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City and Guilds of London Institute. —Technological Examinations, 1904.

No. 2. REPOBT OF THE INSPEGTOES OP TECHNICAL INSTEUCTION. Sib,— We have the honour to make the following report on the state and progress of manual and technical instruction in the colony during the year ending the 31st December, 1904. A. Manual Instruction. The increase in the number of schools in which instruction was given in one or more of the various branches of elementary handwork may be taken as an indication that teachers generally are realising more and more that the work of the standards is likely to be helped rather than hindered by the judicious introduction of suitable forms of handwork. These should be treated not so much as separate subjects, for which a place has to be found on the time-table, but as valuable aids to the teaching of not a few of the other subjects prescribed for the standards. The fact that in some schools handwork still continues to be taught as an isolated subject, having little or no direct bearing on other subjects, is probably due to the influence of certain of the manuals dealing with handwork on the one hand, and to the absence of opportunities for proper training of teachers on the other. The branch of handwork known as papei'-folding, for example, is not unfrequently treated solely from the point of view of the production of more or less complex objects, some of which can only be regarded as puzzles in paper. The benefit to the pupil is not, it is to be feared, commensurate with the time spent in the drill necessary for the production of these objects. The making of objects, the different stages in the folding of which cannot easily be represented by drawings well within the comprehension of the pupils, should be avoided. A lesson in paper-folding affords abundant opportunities for concrete illustrations of considerable value in teaching elementary notions of number and area, as well as the simple geometrical notions and problems prescribed for the lower classes. Of the various branches of elementary handwork, modelling in plasticine or in clay, brush drawing, and work in paper, carton, and cardboard are the branches most generally taken up. In a number of schools, modelling is being utilised with good results in connection with the teaching of geography ; brush drawing is successfully combined with nature-study, and with elementary design; while work in paper, carton, and cardboard, according to the standard in which the work is taken, is found to serve the very valuable end of enabling pupils to apply in a practical way, their knowledge of geometrical figures and operations. In the case of the smaller schools, where it is not practicable to provide for the instruction of the upper standards in woodwork, it is suggested that a not unworthy substitute is to be found in a suitable course in cardboard work. Handwork in some form or another is now being taught in eachsf the education districts, in schools of all grades, and, in an increasing number of schools, in all the standards. In not a few cases the time-tables show that well-graded courses of instruction, suitably linked with the general work of the school, have been arranged, and we are not aware that the results have been other than satisfactory. It is not too much to expect that, in the near future, there will be few schools in which handwork has not its place as a recognised aid alike to teacher and to pupil.

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Auckland. Subjects of Examination. C. P. New flymouth. Wanganui. ■ Welling- NaDip , Gk ton. m0( . C. P. C. P C. 2 1 1 eyuth. Christ- nnneflin Inverchurch. uuneain - cargill. Totals. C. P. I ' C. P. P. C. P. C. P. C. P. c. I P. Plumbers' work (preliminary) .. 14 12 Principles of plumbing (ordinary) .... Plumbers' work (ordinary) .. 9 9 Principles of plumbing (honours) Carpentry and joinery (preliminary) 1 i 1 Carpentry and joinery (ordinary) .. 1 1 Electric light and power (preliminary) „ (ordinary) .. .. j .. „ (honours) Wiremen's work .. .. .. .. | .. Telegraphy and telephony (ordinary) Mechanical engineering, Part I. 2 (ordinary) Mechanical engineering, Part II. 3 1 (ordinary) Painters' and deoorators' work (ordinary) Brickwork (ordinary) .. Gas-manufacture (ordinary) Woodwork, first year .. 42 85 Woodwork, final .. .. 1 1 Cookery .. .. .. ... 36 33 Totals .. .. 109 93 7 5 3 2 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 .. L . . . . | . 12 10 8 3 .. i 1 -i -il:: :: :: 5 5 3 1 1 1 4 1 i 2 1 2 1 " I " " .. i .. .. : i : i i .... 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 16 13 1 1 34 30 2 1 3 3 6 4 6 6 6 8 1 1 4 1 3 2 6 2 i j .. .. .. I . i i I '.'. .. .. 2 " ■ 1 .. j .. • .' 5 1 . 1 1 .. .. 6 6 1 1 .. .. i ■ • 1 1 .. 1 1 i i l l " .... 1 1 1 .. 6 3 18 3 2 .. .. , .. 88 1 .... 16 87 18 .. 10 5 32 44 37 53 91 , 60 1 1 2 2 111 79 15 8 113 102 336 261 11 7 10 8 I • • 3 32 22 10 9 1 13 ! 9 ; 59