Appendix B.]

E.—2.

the only rationale known to the teacher. Practical methods of teaching still require more attention. There is really no excuse in this district for any neglect of practical arithmetic, since the Board has provided every school with a weighing-balance, pint and quart measures, imitation coins, and cc. measuring-glass. Geography. —ln this subject also practical methods of instruction arc not as frequently used as we. should like, nor is the rational method of studying the geography of the home district before dealing with the geography of far-distant lands as generally resorted to as one would expect. Where industrial geography has been taught in close connection with physical geography wo found the pupils had a much more intelligent grasp of the lessons and a much more sustained interest. Weather-study continues to be an important brancli of the instruction. Mercurial barometers and simple thermometers are part of the usual equipment of all schools; in addition, maximum and minimum thermometers are provided to all the large schools and to certain schools selected as weather-observation stations. The records from these stations are tabulated and published in the Leaflet. History and Civics. —We are far from satisfied with the treatment of history. There is a distinct lack of co-ordination in the work of successive classes, and anything like a rational development of the subject through the school is the exception rather than the rule. No success in this respect is possible until teachers have more clearly defined aims, and head teachers exercise a more intelligent activity in directing the work in the several classes. Drawing and Handwork.— Great strides have been made in the teaching of these subjects, and consequently in the quality of the pupils' work, since a special instructor and supervisor was appointed by the Board. In addition to demonstrating his methods in the various schools, the supervisor holds meetings of teachers in the larger centres and has charge of the trainingclasses for probationers and junior teachers at the Feilding centre. The following is the general plan of instruction made out to guide teachers in drafting their schemes of work :— Drawing. —Free drawing from the object is to take the place of copies in all classes. Free drawing is to include design drawing, some if not all of which should be in colour. Freehand drawing is to be taken in all schools, but brush and chalk drawing may be associated with it. Instrumental drawing is in all cases to be closely associated with handwork, thus : — Handwork. —SI and S2, paper-folding : The simpler geometrical forms and coloured designs constructed in paper are to be copied to definite size into the drawing-books with the aid of ruler and set-squares. In large schools carton-modelling may be substituted for paper-folding. S3 and S4, carton-modelling : The net of each model is to be set out in such a way as to embody, as far as possible, some of the easier exercises in plane geometry. The models constructed should be scale models of suitable common objects and geometrical solids. AVhen the model is completed its plan and elevation taken from-the simplest position should be drawn. S5 and S6 :Tn the smaller schools cardboard-modelling is taught on the lines indicated above. In the larger schools the boys take no other instrumental drawing (with the reservation pointed out below) than is taught in connection with woodwork. Both boys and girls receive some instruction in instrumental drawing in connection with the design drawing. In the above plan the girls receive much less instruction in instrumental drawing than the boys. This is inevitable since the principle we have adopted in handwork is—no drawing without its corresponding expression or utilization in plastic or non-plastic material. In the case of free drawing, however, we have not succeeded in correlating the work with modelling in clay or plasticine beyond S2. Indeed, we doubt whether the insistent demands of other subjects permit of further correlation. In the preparatory classes the usual occupations —stick-laying, brick-building, plasticine-modelling, paper-folding, &c— arc taught. Science, —Agriculture is the recognized science subject for all schools where practical outdoor work is at all possible. In the larger schools the boys alone take agriculture, the girls receiving instruction in science related to cookery. To further the latter work the Board, at our suggestion, arranged special courses of instruction in science for the teachers of cookery. In future it is anticipated there will be less effort to teach the cooking of a wide range of dishes, but the scientific aspect of the instruction will be given greater prominence. At a consultation with the instructresses it was agreed that a less comprehensive course should be attempted in the primary grades, and that the lessons be arranged with a view to a further course of two years' instruction in the secondary classes. Physical Instruction and Games. —There are, we are glad to say, very few schools in which the teachers do not enter whole-heartedly into the physical drill. In a number of schools "corrective classes" were formed of pupils showing some marked physical defects; but, as such classes needed teachers as expert as the physical instructors themselves, it is doubtful whether much good resulted. Attention to organized games has been further encouraged by the stress we have laid on the importance of playground supervision. We are glad the new type of teacher_ is not one who has no further acquaintance with her pupils than the schoolroom affords. Attention to environment should, we think, go further than this. In connection with organized games we have, however, noted that, as the element of interest in most of the games is the element of competition, there is a likelihood of the weak child overstraining himself. In our opinion, therefore, the free' games are preferable, provided they are well supervised and the pupils trained to play in a sportsmanlike manner. Through the courtesy of the Board we were enabled early in the year to hold conferences with the teachers at five centres. We met nearly three hundred teachers, and were able to discuss with them many matters of importance in connection with school organization and school method. In addition to such conferences we almost invariably found opportunity after the visits of inspection to meet the teaching staff and discuss with them matters of common interest. We regret that our present inspection staff is not sufficient to enable us to spend longer time in the schools. The

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