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Report of the Principal of the Training College, Christchurch (Mr. Edwin Watkins, 8.A.). Progress of the New Scheme. —In reviewing the work of 1906 1 have to point out that that year was the first in which the institution could be regarded as well under way in accordance with the new scheme for the training of teachers. In any such great change as that which has been effected in the colony's system of training teachers it was inevitable that there should be a more or less unsatisfactory transition period, especially when such a high ideal was aimed at in the attempt to co-ordinate the work of the training colleges with that of the University—an ideal so high that, though many endeavours in this direction have been made in other countries, I do not think it has yet been realised anywhere to the extent aimed at in New Zealand. At Christchurch, too, the Board has sought to take advantage not only of the University, but also of other special educational institutions; and it can be readily understood that it is no easy task to secure smoothly working arrangements, which, while offering no impediments to the work of these institutions, shall yet be suitable to the requirements of the Training College. Especially is this the case when these institutions, over which the Board has no control, make changes to which the Training College has at once to accommodate itself, no matter at what inconvenience. But much progress has already been made towards the desired ends, as is partly evidenced by the fact that at the annual Canterbury College examinations, last October, for the various stages of the University course, quite 50 per cent, of the Canterbury College passes were contributed by students of the Training College. In forming an estimate of the work done by our students, it must be borne in mind that the students who contributed this 50 per cent, of the passes had not only to do the work of university students, but also to take courses of work at the Training College in additional subjects, for their professional training and mental equipment as teachers. The measure of success achieved (as shown in the appendix to this report) gives good ground to hope that, great as have been ihe initial difficulties of the scheme, it may, with some slight modification such as time may suggest, be found a wellrealisable one. Professional Training.— Perhaps the part of the scheme that has so far been least well realised is the technical professional training, in which the work accomplished has fallen somewhat short of what I should like to see done and of what ought to be done. This deficiency is due partly to the fact that a large amount of the students' time is consumed in going to and fro between the various institutions in which they do their work, but mainly to the fact that the majority of the courses of lectures attended most largely by our students at Canterbury College are given in that part of the day during which the Normal School (i.e., the children's department) is at work. The students are thereby prevented to a considerable extent from attending the school for practice in teaching at times when it would be advisable for them to do so. One way to overcome the defect would be to call unon students to take less work at the University. Hitherto I have refrained from this step or any other that might interfere with their chance of " keeping terms " at the University, or that might be felt by the students as a discouragement of University study. Possibly, however, with the continued practical working of the scheme, some other alternative may present itself that will give better conditions in this important part of training-college work. University and Certificate Results. —Of the sixty-four students who continued to the end of the year, all took some University class or classes in their courses of work : and the fifty-three students who at the beginning of the year had passed the Matriculation Examination, or a higher University one, did most of their work in the classes at Canterbury College. Some hoped they could look forward to being fortunate enough to be able to continue study at Canterbury College till the attainment of the degree, and accordingly aimed at keeping University terms and combining this with their work for the Cor B departmental certificates. Others, who could not hope to look forward to completing their University degree, worked for the departmental C or D certificate. In this connection it must be explained that passing the first-year examination at Canterbury College gives no step forward further than matriculation has done for the departmental certificates, and the passing of the first half of the University degree at the end of the second year at Canterbury College of itself only gives a part of the C certificate. This being so, most of those students who cannot possibly finish their degree course within their two years of training, and who at the end of those two years will have to leave town and earn a living (probably in country districts remote from a University), prefer, and wisely, I think, to aim at the departmental certificates rather than the University degree. Of the forty-three students who sat for C, or some part of it, forty-one made some step forward. It is hardly possible to give such a conspectus of results as will be readily understood by those who are not familiar with the certificate regulations, and consequently it is necessary to explain, with regard to the appended table of results, that students not only combine University examinations with the departmental examinations, but also, under certain conditions, combine parts of the C and D examinations. Thus, in the table of results, some of the students are counted more than once. Association with Canterbury College. —The only really unpleasant feature of the year's work was that arising from the desire manifested at Canterbury College to exclude from the "essay" class there a number of our students, while others were admitted without objection. Of the students whom it was desired to exclude, about two-thirds had passed in the subject of English at the Matriculation Examination, which stamps students as fit to attend University classes, and I am unable to see any valid reason for excluding them. From evidence I have, I am convinced that the discrimination could not have been based on considerations of scholarship or ability, and it seems to me that such a course, if persisted in, would tend to frustrate the intentions of the promoters of the new scheme for the training of teachers. Uncertificated Teachers.—A word of explanation is advisable about "partial" certificates and "uncertificated" teachers. The popular view seems to be that an "uncertificated" teacher is one of no scholarship whatever, and many people may be surprised to learn that a man might

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