E.—2

52

student is quite insufficient was the general opinion expressed by those rural teachers who were visited during this year. Failing the increase of facilities, students must in future be classified, and only those desirous of becoming rural teachers sent into the model schools, and these must stay for a longer period than is now possible, so that they will know better how to distribute their time, how to frame schemes of work for grouped classes, and how to keep all the groups profitably employed. Apparently not much experimental work in the classes is being attempted, though there are noteworthy exceptions. In one or two cases good work is being done under a modified Dalton plan scheme. The use of class or group scrap-books ; the production of class journals ; the making of relief maps, models, and diagrams ; the decoration of walls with friezes illustrating historical topics ; the posting of geographic illustrations and data ; the use made of travel guides, magazines, and pictures, indicated that there is some attempt to break away from traditional practice. In addition to the visits paid by the Vice-Principal, arrangements were made to free the Lecturer in Geography and the Lecturer in History for two days a week for a month to enable them to see how their subjects were being taught, to give and to gather inspiration, to hold discussions, and. to give illustrative lessons. Both lecturers returned impressed by the value of the school experience and by the personal gain derived. Teaching Preparation. —In the professional subjects more time has been given to preparation for the work of teaching. In 1928 this emphasis will be still more evident. Very much more professional preparation will be required, especially in the second year, and students will be .expected to read more extensively in their own time. Considerable extension has been made in the classes for those proposing to become secondary-school teachers. This portion of the work is distributed among the members of the staff who are qualified instructors in the various subjects. The teaching practice has been carried on during the year at the Normal School, the Associated Normal School (West Christchurch), Richmond, Linwood, Phillipstown, Sydenham, and East Christchurch Schools, and for secondary-school subjects at the Girls' and the Boys' High Schools and the Technical College. Senior students had. three periods of five weeks each in the schools, and the reports indicated that in most cases very satisfactory work wa-s done. In addition, lectures in methods of teaching conducted by the Vice-Principal, the headmaster, and the critic teacher, and supplemented by demonstration lessons, have formed a very prominent part of students' training. DUNEDIN. 1 iin:: to report on the work of the Training College for the past year. The College opened with 230 students. Of these, 119 have their homes in Otago, 70 in Southland, 5 in Canterbury, 1 in Nelson, 1 in Taranaki, 29 in Hawke's Bay, and 5 in Auckland. New Zealand' University Results. —The Otago list of successful candidates, published 11th April, 1927, shows that the proportion of successes gained by College and ex-College students was as follows : Sixteen out of twenty-one M.A. degrees, one out of two M.Sc, twenty-one out of thirty-eight 8.A., two out of three Diploma Social Science, and three out of three Diploma of Education. Miss Louie Robertson gained the Tinline Scholarship in English—a rare achievement for a Training College student in competition with purely University students throughout New Zealand. Staff Changes. —During the year Mr. H. McMillan resigned from the staff of the Normal School, and was succeeded by Mr. J. P. Hawke, M.A. Mr. McMillan was a man of sterling character, and had been honourably associated with the Normal Schoo 1 for many years. He did his work thoroughly, and had an excellent influence on the pupils and. students under his charge. Miss Bagley was promoted from Model II to be mistress at St. Clair School. She was an enthusiast, keen on what is best in modern methods, and did very good work for both pupils and students. Her successor, Miss Foster, will not fall short of previous achievements in that department. Mr. Hawke has also made an excellent beginning. Other very important staff changes will occur early next year. Leave of Absence. —During the greater part of the year Miss Thornton was absent on travel, her work in the College being taken by Miss Allan. The following table shows the number of hour lectures provided for students in the various College subjects. It gives little indication of the number of lectures delivered by each member of the staff, as many lectures have to be repeated several times : —

Number of Nllrnhfirnf Number of Nllmb „ r of Sllbieot Junior and Hours Siihier.t Junior and Hours Subject. One-year P er Week ' One-year per Week. Students. ™iaents. j Students. !5tuaeuts - . . , , . . Education .. .. 4 73 3 ! Drawing .. .. j 93 , 121 2 and 1J Psychology .. .. 77 .. 1 Handwork .. .. 77 121 1 and £ Method —junior .. 93 .. 7 Needlework .. .. 55 .. 1 Method —senior .. 13 119 i Music .. .. 88 121 2 and 1 Method —secondary .. .. 30 \ Elocution and phonetics 72 .. 1 General science . . 75 .. 2 Sports .. .. 93 121 2 and 2 School and personal 93 .. 1 Physical education .. 93 114 1 and 1 hygiene Geography .. .. .. 99 2 " D" subjects— Nature-study .. 93 .. 1 Instrumental drawing 5 2 1 Agriculture .. .. 72 111 1 and 2 Theory of music .. 4 .. 1 History .. .. 79 68 1 and 2 Geography .. 1 .. 1 English " C" .. 44 8 5 Mathematics .. 4 1 1 English senior .. .. 109 £ Eirst-aid .. .. 14 .. 12 altoKindergarten principles .. 121 1 gether. Kindergarten practice .. 121 J Agriculture " C" .. 13 .. 2J