E.—lc

4

All students took some work at the University. Of those who had to sit for the D certificate or'some part of it, all but two took a course of lectures and practical work in physiology at Canterbury College. Several of those who were further advanced took such a course of lectures at Canterbury College as suited the line of work they were taking towards a degree, and by this ten kept terms at that institution. Nearly all the students also took an elementary course of psychology as bearing on education, and some of the matriculated students took a more extended course with a view to the C examination in that subject, and also attended the University lectures in psychology. Several of these also attended a course in English in the second term. Circumstances, however, militated against a satisfactory working out of the course I had looked forward to for these students. In consequence of the small number of students who wished to work for matriculation I thought it inadvisable to take up that work, and accordingly the matriculation class was dropped for this year. In the University examinations at the end of the year, one student passed the final section of 8.A., three passed the first section, two passed the Canterbury College third year, and three passed the first year. In the examinations for certificates, four passed the first section of the C certificate and one other obtained partial success for it, six obtained full D, eleven obtained partial D, one failed, two had to discontinue work through illness. This year the school was deprived of the valuable services of Mrs. Bullock, head mistress of the infants' department, owing to her illness and subsequent resignation. Miss Grand, first assistant in the infants' department, took the post of acting head mistress for the year, and discharged the duties most efficiently.

OTAGO. EXTEACT FEOM THE BbPOBT OF THE EDUCATION BOAED. During the year the Training College was reorganized in accordance with the Department's memorandum regarding training colleges, and with the recommendations of the parliamentary Education Committee. The Board, aided by a Committee of Advice, is to have the control and management of the Training College in its district. The Committee of Advice which has been appointed consists of Mr. Donald Borrie and Chief Inspector Goyen (representing the Otago Education Board), Mr. Thomas Mac Gibbon (representing the Southland Education Board), and Professor Gilray (representing the Professorial Board of the Otago University). Eegulations for the government of the college were drafted, and on the 24th October these were sent to the Department.* In its last report the Board described the present Normal-School building as unsuitable for the purposes of a training college, and expressed the hope that immediate provision might be made for the erection of a suitable building in Stuart Street. The appointments and equipment of a training college should in every respect be of the best; those of the Normal School are in many respects of the worst, and the building has ever been viewed as merely affording tentative provision for training purposes. The Board would again urge the necessity for providing an up-to-date building as soon as possible. Eepoet of the Pbincipal of the Training College (Me. D. R. White, M.A.) The attendance at the Training-College classes was as follows: Second-year s-tudents, 10 females; first-year students, 2 males, 35 females ; number left during the year, 4 females ; number in attendance at the close of the session, 2 males, 41 females ; total, 43. Thirty students, six second-year and twenty-four first-year students attended University classes. The others had not matriculated; and were therefore unable to take University classes. The following shows the number attending the various classes : Junior English, 14 ; Senior English, 8; Junior Latin, 5; Senior Latin, 1; Junior French, 1 ; Senior French, 2 ; Mental Science, 10 ; Principles and History of Education, 6 ; Physics, 1; Mechanics, 1; Chemistry, 1; Junior Mathematics, 4. The results of the term examinations were in most cases satisfactory. Forty-three students were presented at the Education Department's Examinations in January. The following is the list of passes and failures: —Passed for C certificate, 4; passed for D certificate, 10 ; passed for partial C, 2; passed for partial D, 20 ; failed, 7 ; total, 43. Owing to the fact that the Training College was worked under the old regulations for a few months, and under the new for the rest of the year, the practical course of lessons was not so complete as in former years; and this was most marked in the case of those students who on entering the Training College had not passed the Matriculation Examination. With three divisions or classes of students, each at different stages in the course of their training, it was quite impossible to give Group 111. anything like a satisfactory series of practical lessons in class-management. Under the new scheme of organization, and with a full staff of teachers, I am looking forward to a course of training for the students which, I believe, will prove more efficient than anything we have had in the past.

* A conference was subsequently held between the Board and the Inspector-General of Schools in regard to the proposed regulations, which with slight alterations then agreed to have since been approved by the Minister.