E.—2.

Appendix G. |

V

(wood, brick, and concrete), floors arrd walls (wood, brick, and concrete), roofs suitable for farm buildings. The cart:, sharpening, and management of tools have been made a special feature in the curriculum. Palmerston North and Main Trunk. —The course of work followed was interesting, instructive, and useful. The thirteen classes taken in this district are, from the following schools : Campbell Street, College SI root, Terrace End, West End, Taihape District High School, and Hunterville District High Sohool. The attendance for the year at Palmerston North was generally good. The first year is devoted to the use of the various tools and the making of joints, interspersed with drawing-lessons and notes on various timbers. This year- the work done by Standard VI has been more of a useful and constructive nature, arid included nail-boxes, book-shelves, bandage-winders, model yachts, and periscopes; drawings to scale of each article had to be first made by the boys. At Taihape District High School the boys have shown their usual keenness and departed from tin- stereotyped course of lessons, converting some old sheds into a trap-shed 12 ft. by 9 ft. At Hunterville District High School the models made included farm-gates, dogkennels, beehives, tabourets, book-shelves, salt-boxes, flour-bins, arid periscopes, the majority of which were stained ami varnished. The boys have also almost completed the lining of the new woodwor-k-roor a. Extracts from thi-; Reports ok the Instructors in Cookery and Home Science. Northern District. —Classes in cookery, home scierrce, and dressmaking were held at Hawera, Eltham, and Patea. At Hawera three primary classes and one secondary class were held in cookery. Secondary classes were also held in dressmaking and home science. The girls made some wry useful and becoming garments. The apparatus for Ironic science was rather meagre, so that the experimental work was not as successful as it might have been. At the Eltham centre classes were held in cookery, home science, hygiene, and dressmaking. The girls took a. very keen interest in the cookery and dressmaking. The work done in heme science and hygiene was satisfactory. Wanganui, and, Suburbs. —The usual classes from Victoria Avenue ami Queen's Park have been in attendance, and in addition arrangements were made with the tramway authorities to bring in tire classes from the suburban schools. The attendance was excellent in all the classes, and the work done was good on the whole. The usual practical examination was held al the end of tin- session, and the examiners professed themselves pleased with (he results. So.uthern and Maim Trunk Districts. —Owing to the large number of pupils from Campbell Street, Terrace End, and West End (Palmerston North) it was again found necessary to employ im assistant instructor. In order Io give headmasters and teachers an insight into the work done by the pupils, each class cooked a meal (without assistance), to which they were invited. Judging from the favourable comments and the pleasure it gave the girls, 1 consider' il is an experiment worth repeating. At Feilding four classes were held. Outside distractions somewhat hindered the work. An exhibition of the pupils' work was given early in the year. Examiners reported favourably upon the work. The boys' class at Mar-ton was very interesting, although carried on under great disadvantages. The boys, however, enjoyed their work and proved apt pupils. Tire attendance of the classes at Pohangina, Marton, Hunterville, and Taihape was good on the whole, although in the winter months a number of children wen- unable io attend on account of illness. Throughout (he whole year' the children seem to have- been interested in the work, and have shown good results in their practical work. Three girls entered for "housecraft" in Senior Scholarship, and a number took "hygiene" as on<- of their subjects. Classes were also held at Bunnythorpe, Halcombe, Kimbolto'n, Rongotea, and Bull's District High School. Extract prom the Report or- the Supervisor or Drawing. During the year visits have been paid to all of the main schools of our district, to most of the two- and three-teacher schools, and to a number of the smaller ones. The work of the pupils has been inspected, ami model lessons in drawing, design, &c, have been given to all classes to assist teachers in methods of training. Opportunity has been taken also to get the staffs of tire schools together- for the purposes of discussing the syllabus requirements, the drawingup of schemes of work, and the best methods of teaching. A great deal of attention lias been given to free drawing from the actual object (natural and fashioned), which now entirely takes tire place of drawing from the old-time flat copy. Such considerations as light-handed work, the use of trial outlines, and the discouragement of " rubbing out " have been consistently stressed; and, with the view of instilling more life, interest, and expression into drawing, the study of line-expression, pen-and-ink work, and light and shade have been introduced. Free brush drawing, colour-work, the principles of design, and instrumental drawing have also received their drre share of attention! There is no doubt whatever that drawing in our schools is improving rapidly, but there is still abundant scope for further efforts to place the subject upon a sound basis. Teachers are beginning to recognize the great use of drawing as a means of expression—a language in fact—and its immense educational value in developing habits of observation and a love of the beautiful in visible things; and, as to the teaching of drawing, that there is more common-sense than genius required. Teachers' classes have been regularly conducted at Feilding on Saturdays during the year with an average attendance of about fifty teachers, mostly pupil-teachers and probationers, but si ill with a fair sprinkling of older teachers. The adoption of a strict system of following up each week's lesson with a. regular homework exercise has been productive of very gratifying results, some really good work being- done, arid progress made by all students. This home exercise requires individual effort, and brings out