8.—2.

Appendix C]

or two of the smaller country schools, with varying success. In one it proved a hopeless failure, in another it was carried out with at least satisfactory results. The whole matter, however, resolves itself into a question of the personality of the teacher. A poor teacher will wreck even the best of methods ; the good one may do good work with inferior methods. The team system has been tried, and is working with pleasing results in several of our larger schools. Little further has been done since last year with regard to intelligence-testing. The researches already made seem to show a remarkable agreement between the results obtained by this and by our present methods of classification. Agricultural Instruction. —We are pleased to report a decided improvement in this branch of tho work. Tho weakness in the past has been a lack of knowledge of the subject on the part of the teachers, and a consequent lack of interest in the teaching of it. A definite syllabus of work, find a text-book (Green's Rural Science) covering that syllabus, has been suggested by the instructor, who on his regular visits, in addition to assisting in the practical gardening, tests the work covered, and reports to tho Board on the progress being made. A very gratifying improvement has in this way also been made in the environment of many of tho schools. Tho weakness of tho instruction is the lack of a definite aim in the teaching of this subject. The school-garden may produce excellent flowers and vegetables and yet entirely fail to achieve the object for which gardening is included in tho syllabus. In addition to arousing an interest in nature, every effort should be made to show how the principles which govern the operations carried out in the cultivation of the farm aro exactly similar to those carried out on a smaller scale in the garden. The subject is a most interesting one, and lends itself admirably to the cultivation of the child's reasoning-powers. Physical Instruction. —Although the visits of the Instructors aro not so frequent as they were previously, and many of the backbiocks schools are now seldom visited, still this branch of the work is receiving very satisfactory attention, and tho standard of work is being worthily maintained. Organizing Teachers. —These teachers continue to do most valuable work in assisting not only the raw uncertificated teacher, but also many of tho ex-training-college students in getting a grip of sole-charge work. The experience of most of the ox-trainees, especially of the B students, is very limited indeed, and when placed in charge of a small country school they almost invariably fail, for the first year or so, to make a success of the work. It is in such cases that organizing teachers are most valuable. When visiting tho schools under charge of these officers the Inspectors are accompanied by the organizer himself, to whom they aro able to point out weaknesses on the spot and at the same time demonstrate improved methods of dealing with the various subjects. All the officers here are keen men, and by this means a marked improvement is being effected in the schools under their charge. Model School. —This school was situated some three miles and a half from Nelson, and as a model school was such a dismal failure that we. had to recommend the Department to disestablish it. Tho securing of an able and experienced teacher proved the greatest difficulty ; but in any case we very much doubt whether the value of the work done in such schools is in any way comparable with that of tho organizing teacher, who notes from time to time where the teacher under his charge is succeeding or failing, and is thus able to give at once the direction needed. Ex-trainkes. —While on the subject of.the training of teachers it would not bo out of place to suggest again a closer co-ordination of the work of tho Inspectors with that of the Principals of the training colleges. Until this is done we feel that it will be impossible to secure in our young teachers the maximum of efficiency. At present the Principals of the training colleges have no means of knowing how the training given in tho colleges is resulting when translated into actual practice. Only the Inspectors in the field are able to see this. A conference between the Senior Inspectors and the Principals of the college, where matters affecting tho welfare of tho schools could bo freely discussed, would, we are sure, make for good. In the meantime, reports by the Inspectors on the work of tho ex-trainees might, for the first two years after their leaving college, be sent to the Principals, in order that they might see wherein, in tho opinion of the Inspectors, their trainees were succeeding or failing. Teachers' Classes.—During last year classes for junior and uncertificated teachers were hold both in Nolson and in Westport. Tho subjects taught were those set out in tho Regulations for Teachers' Classes of Instruction ; but, although conducted by highly qualified instructors, tho results., as judged from the successes in the Teachers' D Examination, especially in drawing, were not at all satisfactory. Many young teachers, however, were thus enabled to secure the necessary practical science certificates. No provision was made by which the backbiocks teacher could obtain his certificate for practical work, and to overcome this difficulty it is proposed to hold this year an intensive course of instruction during the first-term holidays. District High Schools. —Of the three schools doing secondary work, two, Motueka and Reefton, continue to flourish, and their success is reflected in the yearly increase of pupils taking higher work. The third one, Takaka District High School, is still languishing. We feel, however, that there is great need of a secondary school in this secluded valley, and can soo no reason why this school should not bo relatively as successful as the others. With the appointment of a now assistant wo aro hoping for better things. Quality of the Work in the various Subjects.— English. — Reading: With the adoption of newer methods of work much more rapid progress is being made in the teaching of this subject in the primer classes. This is having the effect of reducing considerably the time spent by the pupils in the infant-school. Tho early introduction of easy supplementary readers has also proved of great advantage in getting children to love reading for its own sake. From S3 upwards no miscellaneous reader (other than the Journal) is demanded, but, with a view to awakening early a love of literature, an abundant supply of well-selected interesting continuous readers is in use in most of tho schools. The establishment of libraries has boon encouraged in every school. Many of these are being stocked

XXI