7

E.—lb

Map-easels would be a great advantage, for the black-board should be used at every lesson, and hence its easel is not available for the map when geography is being taught. Most schools are now well found in maps, the new schools especially so. Johnston's two physiological charts might well be supplied. Drawing-blocks and T squares would be of valuable assistance to teachers. Libraries have been established at a few schools, but the books are in general too advanced for the use of the pupils, and in some cases are unsuitable. An effort might be made to establish pupils' and teachers' libraries in the Wanganui town schools. Teachees' Besidences.—There are still nine schools, in addition to the three at Wanganui, without residences—namely, Biverton, Warrengate, Waitotara, Woodville, Parawanui, Mangaone, Ashurst, and Carnarvon. At Warrengate and Parawanui residences are in course of erection, and at Carnarvon the teacher lives in his own house. Nine schools are conducted in buildings combining teachers' private rooms and class-rooms. All the residences, like the school-buildings, have recently been painted, but many are very damp, as they were built on the lowest portion of the school-sites. Leaking gutters, too, are a constant source of complaint. The untidy state of their houses and grounds is very discreditable to some of the young teachers. Teachees. —In the 74 schools in the district 132 teachers are employed—namely, 74 head teachers in charge of schools —53 males and 21 females; 22 assistant teachers—s males and 17 females; and 36 pupil-teachers—B males and 28 females. There are also 15 cadets. Of the head teachers 22 are wholly uncertificated, and 6 have provisional certificates; but 7of the former are in charge of aided schools, and 2, being new arrivals in the colony, await only Inspector's marks. Eleven of these uncertificated teachers did not present themselves for examination in January last; but for all but two there seems to be an excuse. While some of the head teachers are highly classified, I attach far more importance to the practical knowledge of school management possessed by a few. Classification in former times was more easily obtained than it is now, and at best is a very fallacious test of a true teacher's powers. There are several, however, who have no professional training, nor —what I consider of far more importance—any experience in large, well-conducted schools ; so that they are naturally lacking in that technical knowledge which would enable them to classify and instruct their pupils in such a manner as to get through the most school-work in a given time, with the least effort on their own part and the most advantage to their pupils. Some of these teachers are not lacking in earnestness and other essential qualifications of members of their profession; but they are placed at a great disadvantage, because, though perhaps desiring to fit themselves in every way for the work which they have undertaken, they have no means of seeing methods practised outside their own schools, but toil along—it may be in the heart of the bush—month after month in their well-worn grooves, their knowledge of school-work being limited to what is done in their own little buildings. It is, perhaps, this exclusion from intercourse with each other in their work that causes teachers to be so conservative, and to think that nothing can be good that they have not tried. In all businesses and amusements in life it is well for the contestants to see others that are better than themselves. How, then, can this state of things be improved ? Text-books on school-management are all very well, and ought to prove a useful aid, but most teachers have found that theory and practice are two different things. What, therefore, teachers want is to see schools where the best methods are employed, in full working order—to see the machinery at work about which they had before only read. There are, however, no so-called " model schools "in the district; but there are some schools well worthy of a visit, whilst there are, perhaps, none from which a teacher anxious to pick up a hint might not improve himself, if only by observing faults. I should accordingly be in favour of allowing teachers a day occasionally for the purpose of visiting neighbouring or other schools; and, if those in the country received their midwinter holidays at a different time from those in town, the teachers of the former would have an opportunity of seeing the working of the latter. The most suitable of the larger schools in the district, also, might be more fully officered, to enable the head teachers to devote some of their time to the training of their staff. The head teachers in these schools should give model lessons before their assistants and pupil-teachers, who in turn should give lessons before the head teachers, to be followed by criticism and instruction. Thus the Board would be able to obtain a constant supply of teachers, in some measure trained, for the country schools. An Inspector, too, can give much kindly help on his visits of inspection ; hence I should be glad to be able to devote a good deal of my time to this important part of my duty. Again, care should be taken that, as new teachers are brought into the district, they be experienced in the primary work of education. Pupil-teachees.—There are thirty-six pupil-teachers in the employ of the Board, and good work is no doubt done by some, while it is difficult to see how the present system of education could be carried on without them, except at considerable increase of expense. Head teachers would do well to look closely after the training of their pupil-teachers in good methods, and should not leave them to take sole charge of junior classes, as is too often done at present. I have already reported at length on the examination of last July, so that not much need be written about it now. The work sent in by the junior classes showed that the candidates must have gone through their standards in a very slipshod manner ; while in the senior classes those that did badly last year did badly in preceding years. The untidiness and wretched arrangement of the majority of the work, apart from the want of knowledge displayed, were much to be censured. I feel convinced that many apply for pupilteacherships without a thought of the hard work before them if they wish to succeed, and without any consideration as to whether they are suited for the profession or not. Meanwhile the occupation is " genteel," and may lead to something better. It is worthy of mention that some head teachers informed me early in the year that their pupil-teachers could not possibly pass the examination in July, and yet none of the latter were appointed without testimonials from the former. The manner in which these testimonials are scattered broadcast in the teaching profession, from want of a moral courage to refuse them, is very reprehensible. Your Board and its officers have had very good cause to know this at times during the year. .In August new regulations for pupil-teachers were