H.—lA

110

Of the candidates who came up to complete their examination, that is to say, to pass in some one or more subjects postponed from last year, a very large number is returned as successful (122 out of 146). Many of them were teachers who had passed in all the subjects with the exception of " elementary science." The examiner in that subject reports that the work done this year is of very good quality indeed, and that most of the candidates show that they have understood what is required of them, and have carefully prepared themselves for the examination. In this year's list of teachers, which is now being prepared, the asterisk (denoting that a certificate is " provisional ") will occur much less frequently than in last year's list; a result which is due partly to the diligence with which many teachers availed themselves of Professor Black's course of scientific lectures, and the examination which followed it, and partly to the good work done at the examination now under review. I am of opinion that many of the candidates who have failed for class D. might have passed well in class E, if they had been content to secure the lower classification before aiming at the higher. By the concentration of their attention upon the smaller group of subjects, they might have attained to proficiency in them, so as not only to pass in class E, but to be prepared also for a more thorough treatment of these subjects as part of the work of a future examination for class D. In some cases the failure for class D was not in the optional subjects, but in those which are common to all the classes, and the failure was generally so bad as to disqualify the candidate even for the lower class (E). [The large number of failures for class E is owing, in great measure, to the fact that many persons offer themselves for examination who have nothing whatever to justify them in supposing that they are fit to become teachers. A preliminary examination in reading, spelling, and dictation would probably have the effect of greatly reducing the number of candidates. I select the following illustrations of bad spelling from exercises written by candidates for class D. : —kaitif and catif, nautious, flymn andphelem, (for phlegm), verdigrease and ver-de-grees, vittles, retio se natione and rhatosonation (for ratiocination). One candidate (for class E) in writing a letter as an exercise in composition says : "I should like you to continue your studies as regularally as possable." It is like breaking a fly on a wheel to employ all the machinery of examiners, supervisors, printed papers, &c, for the purpose of detecting ignorance of this kind iu those who aspire to the work of teaching. I shall submit, in a few days, a proposal for dealing in a more simple way with some of the candidates. In the examination in the outlines of English history it is expected that a candidate shall show sufficient knowledge of the subject to enable him to preside intelligently over a class engaged in reading a lesson from a text-book, and to turn to larger books for matter which may illustrate the lesson. Minute and accurate acquaintance with such a large subject is not looked for, and a liberal value is assigned to all intelligent answers. But it is found that the examination in practice becomes to a great extent a test of common sense. Candidates, who might pass if they knew enough to know their ignorance of historical facts, and if they left many questions unanswered, exhibit a recklessness and a habit of confused thinking that justify their rejection. The candidates for class E were asked to "name and characterize the great English statesmen of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?" Some of the answers illus-

Entered. Present. luccessful. Pai Sucr rtially jessful. District. Class D. Class K. To com-j plete. Class D. Class E. To complete. Class D. Class E. Completed former Examination. Class D. Class E. .uckland 34 129 25 7 4 5 1 14 48 120 45 '8 34 1 'aranaki "4 7 "4 "s "6 5) * * 6 5 0 5 "i 0 4 lawke's Bay 5 2 2 1 Vanganui h 14 "4 9 o 14 14 '6 Wellington h 6 12 1 9 12 *6 6 i j) • * *7 6 1 ■larlborough i '4 i 2 o '6 ») * • 3 3 i i 1 )» • * lelson 16 9 0 '2 19 i i-i io Vestland "i 4 o )» * * "i 3 '6 i forth Canterbury 37 27 '9 2 7 "s 7 "i i 4 32 44 29 41 i> 38 3 South Canterbury '4 9 '3 9 0 '6 3)> 55 2 46 i i 3 >tago 30 26 is I 3 i 4 n * • 16 12 io l )> • ■ Southland 6 ■3 "4 4 2 4 i i jj • • i jj • • Totals 157 265 175 124 227 146 34 22 145 14 27 597 497 201