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Training of Teachers. (See also Appendix D.) There afe four training colleges situated in the four principal centres of the Dominion, which are open to four classes of students, as follows : Division A, ex-pupil-teachers, ex-probationers, or ex-trainees of recognized kindergarten schools who have obtained the necessary educational qualification ; Division B, other students who have passed Matriculation or obtained a higher leaving-certificate ; Division C, University graduates admitted for one year ; and Division D, teachers entering on short-period studentships. The numbers of students in attendance during the last quarter of 1918 under the various divisions were —Division A, 452, Division B, 33 ; Division C, 4 ; and Division D, 11 : the total being 500, as compared with 451 for the previous year. These figures do not include students absent with the Expeditionary Forces. The numbers of students at each training college during the last quarters of 1917 and 1918 respectively are indicated in the following table :— , —1917 , , 1918 , Men. Women. Total. Men. Women. Total. Auckland ... ... ... 20 97 117 27 111 138 Wellington ... ... ... 12 104 116 19 117 136 Christchurch ... ... ... 16 87 103 18 99 117 Dunedin ... ... ... 20 95 115 21 88 109 Totals ... ... 68 383 451 85 415 500 The number of students is steadily increasing, especially with respect to the women students. In the year 1914 there were 430 students in the training colleges -123 men and 307 women ; the number of men students decreased from that date until the year under review, so that it is satisfactory to note that the figure appears to be again upon the upward grade. The ordinary course of training is for two years, so that if the training colleges had their full complement of students (recently increased from 125 to 150 in each case) the number of students annually completing their training and passing into the schools would be about 300. Under certain conditions a one-year course is provided for in the case of University graduates or matriculated students who have completed a two-years course at an agricultural college or a school of home science recognized by the University of New Zealand. In addition, there are short-period studentships, of not less than three months' or more than one year's duration, for the benefit of teachers who have been already employed in teaching and are deemed worthy of further training in professional work, the allowances payable to such students being the same as those payable to students under Division B. The actual number of students completing one or other of these courses at the end of 1918 was 229. Increases were again made in 1918 in the allowances payable to trainingcollege students. Division A and Division C students now receive an annual allowance of £65, and Division B and Division D students, £45 ; all receive in addition a boarding-allowance of £25 per annum when necessary and University classes fees. Provision for still further improvement in these allowances is at present under consideration. For the teaching practice of students the normal practising schools forming part of the training college in each case are available, and opportunities of observation are also extended so as to embrace specially selected teachers and classes in neighbouring schools. Each normal school includes — (a) a main school, organized as a " mixed school " ; and (b) such " model schools " as may be approved by the Minister, each model school being of one of the following types : (i) A rural public school under a sole teacher ; (ii) a junior school under one teacher with not more than 45 children of classes P to S2 on the roll ; (iii) a class representing the secondary department of a district high school; (iv) a class for backward children ; (v) a junior kindergarten. Provision is made for the staffing of classes for backward children and for public schools established as model schools, a class for backward children being in operation in Auckland in a specially designed modern building erected at the cost of a private donor. Students receive their theoretical instruction from the training-college staff, and also attend University college classes to a considerable extent. A certain pro-

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