E.—s.

19

Winter School. —One of the chief difficulties experienced by teachers far removed from the larger centres is that of keeping in touch with recent developments in school work. To overcome this difficulty, and following in the lines laid down at the summer school in 1902, we arranged for & winter gathering of teachers. This was held in the week before the midwinter vacation. The programme included practical classes in cardboard-modelling, free-arm drawing, and brushwork for country schools, and lectures on topics of general interest to teachers. About three hundred teachers attended, and a praiseworthy spirit of earnestness and enthusiasm was manifest in all the meetings. We propose to hold a similar meeting this year. Extract from the Report on the Wanganui Technical Classes. The number of students who attended the various classes of the school during the four quarters was as follows : Drawing and painting, 74 ; building-construction, 26 ; machine-construction, 14 ; geometry and perspective, 41 ; plumbing —theoretical 12, practical 18 ; Saturday teachers' class, 20; wood-carving, 43 ; modelling in clay, 4 ; life class, 5 ; singing and theory of music, 28. Drawing and Painting Classes. —The work has comprised drawing in outline and in light and shade from the cast, and from groups of objects ; and painting from still life and from flowers. Fairly satisfactory progress has been made. Some difficulty is experienced in inducing students to take up a course leading up to higher work in art, many students being satisfied with obtaining pretty effects of colour with the delineation all at fault. During the fourth quarter a junior class was started to enable school-children to attend. The class was largely attended, great interest being taken in the work. It is hoped that this class will be the means of urging pupils to continue their studies in the more advanced stages. Instruction to teachers and pupil-teachers has been continued as usual, considerable interest being manifested in most branches of the work. The work in freehand has been from the cast, which gives the student a greater power of representing objects than does drawing from flat diagrams. The work of the senior pupil-teachers in geometry and perspective was highly satisfactory. The modeldrawing class completed a useful course of work, drawing from geometrical models and from common objects based thereon. I should like to see more teachers taking up this subject in the schools, as ability to draw from objects is of greater value to the artisan than ability to copy flat representations of objects. The attendance at evening art classes has not increased in any marked degree. The general work of these classes was freehand from the cast, and drawing in light and shade. Instruction was also given in painting in sepia and monochrome from still life and from the antique. The attendance at the class for machine-construction was the same as for the previous year ; excellent work was done. New examples of machinery, kindly given by the General Manager of Railways, proved a valuable aid to the instructor. I trust others will follow the example set by the General Manager of Railways. The attendance at the class for building-construction was higher than in previous years. Satisfactory work was executed by the class as a whole. Some students took both the elementary and the advanced course with advantage. The Wanganui Master Builders' Association has kindly offered a prize, to be competed for annually by apprentices. The first examination will be held towards the end of this year. The life class has executed good work during the past year from the draped model in chalk and in oils. The attendance at the wood-carving and modelling classes has steadily increased, and some excellent work in carving has been executed by the students from original designs and from photographic representations of carvings. The modelling class has steadily increased in numbers, and has done good work from the cast and from photographs. The attendance at the class for plane and solid geometry was the largest since the school was formed, geometrical drawing being made compulsory for all trade students. The average attendance at the class for practical plumbers has been well maintained. The work was based on the City and Guilds of London syllabus for plumbing. The room in which the class is held is far from satisfactory, and I trust that we shall have an up-to-date plumbing workshop before next year. The Borough Council kindly contributed the sum of £10 towards this class. A Board of Control in connection with plumbing and sanitary work was established in Wanganui with the approval of the Chief Health Officer. The Education Board, the builders, the Master Plumbers' Association, and the Journeymen Plumbers' Union are represented on the Board. There can be no doubt of the use of such a body in placing the plumbing craft on a higher footing, and acting as an advisory t rdy on plumbing and sanitary questions. Three candidates gained second-class certificates at the City and Guilds of London Institute Examination in plumbers' work (ordinary grade), and three candidates gained second-class certificates in the principles of plumbing (ordinary grade). At the first examination in practical and theoretical plumbing held by the Board of Control ten candidates presented themselves for examination. Five passed in theoretical plumbing, but their practical work only entitled them to a second-grade pass, which grade is not recognised in local examinations. Classes were held in connection with the Girls' College in freehand and object drawing, in drawing from nature, brushwork, and applied design, and in drawing and shading from the cast. A class for painting was also held, instruction being given in painting in monochrome from the cast, painting from still life and from flowers. The Education Department sent for public exhibition some fifty framed specimens of worked exercises accepted by the Science and Art Department at the several art examinations. The exhibition was open to the public and attracted a number of visitors. The value of the collection to art and science students cannot be overestimated. I trust the Department will see its way to give a few examples of specimen work to this school.