11

E.—s

course included light and shade and colour-work upon brown paper, as well as clay-modelling. Useful work is being done in this section, which acts as a connecting-link between the primary and the technical school. The number of competitors continues as large as in former years, 135 competing for the vacancies. Instruction to Teachers and Pupil-teachers, The subject of perspective in the central school has been discontinued; advanced freehand, including elementary design with coloured chalks upon brown paper, and blackboard - drawing have been substituted with beneficial results. The work of a number of the junior teachers in plane and solid geometry is still unsatisfactory, very little effort being made to encompass the work of this subject. A number of these pupil-teachers look upon the work as a matter of putting in the necessary time for instruction, but make little effort to qualify themselves. It will be necessary to take strong steps to remedy this matter during the forthcoming year. Appreciation is shown of the advantage offered to teachers of attending the classes after they have completed their full second-grade certificate. The efficiency of such teachers will thereby be increased, and should benefit the schools largely. The correspondence-class work has improved. The work has been defined in the various sections for each month with beneficial results. The revision takes place the last Friday in each month, and the work is returned with remarks and corrections, together with the requirements for the next month's work. The following classes are held in the Technical School for teachers in the Board's service : Geometry; model, freehand, and memory drawing; advanced drawing or brushwork ; manual instruction in wood, clay, or cardboard ; wood-carving ; singing. Arrangements are in progress for additional classes at Masterton, Pahiatua, Carterton, and Greytown. Every encouragement is given to teachers to qualify themselves in the various branches of instruction. Technical Instruction. Number of Students. —Day classes : Design—First quarter, 27 ; second, 28 ; third, 28; fourth, 30. Drawing and painting (whole-day students) —First quarter, 15 ; second, 15 ; third, 17 ; fourth, 15. Drawing and painting (half-day students) —First quarter, 48 ; second, 49; third, 47 ; fourth, 48. Geometry and perspective—First quarter, 15; second, 11; third, 8; fourth, 5. Secondaryschool scholars (drawing)— Second quarter, 29 ; third, 29 ; fourth, 26. Secondary-school scholars (manual instruction) —Second quarter, 27 ; third, 25 ; fourth, 23. Primary-school scholars—First quarter, 52; second, 53; third, 47; fourth, 47. Teachers and pupil-teachers—First quarter, 104; second, 92 ; third, 97 ; fourth, 90. Wood-carving—First quarter, 12 ; second, 16 ; third, 19 ; fourth, 22. Manual instruction (Saturday class) —Second quarter, 5 ; third, 3 ; fourth, 5. Advanced geometry —First quarter, 14 ; second, 10 ; third, 11; fourth, 9. Clay-modelling—Second quarter, 21; third, 17 ; fourth, 23. Singing, Saturday—First quarter, 96; second, 86 ; third, 78 ; fourth, 68. Singing, Wednesday—First quarter, 22; second, 17 ; third, 21; fourth, 19. Cookery, not inclusive ot primary schools —First quarter, 35 ; second, 73; third, 69; fourth, 28. Evening classes : Architectural and building construction —First quarter, 32 ; second, 36 ; third, 30; fourth, 30. Mechanical drawing—First quarter, 47; second. 56; third, 49 ; fourth, 37. Drawing—First quarter, 73 ; second, 73; third, 83; fourth, 80. Life class—First quarter, 7 ; second, 8; third, 7; fourth, 8. Practical plumbing —First quarter, 36 ;. second, 24 ; third, 33; fourth, 29. Theory of plumbing—First quarter, 23 ; second, 21; third, 16 ; fourth, 15; Wood-carving and modelling— First quarter, 5 ; second, 26 ; third, 27 ; fourth, 13. Mathematics—First quarter, 33 ; second, 33 ; third, 31 ; fourth, 32. Joinery and carpentry—First quarter, 17; second, 24; third, 22; fourth, 22. Shorthand —First quarter, 31 ; second, 30 ; third, 30 ; fourth, 27. Design—First quarter, 5 ; second, 13 ; third, 15 ; fourth, 10. Geometry and model —First quarter, 53; second, 67 ; third, 51; fourth, 40. Moulding—Second quarter, 11 ; third, 7. Totals both classes —First quarter, 802 ; second, 954 ; third, 917 ; fourth, 801. Inclusive of primary scholars receiving instruction in cookery by the school instructors, the number of students controlled directly by the Technical Instruction Branch is over 1,500. The following occupations are represented among the students of the evening classes : Saleswoman, 1; office boys, 2 ; blacksmiths, 2 ; law students, 5; mechanics, 2; engineers, 53; salesmen, 5 ; saddlers, 2 ; interpreter, 1; carvers, 4; coachbuilders, 2 ; optician, 1; joiners and carpenters, 27; plumbers, 59; clerks, 35; dairyman, 1; signwriters, 2; electricians, 2; architects' assistants, 3; teachers, 18; lithographers, 3; cabinetmakers, 6; photographer, 1; bricklayers, 6; scholars, 20; printer, 1; tailor, 1; moulders, 3 ; farmer, 1; builders, 5 ; students, 93; dressmakers, 5; wood-carvers, 3 : surveyors, 6 ; fitters, 2 ; telegraph messenger, 1; draughtsmen, 3 ; cooks, 4 ; coachpainter, 1. Reports upon Glasses. Drawing, Painting, and Modelling. —Day classes: The work in these classes has been fairly satisfactory. The most serious cause of complaint is the indifference to serious study, particularly of the junior students. The general desire is to reach colour before even the simplest elements for drawing are well grounded. The course of work has been made more interesting by the use of coloured work in tinting and chalks, and by a greater variety of work generally. But however interesting the work may be there is a want of serious effort to obtain knowledge upon the part of a considerable number of students. Memory-drawing, one of the most important studies, is considered a subject to be avoided if possible, and in many ways there is a want of application not usually met with in English schools. In the more advanced sections of antique, still life, and drawing from the life better work has been done all round. In the antique and life sections several students attempted the examinations without having the necessary experience; this in future will not be