E.—s

84

ExTHACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE MANAGERS 01' THE PIISASANT POINT TECHNICAL SCHOOL. During the year clases in ambulance-work, veterinary science, and dressmaking have been conducted. All the classes were well attended and good work was done. Thanks are due to the instructors for their untiring efforts. Next season it is hoped that classes in sheep-shearing, singing, and other important subjects may be inaugurated. The various local bodies have as usual lent financial assistance to the association, but little has been done in this direction by private subscribers. J. Maze, Chairman ) » ~, t « l< x ot Managers. J. Methven, Secretary ) & Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1913, in respect of Glasses conducted at the Pleasant Point Technical School. Receipts, £ s. d. Expenditure, £ s. d. Cr. balance at beginning of year .. .. 52 12 1 Salaries of instructors .. .. ..27156 Capitation on classes .. .. .. 15 13 9 Office expenses (including salaries, staSubsidies on voluntary contributions .. 717 6 tionery, &c.) .. .. .. 11 8 9 Fees .. .. .. .. .. 25 15 0 Advertising and printing .. .. .. 14 0 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 7 10 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 017 4 On acoount of public-sohool classes .. 6 7 6 Material for class use .. .. .. 0 9 4 Bent .. .. .. .. .. 026 Caretaker .. .. .. .. 6 18 0 Bank charges, &c. .. .. .. 0 16 8 Cr. balance at end of year .. .. 65 19 9 £115 9 4 £115 9 4 J. Maze, Chairman ) t~, T ,- ' c ol Managers. Jas. Mbthven, Secretary) OTAGO. Extract fbom the Report of the Kducation Board. Instruction in elementary handwork (paper-work, brushwork, cardboard and plasticine modelling, &c.) continues to be imparted in nearly all the schools in this district, though capitation was earned last year by only eighty-six schools. Cookery and woodwork instruction was given to the pupils of forty-four schools, the average attendance at the former being 1,064 girls and at the latter 1,155 boys. Elementary-agriculture classes were carried on at 150 schools, the average attendance" being 2,068. The full rural course, embracing cookery, dressmaking, physics, chemistry, botany, physiology, woodwork, mensuration and surveying, and practical agriculture, was provided at the district high schools at Balclutha, Tokomairiro, Mosgiel, Lawrence, and Tapanui, and partial courses at Palmerston and Alexandra. The total number of students receiving instruction through the medium of the Dunedin School of Art was 804, including 140 day students. 323 evening students, 123 training-college students, 72 pupil-teachers and probationers, 103 adult teachers, and 43 day students of the Dunedin Technical School. During the year an extensive addition to the accommodation of the school was provided. The old two-storied building at one time used as a Model School and gymnasium in connexion with the Normal School (now the Moray Place School) was altered and equipped for the purposes of the arts and crafts section of the school at a cost of i>965 2s. Bd. Technical classes were also held as follows: Wool-classing—Papakaio, Kurow, Tokarahi, Windsor, Maheno, Palmerston, Maungatua, Berwick, Tapanui, Waitahuna, Lawrence, and Hillend; woodwork, dressmaking, typewriting, and agriculture, at Tapanui; woodwork and dressmaking, at Lawrence. The total expenditure on manual and technical instruction was —Salaries, material, &c, for school classes, £4,120 19s. Id.; for special classes, £1,364 9s. 9d.; buildings, furniture and fittings, school classes, £1,875 18s. 10d.; special classes, £965 2s. Bd. : total, £8,326 10s. 4d.— a decrease of £3,121 17s. sd. as compared with the previous year. Extract from the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. In six of our district high schools the rural course is in full operation. The woodwork and cookery rooms and the science laboratories are fully equipped, and ample ground for present experimental needs has been provided. The visiting instructors have carried out their duties with energy and enthusiasm, and the permanent staffs have maintained keen interest in the future prospects of their pupils. Of the instruction, we have to report that the science subjects have been very well treated, and, so far as our observation goes, we are of opinion that it is this side of the course that makes the strongest appeal to the pupils. Mathematical work is being well kept up, and, although it is possible that less ground is covered in pure mathematics than was formerly the case, there has been a decided gain in the practical mathematics. Woodwork and cookery have been enthusiastically taken up by the pupils, though in the latter subject we feel that greater attention must be paid to the scientific principles underlying the various processes than they have so far received. With girls in the primary schools we are of opinion that practice is more important than theory; but with high-school pupils who are receiving good training in physics and chemistry the application of scientific principles to cookery can be insisted upon with benefit. With regard to the syllabus of instruction laid down for the rural course we have to say that in our opinion it is too heavy and too inelastic. Too many subjects are included, at the cost of thoroughness. The educational principle that few subjects thoroughly treated will give better educational training than many subjects treated superficially has, we fear, been overlooked by the