THE NORMAL SCHOOL.

This fine building, situate in Moray Place north west, off George street, is now in the hands of the Government, and is being put, to practical use. The classes of the School of Art are about to commence in it, and the Normal School was, the day before yesterday, opened there. The building has a frontage to Moray Place of 70ft., an average width of 46ft, and an extreme depth, of 142tt. It is of brick, the front part being plastered, and from its length of front, height, and design, has a very imposing appearance. The basement floor contains a large cellar for store purposes, 49 x 23, large rooms for janitor, a play-yard (ashalted) for boys, 62 x 42, and an ashphalted space 40 x 20 for girls. The basemeut floor (with the exception of the janitor's rooms, is asphalted throughout, and is very opeu. An effort has been made in arranging the basement to compensate as much as pussible for a playground— an appendage to this fine building which unfortunately is wanting. On the west side of the building is situate the main, entrance; and which serves both for the Normal School and School of Art. From the main entrance, passages branch off to every floor and every part of the building. We will first refer to the portion set apart for the Normal School On the left hand side of the main entrance are three well-lighted rooms, occupying the whole front of the building, and each of which is 24 x 22. The rooms are fitted up with dual desks, that is to say, deaks each of which accommodates two pupils. As classrooms they have been already tested during late examinations, and, we understand, they have been very favourably spoken of. On the right hand oide of the main entrance is the "Board and General Room" (which has been placed at the disposal of the Schoolmasters' Association for the purpose of holding their meetings), and the Hector's room. The Board room and the Hector's room are two fine rooms, each 18ft. x 14ft. On the street floor there are four other class-rooms, each 28 x 21, with sloping galleries, on which are desks and forms. At the back part of the building is the infants' school, 40ft. x 21ft., fitted with galleries like rows of little steps, on which the infauts sit. These seats are of different heights—to suit the different sizes of the children. -Besides the main entrance (which is on the west side), there are several commodious entrances to the building on tho east side. The rooms on the street floor are 14it. high, are well finished, have each a firo-place, and an effort has been made to make the ventilation as effective as possible. Garu also has been taken in the making of the school furniture, special attention having been given to the sizes and proportions of the school desks and seats. Water is laid on to tho building, wasb.-h.auil basins are provided for the pupils, and the endeavour hits been to supply every want. In the infants' school, the smallest sit on the lowest row of seats, and the bigger they are the higher up in the gallery have they to sit. Upstairs, is a, class room for the more advanced children of, the infants' school. One half of this room is fitted up with galleries similar to thosu in the other parts of the infants' school, and the other half with desks and forms for those who arg most advanced in this department. In the part, upstairs, of the building devoted to tte Normal School, is a fine class room, 28ft. by 21-^ft, and fitted up with rows of desks and scats. i

We will !jow refer to the part of the building occupied by the School of Art, and which is situate on the upper floor. The way to the School of Art is by a spacio'cs staircase leading' from the main entrance. The room* include a large class room, GSit. l;y Sift., with beautiful coved ceiling; masters' toow, 20ft. by 14ft.; modelling room 22ft. by- 15ft; cast room, 4Gyffc. l>y-2XJft. A tnoveablu partition tlivulu; the modelling room from the cast room. The cxst room is a very elejp.Rt.lv finished room. The painting room is 'If it. by 21-Aft, The 'niildiiig in «very part is well lighted, and, in particular, the rooms of the School of Art have a light and airy appearance, and are decidedly tho lost in the building. A great deal of pain* h;ia been taken in tl:e matter of ventilation, but we have not yet heard how the provision that has beau aiade answers. The water .'iii'i o'lu-r pipea throughout the building are go laid that access can be hii'.l to them at almost a moment's notice, without there ever being ft"y 'ovasion to tiistiirb ihe plastering, t All the iittiiiga in the N'omv.il School aud ' b«,:h<jol of Alt ;>,!u of red pint! y.»d kauri, ainl,

instead of being stained, are varnished in theit natural colour, which gives the woodwork a more lightsome appearance than it otherwise would have. The building was just about twelve months in coursa of erection. Mr David K-oss was the architect, Mr C. M. Roach was the inspector for the work, and Mr U'flen (who is the contractor for the Museum) was tho contractor. The cost of erection was about £3000. The foundations gave a great deal of trouble, the building: being on what was formerly a hill side, but notwithstanding the disadvantageous nature of the ground, there is not a single crack perceptible. Preparations are now being made for opening the ensuing session of the School of Art in the building, and on Monday

