E.—s,

more than merely copy to a scale a piece of machinery. In this subject some excellent results were obtained in the examination held in December last. Building Construction and Architectural Drawing. —This class has increased in attendance twofold during the latter part of the year, and great interest has been shown in the work. Lectures were given in brickwork, stonework, and woodwork, and the materials used in building ; and drawing plans, elevations, sections, and details of structures. Practical Plane and Solid Geometry. —-This class has greatly increased in attendance. The art and science students are availing themselves of the study of this useful subject. Manual Training. —This class has been poorly attended, and I am surprised that parents and guardians will not send their children to avail themselves of the benefit the Education Board has conferred on the town by establishing this class. The great object is to cultivate the love of construction and work. The work of the pupils include such articles as small tables, musicstands, knife-boxes, cupboards, brackets, as well as the various joints in woodwork, and the general use of the tools. Carpentry and Joinery.—Very useful work was done. The pupils are taught to draw the work to a certain scale, and build the article afterwards. Ordinary four-panelled doors, window sashes and frames, stair-work, and the study of the bevels in roof-work were the principal work executed by the students in this class. Wood-carving. —This class has steadily increased in attendance since last report. Some excellent work has been executed by the students from photographs of ancient carved work, plaster-casts, and designs in English, French, German, Gothic, Italian Renaissance and the Classic styles. The Examiner, Mr. A. Atkins, F.E.1.8.A., of Wanganui, reported the results of the examination very satisfactory. Clay-modelling. —Several specimens of work were executed from the human figure and floral ornaments during the year. I draw attention to the value of this class: First, for those who are taking art as a study. The sense of form can only be learnt by working in a plastic medium that responds to the slightest touch of the fingers. Modelling is the best mode of expressing thought, being much more thorough than a drawing, the student learning how to express light, reflected light, and shade as well as the true contour of the object. Second, for a student studying woodcarving an elementary knowledge of modelling is one of the greatest helps to him, as it is the key to that art, also compelling him to use both hands continually before he starts work with carving tools. Continuation Classes. —Mr. T. E. Cresswell having resigned the lectureship of English, Latin, mathematics, and experimental science, the vacancy was 'filled by the appointment of Mr. Charles George, M.A., Aberdeen University. Book-keeping. —This class was started at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The attendance was good; the principal work being real, personal, and nominal accounts, balance-sheet, capital account, and how to open a ledger. Mathematics. —The attendance in this class was fair. The work is divided into two sections, the elementary and the advanced, for the study of arithmetic, algebra, euclid and trigonometry. English and Latin. —The attendance was fair. Work : English grammar, composition, analysis, literature, and books set; Latin grammar, Via Latina, Cassar, Tacitus, Ovid, and Latin prose. Botany. —The attendance was good. The principal works were the examination of specimens, structure of seed of plants, cell structures, cell growth and tissues, germination, plant-food, root functions, stem structure, plumule buds, vernation, leaves, inflorescence, structure and functions of parts of the flowers. Chemistry. —The attendance in this class was good. Work: Lectures and experiments, analysis of metals, &c. Experimental Science. —The attendance has only been fair. The work of this class is the preparation of teachers for the D and E Science Examination. Lectures, illustrated by experiments, on the following subjects were given: Acoustics, optics, heat, magnetism, electricity, chemistry, and physiology. Cooking Classes. —These classes were held in Hawera, Eltham, Manaia, Patea, Waverley, and Wanganui, and were largely attended. The totals for the six towns were 501 pupils. Classes were held on Friday and Saturday in Wanganui. Plain cooking was taught in these classes ; also the general management of a kitchen. Keen interest was manifested by the pupils in their lessons, and good attendance was maintained throughout the quarters. I would like to see the subject made compulsory for children attending the primary schools, the scholars to be sent, daring the ordinary school-hours, to a specially organized centre. Saturday Pupil-teachers' Glass. —The attendance was good. The pupil-teachers and teachers have attended a special drawing class from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and have been taught freehand, model-drawing, practical plane and solid geometry, drawing on the blackboard from memory of elementary freehand copies, ambidextrous exercises on the blackboard, which they accomplish with great freedom considering that at school they do not use the left hand. I strongly recommend that children should be taught to use both hands, so as to cultivate both sides of the brain. There are close on two hundred and forty trades employing the use of both hands. Modeldrawing on the blackboard from memory is taught to the second-class pupil-teachers to train them to illustrate object-lessons on the blackboard freely and correctly. The students are progressing very favourably, and will derive some benefit from such training when teaching drawing to the classes in their respective schools. The Wanganui Girls' College. —-The average attendance in the art classes was seventy-one; in the painting class, eleven: total, eighty-two. Some good work was done from freehand blackboard exercises, model-drawing, shading from the cast, outline from the cast, brushwork, and

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