discussion of this branch of the work will be found in the report of the Inspectors. District, High Schools. —[See E.-6, Report on Secondary Education.] Scholarships. —At the end of the year there were held the following scholarships : Sixteen Junior National, fifty-eight Junior Board, eleven Senior Board A, fifteen Senior Board B. Of these there expired respectively eight, thirty-six, three, and four. On the results of the November-December examinations there were awarded, under the new national conditions, twenty-one Junior National, fourteen Senie>r National A, and two Senior National Rural (out of three emly for the whole Dominion); As last year under the Board's regulations there were awarded sixteen rural Senior Scholarships, the Board is forced to the conclusion that in this competition the Rural Scholarship candidates have been

VII