DRAWING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 753, 6 August 1886, Page 30

DRAWING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The presentation of first-grade certificates to the successful candidates in the city and suburban schools for freehand and geometrical drawing took place in St John’s Schoolroom, Dixon-street, Wednesday afternoon. Mr J. R» Blair, Chairman of the Education Board, presided, and on the platform were Messrs A. W. Brown, J. "Young, and the Rev J. Paterson (members of the Education Board), and several gentlemen connected with the City School Committees. The masters of the various city schools were also present. Mr A. Dorset, Secretary to the Education Board, read a report, from which it appeared that the first examination in first-grade drawing took place in June, 1884, under tbe Board’s Inspector, Mr Bee, who inaugurated the system. The number of passes in freehand at that time was 81, while in the following year, when papers for both freehand and geometiical" drawing were set, the number, of passes showed freehand, 128 ; geometrical, 105. The examination this year showed that 761 papers were taken, 426 for freehand, and 335 for geometrical, the passes in the former being 232, and in the latter 284, or 516 in all. The papers in geometrical drawing were remarkable for the excellence of the werk done, and showed a percentage of 80 passes. The order of merit of the schools present, so far as concerned the number of successful passes, was as follows : Mount Cook Boys, 102 ; Terrace, 64 ; Thorndon, 56 ; Te Aro, 55; Newtown, 16 ; Bower Hntt, 16 ; Petone, 10 ; Mount Cook Girls, 8 j Karori, 2 ; Kaiwarra, 2. In accordance with the syllabus recently issued the schools will be examined in first grade drawing in June of each year, the following being the sections Freehand, model, Beale, and geometrical, the papers being set in strict accordance with the requirements of the Science and Art Department, London. Candidates having obtained a complete first grade certificate will be permitted to sit for a second grade, which is of more than double the value of the former, and will also be in accordance with the requirements of the Science and Art Department. Before presenting the certificates, the Chairman addressed the large assemblage of scholars present, and pointed ont that while until quite recently drawing was optional, it was now one of the class subjects, and would be taught by the teachers in every school under the Board. He regarded the inclusion of drawing in the coarse of instruction as one of the most important steps taken since the inauguration of the present system of education* as nothing was so valuable as drawing in its bearing upon the various callings which the boys would have to follow after leaving school. He alluded to the attention which had been given to the subject in England, resulting in the appointment of a Commission to visit the chief cities of the Continent to inquire into the systems taught and their introduction into tbe English schools, with a view to improve the technical knowledge of those to be engaged in British textile and other manufactures. No matter in what calling they might hereafter be engaged in, the system of drawing instrnction would have an important bearing upon them, and he hoped the girls would likewise devote themselves to it, a 3 its benefits were by no means entirely confined to the boys. He thought the system Bhould not only include freehand and geometrical drawing, bat design also. The Chairman then distributed the certificates with the aid of Mr A D. Riley, Art Instructor to the Board, afterward explaining that they were only provisional and would be exchanged at subsequent examinations for full certificates. It was therefore necessary that the present ceriificates should be carefully preserved. The Rev, J. Paterson moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Blair for presiding. He alluded to the very great interest that gentleman had taken in the drawing department of educatfe and said it was due to his efforts that it was introduced into the system. He (the speaker) trusted they would have many such gatherings, for they would find the benefit of their drawing instruction in after years, as it could be put~ to good account in m any trades and professions, such as engineering, carpentry, architecture, &c., and they would find in Mr Riley a teacher well qualified to instruct them. The motion was carried by acclamation. The Chairman, in reply, thanked the scholars for their hearty response, and said he would have done very li tie had it not been for tbe sympathy and assistance of the members of the Education Board. He therefore moved a vote of thanks to the Board, the teachers—on whom the superstructure rested—and the members of the School Committee present. The scholars responded with three hearty cheers, and the proceedings terminated.