Appendix A.]

E.-2.

attending were afforded opportunities of observation in the Normal School. This arrangement is .considered to have been very successful. The teachers who attended will receive assistance in any difficulties that may arise in their studies during the year. Training College.—The admission of students was again practically confined to A candidates. -The districts from which students were admitted were —Wellington, 37; Wanganui, 24; Hawke's Bay, 18; Taranaki, 4; Nelson, 5; Marlborough, 4; Westland, 3; Grey, 2: total, 97. Firstyear students numbered 50; second year 47—men 31, women 66. One student was admitted to the special course for graduates. A full report of the year's work, and a discussion of the educational problems of the College, will be found in the Principal's report. It was with much regret that towards the end of the year the Board accepted the resignation of the Principal, Mr. Gray, on his appointment to the important position of Principal of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne. From the establishment of the College in 1906 Mr. Gray had discharged the duties of his office with skill and enthusiasm, and with a success which was rendered more difficult of attainment by the insufficiency of the accommodation in the present College building. After careful consideration of applications received from New Zealand and Australia for the vacant principalship the choice of the Board fell on Mr. J. S. Tennant, M.A., B.Sc, one of its Inspectors. Mr. Tennant has recently returned from a furlough to Europe, which afforded him an excellent opportunity of visiting the best educational institutions in England and on the Continent, and of observing various conditions of education. It was also with much regret that the Board accepted, at the end of the year, the resignation of Miss Lee, art instructor under the Board,- as she had accepted an appointment in England. Miss Lee was as untiring as she was successful in her efforts to create and to cultivate true artistic taste in teacher, student, and scholar. District High Schools. —The number of district High Schools remained as in 1910, with but slight change in the attendance. Owing to the enlargement of the Girls' High School to accommodate free-place pupils, the Newtown District High School was disestablished as from the 31st December. The Board's Inspectors report an improvement in the quality of the work done by the pupils who undertook the rural course. They write : " The rural science course inaugurated in 1909 has fully justified its establishment. Good work has been done, and this year there was keen competition for the Board's B or senior scholarships reserved for those taking the rural course. We were specially pleased to find the general improvement in the practical work as evidenced in these scholarship examinations." A movement at Petone for introduction of the rural course into an industrial centre, and a second movement for the establishment of an agricultural college for the Wairarapa, so that the district high school rural course may be continued to a satisfactory conclusion, are clear evidences of the favourable impression created by the rural work already accomplished. Scholarships.—Junior Board Scholarships were awarded to twenty-five competitors; Senior A to six; and Senior Bor rural scholarships to five competitors. Also four Junior National Scholarships were awarded. Manual and Technical Instruction. —The following table shows the subjects of instruction in recognized manual and technical classes, the number of schools earning capitation, and the total number of pupils. Capitation was earned by 125 schools in 1911, as compared with 118 in 1910. Well-kept gardens are found in the grounds of several schools which for various reasons are unable to qualify for capitation in agriculture. Subiect Number of Number of •' ' Schools. Pupils. Handwork ... ... ... ... ... 107 11,956 Elementary agriculture ... ... ... ... 59 1,441 Needlework, with instructor when head teacher is a man ... 18 258 Elementary chemistry ... ... ... ... 11 459 Elementary physics ... ... ... ... ... 6 257 Physiology and first aid .... ... ... ... 16 591 Swimming and life-saving ... ... ... ... 9 736 Elementary physical measurments ... ... ... 9 686 Dairy-work ... ... ... ... .. 2 40 Botany ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 284 Dressmaking ... ... ... ... ... 7 160 Cooker)-, Wairarapa and Pahiatua centres ... .. 5 223 Wellington centre ... ... ... ... 12 492 ~ Petone centre ... ... ... ... 2 116 ~ Manawatu ... ... ... ... ... 2 74 Woodwork, Wellington centre ... ... ... 14 1,344 ~ Petone centre ... ... ... ... 2 235 ~ Wairarapa and Pahiatua centres ... ... 5 310 ~ Manawatu centre ... ... ... 1 66 Building-construction and drawing ... ... ... 5 116 Mensuration and surveying ... ... ... ... 2 54 Total ... ... ... ... ... 19,898 Drill. —The Inspectors report that military drill and physical exercises are well taught throughout the district. Buildings.—New school buildings were erected from grants at Waihoanga, Lower Hutt (Infant Department), Carrington, and Normandale, and additions were made by grants at Paraparaumu, Worser Bay, and Kilbirnie Schools, with partial reconstruction of the last named. The new school to replace that destroyed by fire at Pahiatua was completed; and science and cookery rooms have been formed by the removal and refitting of buildings formerly on the old site. Grants

ii—E. 2 (App.A).

IX