Appendix C.

E.—2.

an experienced headmaster, went with a swing that made them a source of pleasure and profit to all conoerned. Organizing TEACHERS. — If a teacher is in earnest and willing to learn and to work, the relations between him and an organizing teacher will be friendly and good results will follow. The lot of such a teacher is hard : study and work arc liable to conflict. If one must bo loft it must bo study, for the welfare of the pupils is before tho welfare of the teacher. The system of employing organiz ng teachers has in this district proved its value by producing some teachers of most promising quality. Those who slack are reported to the Senior Inspector, who in turn reports 1o the Board, wh'ch takes effective steps by way of remedy. In teaching, as in any other walk of life, there is no royal road to success. Model School. —Our model school at Charlton is now established, and has more than justified itself under the capable management of one of our experienced teachers. Every student is reported upon confidentially to the Senior Inspector. Some of tho things that had to bo said concerning some of the earlier student teachers wore rather surprising, and led to our drawing up a set of rules and instructions to be handed to each teacher when he or she first attends. We aro glad to know that, this plan has had tho desired effect. REGfSTERS, Schemes, etc. —Registers generally were well kept. We have taken particular note in all schools of Grade 3 and upwards to get various details of organization into proper order. In one or two cases wo find that assistants' schemes are not a development of that of the head teacher. We have had to point out with too groat a frequency that there is a vital relationship between the scheme and the work-book. The latter is an expansion of the former. In this connection we have boon somewhat surprised at the frequency with which wo have had to draw the attention of teachers to direction 5 of the scheme-book. Pupil-teachers and Probationers. —These young people are now benefiting by experience in tho different divisions of tho school. Wo have already indicated why we think that this is necessary. Head teachers and assistants are now showing a very commendable attitude towards criticism lessons. The written criticisms required for all lessons aro beneficial to those criticized, and are also useful in causing head teachers and assistants to refresh themselves in method. We regret that in one or two of our largest schools, which should bo models for the smaller ones, the criticism lessons were omitted till the omission was pointed out by us. Apart from this we have every reason to be well satisfied with tho progress made. Wo consider that in the matter of the young people who aro employed as apprentices to the teaching profession every school should be a normal school or training college in miniature. School Furniture. —Considerable progress has been made in the desire of our hearts to have all of our schools properly desked. The Board has authorized remodelling as far as financial considerations will allow, and a rota for renewal of furniture has been decided upon, for which purpose we took a detailed inventory as to the kind of desk now in use. School Hygiene.—Teachers are now making a better use of the present furniture, though, where dual desks are not yet provided, there aro still some, evidences of ungraded, desks and seats. Teachers generally" have not yet gripiped the value of, and necessity for, frequent changes of position and opportunities of relaxation during tho school day. A knowledge of the elementary principles of school hygiene would give teachers an appreciation of the need for proper relaxation and recreational exercises. We console ourselves from the fact that the education of a body of people to an " opinion " is a matter of growth, and, to balance what we have said about the inside working of the school, we aro very glad to be able to say that teachers generally have seen the value of our afternoon period for school games on one day of the week. The whole scheme is now in full working-order and fully organized. Tho team spirit is strongly manifested, and we aro told that the true sjiorting spirit is spreading —e.g., when competitions are held, losers are learning to lose handsomely. Cinema Establishment. —So far, this avenue for education through pictures does not seem to be favoured either by Board or parents. The, value of the method of education by moans of the cinema is undoubted, but there seems to be considerable room for improvement in the nature of the programme itself. Some films should be deleted altogether. Others, though suited to adults, appeared to be beyond the capabilities of children with their lack of knowledge necessary to supply the gaps. Musical Appreciation.—The committee of Ferguson's Orchestra, which gives three orchestral concerts every season, made a proposal to the Board to give, shortly after their ordinary concerts, a repetition of the programme for the benefit of our school-children. These concerts have been very largely attended and keenly appreciated. For the first concert, tickets were sod, to all schoolchildren who wished to attend. Thereafter, however, the privilege was restricted, with advantage, to pupils of S5 and 86. To add variety to the concerts a male quartet party gave some humorous quartets on one occasion. This proved to be a doubtful policy ; the youthful audience's enthusiasm 'became rather uproarious. In connection with the orchestral items, simple lectures were given, with practical illustrations, on the loading instruments employed in an orchestra and on the pieces performed Granted tho sympathetic co-operation of tho teachers, the movement should have very valuable results. Subjects of the Curriculum. — Speech-training. —This phase of school-work is still somewhat indefinite in character. We think that this is because teachers are only learning what speech-training really means. We find it a good jilan to require all to give five minutes or more every day. The work-book shows what has been given. Wo can thon investigate how it has been given, and give suggestions and directions whore necessary. In this way we hope to make more rapid the general improvement in treatment of which there are already signs. Reading. —We have little to add to what we said last year. As regards oral reading we find a general improvement in treatment, in that teachers are realizing that oral reading should in general be an expression of what is known and fully appreciated by the pupils.

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