E.—2.

dictum that a man's practice in any work should not be such as to practise his defects; and a young teacher's defects may often best be remedied by giving him time for consideration of them, and a little practice in which his aim shall be largely to keep clear of these defects. The students of Division B— i.e., those who have not been pupil-teachers—have been called on to do some extra teaching beyond the ordinary one hour per day, this extra teaching being continuous for one of two weeks at a time when Division A students were having holidays. This part of the B students' training is exceedingly important, and it would be well if some means could Ik; found of extending it without making their work too arduous. At present I see no means of doing thia without serious interference with the attendance at University lectures. I am glad to say that the great majority of the B students have thrown themselves earnestly into their work, and many of them show promise of becoming thoroughly effective teachers. All but a few of our students have set themselves to make the most of their opportunities, though with some the University work has preponderated to an extent that might be deprecated if it were not for the general public opinion that New Zealand will not be satisfied with teachers who fall short of a reasonably high standard of education. And just occasionally one meets with a student who, on the strength of having passed a University examination or two, feels at first able to despise the valuable " little tilings " the sum total of' which goes so far towards making the successful teacher. I am glad to say that such cases are very rare, and that most of our students have faithfully received the doctrine that it is not sufficient to give some sort of a lesson that will do for a few geniuses, but that a lesson must be so treated that " the average child " —the one of medium ability—may be helped to realize his potentialities. In connection with this 1 may say that no training college dealing with non-pupil-teacher students (and 1 think I may add, even with pupil-teacher students) can be expected to send out ''thoroughly trained " teachers after so short a period of training as two years, during which study and teaohing-practioe have to be combined. The 15 students should be able to look for some guidance for a few years after leaving the training college; and all students should be made to recognize that, after their period of training, it is incumbent on them to utilize seriously the facilities often so readily accessible nowadays, in the various classes they have opportunities of attending, and to read some educational periodicals and books on educational work. The teaching-practice has revealed the fact that with many B students handwriting and arithmetic are defective. Many of them are unable to do the arithmetic which has to be taught in Standard VI, this defect being due to the low standard in arithmetic required for matriculation. In this connection I may add that a considerable number of students of both A and B Divisions show a feebleness in power of expression in English, which must militate largely against successful work in some of their University subjects. The educationists of the Dominion felt that a great advance had been made when such favourable conditions were gained as insured that none should be admitted as pupil-teachers or entrants to training colleges at too early an age, or before a reasonably good standard of scholarship is reached. Herein, however, lies the danger that if this idea is carried too far some entrants to the profession may have passed the plastic age at which they can acquire habits which in the absence of a Strong natural bent towards them have to be made automatic by practice. The teacher's eye, which should be offended by the least sign of disorder, and the teacher's ear, which should be offended by a whisper even in .the back bench, cannot be developed, in many cases, if the professional work is taken up late. Students , Studies. —Under this head I shall have to refer to studies in the arts course at Canterbury College, to studies at the Training College, and to other studies. Nearly all our students took some work in the University classes of Canterbury College. Having passed the Matriculation Examination before entering the Training College, a large number of our students take up courses at Canterbury College in the hope of finally securing a University degree. This year sixty-three took up courses of lectures with a view to a step in the degree course. For various reasons several of these were unable to present themselves for the Canterbury College annual examination, a few decided to defer taking the examination till another year, and two or three decided to give up the idea of going on with a university course. Of the fifty-two who finally endeavoured to qualify for the year's step five qualified without examination, thirty-two qualified by examination, and fifteen failed. Apparently the annual examination at Canterbury College was of a more searching nature this year than formerly, as there was a much larger percentage of failures among Canterbury College students generally than is usual, and our students fared no worse than the other students of Canterbury College. As our students have to do the degree work in addition to their training-college work, the result must be considered as eminently satisfactory evidence of their industry and zeal. In estimating the value of the examination for Canterbury College " First Year " it has to be borne in mind that Canterbury College demands three subjects for that examination, and that if, in order to do both his trainingcollege work anil his university work more thoroughly, a student restricted himself to two subjects, as he may at some of the other University centres, his year's work at Canterbury College would count for nothing from a University point of view. Students who are looking forward to a degree course have to take Latin and mathematics at some part of their course, and so in preparation for this or for the C certificate examination fiftynine took Latin and fifty-two took mathematics for either one or two terms. All students have been required to take some English in one year at least of the Training College course, and accordingly seventy-two attended English this year, of whom thirty-eight took the full course in English required for their stage of the University course. Tarts of nearly all the subjects allowed in the arts course found a place in some or other of the students' lists. A large part of the biology classes at Canterbury College was comprised of Training College students, and I regard this as a decidedly good feature because of the relatio-i of this subject to nature-study and agriculture. 1 am aware that many educational critics hold that the main, if not the sole, purpose of a training college should be to train teachers in the art of teaching. This should undoubtedly be an exceedingly important aim, but the original views of the Department as generally understood

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