6

E.— 4,

for intercourse with normal hearing and speaking persons. It, is always to be desired that children whose parents live near enough to the school should visit their homes whenever this is possible without the interruption of their education. Therefore, with my approval, the parents of several of our pupils, whose homes are in or near Christchurch, have made a practice of having their children home for the week-ends. Others do the same fortnightly or monthly. The weekly journey to and from the school, usually without escort, and the frequent renewals of home ties, are of great benefit to those children fortunate enough to be able to avail themselves of them, greatly stimulating their faculties of observation and developing their independence of character. Of the 12 pupils admitted at the beginning of the year. 2 made excellent, (5 very good, and i' good progress. The other 2 were mentally deficient. One of these, a girl of nine, had been under my observation for some years, and had been classed by me as an imbecile. Other persons who had examined the child being of opinion that she was capable of being taught, she was admitted on trial, and remained at the school until nearly the end of August, when she was removed to her home, it being then quite clear that she was an imbecile. The other case, a boy of thirteen and a half, was a little more promising. It was evident at once that lie was mentally deficient, probably owing to paralysis, with which he was afflicted down one side of the body. He was, however, able to imitate to a certain extent. It was found, however, impossible lo instruct him in articulation ; but he was able to profit slightly by physical and kindergarten training. At the end of the year he was transferred to the Special School for Boys at Otekaike. It is obvious thai deaf imbeciles such as these should bo excluded fr an oral school for the deaf. Their presence is in many ways inconsistent with the proper carrying-on of the work of the school, involving as it does the use of signs to a reprehensible extent. It is largely on this account I hat in older countries, where larger populations give greater facilities for classification, dull or backward deaf children are educated in separate institutions. Of the late comers, one ease, admitted in .May. was that of a boy of seven, win. about a year previously had completely losl his hearing in consequence of a severe attack of scarlet fever. At the time of his admission his speech was rapidly deteriorating, ami would soon have been utterly gone. He is now making satisfactory progress. Two eases, sisters, one admitted In July, the other in September, call for special notice. They were brought under my observation when on a visit to Dunedin in the winter vacation. The elder girl, aged fifteen, had a considerable amount of hearing, but was far too deaf to be properly taught in the public school that she had been attending for over seven years. Her younger sister, aged nearly thirteen, had been six years at the same school, and, being practically stone-deaf, had made little progress. In both eases the limited nature of their attainments had been wrongly attributed to mental incapacity. The progress they have made since their admission here, however, proves them to be of normal intelli gence, the only disadvantage they are labouring under being their deafness. As it is possible that there may be similar eases in other parts of the Dominion, it is requested that teachers and other persons should communicate with the Education Department when they have knowledge of children whose progress, owing to defective hearing, sight, or intelligence, is less than normal. Such cases can then be investigated, and the afflicted children, if it is found necessary, brought under the influence of the special facilities provided by the State for their education. The health of the pupils throughout the year was on the whole satisfactory. There were no cases of serious illness among them. One or two mild cases of pneumonia occurred in the autumn, and the work of the school was somewhat interfered with in the spring by some mild cases of whooping-cough. It is much to be regretted that, on account of a severe illness, the school had to lose the valuable services of Miss A. Gibson, who had filled the position of sub-matron since 1902, and who had during that period exercised a very great influence for good, especially on the elder girls of the school. In April one boy of delicate constitution left the school. He had been a pupil since 1900, and, in spite of frequent absences on account of ill health, had made satisfactory progress. At the end of the year two boys and four girls were removed, having attained in most cases a reasonable standard of proficiency. It is in one case, however, especially to be regretted that the compulsory clauses of the Education Act do not apply to pupils who have reached the age of sixteen. In the case of dull children, and particularly in the case of children whose admission has been delayed until a somewhat advanced age. it is highly desirable that power to enforce attendance to a more advanced age should be obtained. In order to take the place of the assistant teacher in training, who left in the previous year, an additional teacher. Mr. H. .1. Williams, was, in February, appointed to go into training. The annual picnic of the school was held in November, at Burnham, and very hearty thanks an- dm' to Mr. and Mrs. Arehey and their staff for their very great kindness in providing for our entertainment and amusement so lavishly. The splendid swimming-bath at Burnham was a great attraction for our pupils, and it is much to be regretted.that, owing to the inadequacy of the Sumner water-supply, a similar bath cannot be provided here. It seems anomalous that in a seaside watering-place, such as Sumner, there should be no facilities for the teaching of swimming to children. By the kindness of Messrs. Fuller and Sons an open invitation to visit their kinematograph entertainments was extended to our pupils, and this very gracious offer was frequently taken advantage of dining the year. The children derived a great deal of pleasure and profit from the pictures, many of which were of high educational value Referring to the work of the school in general, I can only say that the results as a whole may be regarded as very satisfactory. I have. iVe..

J. E. Stevens, Director.