THE NORMAL SCHOOL was opened. The practising' department has | already 200 pupils. An examination was going on yesterday with a view of classifying the children in the fourth, fifth, and sixth standards, in accordance with the regulations of the Board. The training department will not be opened until the 15th February, and an examination of candidates for training- will be held on the Bth of February and following <l«ya. The teachers are —Rector, Mr W. S. Fitzgerald (late of the Oamaru Grammar School); Mr Montgomery (late of the Albany street School), head master of the practising department. With Mr Montgomery are —Mr Lindsay (formerly of the South School), Mr Millar (late of the Oamaru Grammar School), Miss Fitzgerald (late of the Oamaru Grammar School); Miss Stevens (late of tho Middle District School), and Miss Huie (who is from the Glasgow Training College). These constitute, so far, the whole of the staff. They are all engaged in the practising department, but Mr Fitzgerald will have the assistance of some of them to the training department. The REGULATIONS of the School are as follows :— I. Candidates for training shall be arranged under the following classes : — (a) Pupil teachers who have attained their 18th yaarin the case of males and their 17th year in the case of females, and who have satlsfactarily completed their term of apprenticeship or whose transference to the Normal School has been sanctioned by the Board. (b) Untrained assistant teachers and teachers who have been employed iv the Board's Schools, and have been recommended by the Inspectors of Schools for a course of Training. (c) Other persons not under the at;es specified in Class a, nor ever 35 years of age, who have furnished the Board with satisfactory certificates of good moral, character and M>und ho.ilth, and who are free from any bodily infirmity likely to impair their usefulness as teachers. The Board does not bind itself to admit all candidates of this class who may pass the entrance examination, but only such numbers as may from, time to time be specified. 11. Candidates of classes a and c shill pass an entrance examination prior to their being a mitted as students in training. The entrance examination shall be that prescribed for pupil teachers of the first class in the Board's Hegulations of September 15, 1874.— (See Appendix A.) 111. Provision shall be made in the Normal School for tho instruction of students in training-; but to all students who Bhall piss the matriculation examination of the Otago University, permission shall be given, to attend certain classes in that institution, under such Regulations as may hereafter be made. IV. Students of classes a and c .shall be examined at the end of their fir.se and second years for provisional certificates of 111. and I), clasps respectively, in accordance with Regulations (Sept. 15th, 1574). & unsuccessful in pass.ng either of these examinations, they may, on the recommendation of the oxaminers, remain in training for another year; but by a second. 4 failure they shall forfeit all claim to further aid from, the Board. V. Students of classes a and c, who succeed ia passing the prescribed examination, and whose conduct CO! tinues to give satisfaction, shall remain in training not more than U o years. Students o£ class b. shall remain in training for the te>m prescribed, when recommended for training by the Inspectors o£ Schools. Vi. Students in training shall be paid monthly or quarterly, at the rate of £ per annum in th«* case of maies, and at the rate of j& per annum in the case of females. In no case sball any of the abovepayments be made unless certificates of attendaa.es and jroud conduct, signed by the Hector of the Normal School, arc produced.

VII. Every otudent shall, prior to admission to training, sign a declaration or bond containing the following provisions:—That he intends hana. fide to adopt, and follow the - profession u{ teaching; that he shall attend regula ly throughout the course of training until he shall have obtained the lowest grade certificate, or shall have received permission from the Board to discontinue attendance, or until he shall hava received notice of the withdrawal of maintenance allowance; that he shall, on the successful completion of his course of study and trammer, teach in school* under the Board for a period of not less than two> years; and that in the event of his failing; to comply with any of the foregoing: conditions, he shall refund to the Board all moneys expanded on his behabt during his trailing-. The iioard may at aay time require security for the refunding of such moneys.

THE PBACTISIKO KCUOOL. The Practising School shall bo placed as far as practicable upon terms of perfect equality with the Dunedin District Schools as regards the rates of school Ises, the amount and quality of the instruction given, tbs school hours, holidays, &c.