E,—l

Departmental Publications.

The School Journal is published by the Department every month, (except in December and January) for use as a supplementary reader in primary schools. In many cases it is used as the chief reader. It is issued in three parts, suited to the varying capacities of the pupils in Si to S6, and is supplied free to all public schools, Native schools, special schools, and other institutions more or less under the Department's control. To a very large number of private schools it is supplied at cost price, with the result that over 17,000 copies of the School Journal arc purchased, monthly. Of the last issue of the School Journal for the year 1922 the number of copies printed was —Part I, 71,950; Part If, 67,650; Part 111, 58,150: total, 197,750, or 0,750 more than in the previous year. During the current year the total has exceeded 200.000. The rates charged to purchasers are Id. for each of Parts I and 11, and l|d. for Part 111, the minimum charge for one of each part being 4s. 6d. per annum. In Part I hist year practically the whole of the reading-matter consisted of stories suited to the age of the children, and every endeavour was made, especially in the first two months of the year, to make the text as simple as possible, as well as to stimulate the children's interest in the Journal. In Part II more instructive matter was introduced, but a reasonable proportion of the reading-matter consisted of stories. The history of live New Zealand river-ports was dealt with, in order that the children might see how this country has been developed in the past, and the way in which difficulties have been overcome. There were lessons on natural history, and lessons appropriate to Empire Day and Arbor Day. The dangers of electric wires were fully dealt with in one article, it being hoped by this means to reduce the number of distressing accidents caused by carelessly making contact with live wires. Some interesting articles on natural history by Mr. Johannes Andersen have greatly stimulated close observation by the children. A feature of Part 111 was a series of articles of a geographical nature dealing with the Mount Everest Expedition and the countries of France, Holland, and Italy, in these articles every endeavour was made to supply up-to-date information of the type that is not readily obtainable in ordinary text-books. Articles on the cinematograph and on wireless telegraphy gave the children some insight into the wonderful developments that have taken place in these two great modern inventions, and articles on present-day civics included one by the Prime Minister on the Imperial Conference and one on a general election. The gems of English literature were not neglected, for Part 111 contained extracts from the work's of several great masters of prose, including Charles Lamb, Victor Hugo, Dickens, and 11. L. Stevenson. Each poem in Part 111 was prefaced by a short paragraph indicating its special merit and some observations on the style of the author. Among the list of poets whose works were drawn upon are the following names : Austin, Mrs. Browning, Lord Byron, Conan Doyle, Leigh Hunt, Longfellow, Lowell, Moore, Praed, Scott, Shelley, Shirley, Swinburne, Thackeray, Whittier, Ella Wilcox, and Wordsworth. A monthly departmental publication for the information of teachers--the Education Gazette- -is issued on the first of every month. Though it was launched in the face of considerable adverse criticism, the Gazette has undoubtedly justified itself by giving prominence to the latest ideas and experiments in educational matters both in Great Britain and in this country. The enthusiasm with which many of the teachers are taking up these new ideas must result in inestimable benefit to the cause of education in New Zealand, and every endeavour will be made to keep the profession in touch with the most modern movements. Information received demonstrates that the cost of printing the Gazette is more than counterbalanced by the savings it has enabled Boards to effect in the matter of advertising vacant positions. The list of vacancies is a feature of the Gazette, and has proved of much assistance to Education Boards, and a supplement now published in the middle of each month, for vacancies only, should prove an even greater convenience. Statistics also prove that the publication of the Dominion list of vacancies has done a great deal towards putting an end to the state of tilings when the various Board districts were more or less watertight compartments so far as the promotion of teachers was concerned.

13