Appendix 1).

E.—2.

2. WELLINGTON. (J. S. Tennant, M.A., B.Sc, Principal.) 1 have the honour to submit the following report on the work of the College for 1922 :— Roll. —The total roll for the year was —Senior students, 117 ; junior students, 160: total, 277. While force of circumstances has necessitated and justified, as a temporary measure, this large increase, the staff arc unanimous in their opinion that the present numbers are too large, even given adequate accommodation and staffing. Our contention is based mainly on the fact that a training college is not so much a teaching institution as it is one in which the student should come into personal contact with both the ideals and the practice of his preceptors. It is, of course, easy to have an efficient staff of both lecturers and masters of method, but it becomes impossible in a large institution to have the same persons performing those different but complementary duties. The total of 277 is made up of 203 women and 74 men —numbers which maintain the increase in the proportion of men noticeable since the war period.', The accompanying table illustrates both aspects :—

Classification. —The classification of students according to their various qualifications is as follows Division A, 175 (95 probationers and 80 pupil-teachers); Division B, 86 (no previous teaching experience); Division C, 6 (graduates); Division D, 10 (refresher course for teachers). The increase in the number of B students is more marked than in previous years, but the 1923 admissions show only a total of 21, with every prospect of none at all for 1924. While wo recognize the prior claim of the junior teacher (pupil-teacher and probationer), we understood that the general policy of the Department was the gradual elimination of the pro-college apprenticeship and the ultimate substitution of a post-college pmbationership. Many of our best students come under the B and C divisions, and even if the present policy is adhered to we would most strongly recommend that a definite proportion of places bo reserved for those divisions. Districts.- The following shows the education districts from which the students were drawn : Wellington (including Marlborough), 124; Wanganui, 59; Hawke's Bay, 30; Taranaki, 28; Nelson, 27; Canterbury, 4 ; Otago, 2 ; Southland, 1 ; Auckland, 2 : total, 277. Accommodation. —This year the problem of accommodating students has not been so acute, as, owing to the financial stringency, many householders wore very glad of the opportunity of augmenting reduced incomes by taking a few boarders. It must bo remembered, however, that this relief is not only unsatisfactory, but is, in a district like Kelburn, only a temporary phase. One unfortunate result of this condition of things was that the competition of amateur boardinghouse-keepers gave some people the idea that the established hostels wore exploiting students. It should bo more clearly understood that the student allowance is an allowance, not a salary, and that it should be spent mainly in securing such suitable living-conditions as will enable the student most effectively to complete his or her professional training. Taking all the factors into consideration, we consider the allowance paid to students, and hostel charges made on them, entirely reasonable. Curriculum. —This staff provides instruction in the fourteen subjects prescribed in Training College Regulations, and, in addition, optional courses in English, history, psychology, geography, and phonetics — all subjects bearing very intimately on school-work. As supplementary to the physical drill, a considerable amount of time was devoted to organized games and swimming. Miss Aitken this year started a life-saving class, and some eighty students secured the Royal Life-saving Society's certificate or medallion. In this connection it is interesting to know that one of our students during the vacation justified this instruction by meritoriously rescuing a drowning person on the Napier beach. University Classes. —The students, in addition to the Training College work, attended Universityclasses as follows : English, 53 ; education, 130 ; mathematics, 26 ; Latin, 16 ; philosophy, 63 ; geology, 4 ; French, 14 ; history, 15 ; chemistry, 13 ; economics, 12 ; physics, 9 ; geography, 5 ; botany, 6 ; zoology, 3 : total, 396. The term-examination results in this part of the work were — First-class passes, 21 ; second-class passes, 71 ; third-class passes, 210, The actual degree results are not yet available, but we can say in general terms that the year in this respect is the best we have ever had. Education as a University Subject. —At the beginning of the session Victoria College Council allowed me to associate members of the Training College staff in the University work, and I think

IV

Number of Students, Percentage of Roll. Year. Mon. Women. Totals. Men. Women. 1906 1914 1917 1921 1922 (1923 12 27 14 49 74 96 34 85 L06 147 203 228 46 112 120 196 277 294 26-1 73-9 24-1 75-9 11 -7 88-3 25-0 75-0 26-7 73-3 22-5 77-5) i