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REPORTS (EXTRACTS) OF EDUCATION BOARDS. AUCKLAND. (Chairman, Mr. T. U. Wells.) School Accommodation. —The Board appreciates that the Government was able to authorize several grants for the erection of school buildings in districts where there was no school accommodation, and for the enlargement of existing school buildings which were overcrowded. The Board desires to renew its representations that in districts where the permanence of the settlement is assured the use of halls or other privately owned buildings be discontinued and proper school accommodation provided. Unsatisfactory conditions also exist in many schools where two teachers are obliged to work in the one room. The Board urges that grants be allocated for the remodelling and subdivision of such buildings as early as possible. The Board trusts that funds will permit of a number of the older type of school buildings being replaced each year by modern buildings. Intermediate Schools. —The reports on the Ivowhai Intermediate School and the Intermediate Departments attached to the Matamata, Northcote, and Waihi District High Schools and the Otahuhu Technical High School show the great value of these schools. In the Board's opinion the intermediate-school system has been fully justified, and should be extended to other centres as soon as possible. Wireless Broadcasts to Schools. —Under the direction of the Principal of the Auckland Training College, and with the co-operation of the Broadcasting Board, arrangements for school educational sessions were continued during the year. At the beginning of the year 162 public schools and 8,410 children listened in to the broadcasts. During the year the numbers increased to 305 schools and approximately 14,000 children. Included in this number are a number of schools situated outside the Auckland District, and a number of private schools. Auckland Institute and Museum.—During the year the Auckland Institute and Museum continued its educational work amongst schools. Specimen cases were loaned, in rotation, to over sixty schools in the district. One hundred and twelve classes attended at the Museum for lectures, the total number of children approximating 5,000. Other activities included visits of the Education Officer to schools, visits of teachers to the Museum, answers to inquiries and identification of specimens, organization of children's clubs and competitions, loan of lantern slides and cinema films to schools, and co-operation in educational broadcasting. With the reopening of Training College it was found necessary to curtail the time devoted to Museum work by the Education Officer, his services being made available for Museum work during the afternoons only of week-days. The Board recognizes that work of a very high educational value is being undertaken by the Museum authorities, and again desires to record its high appreciation of the services rendered in this connection.

TARANAKI. (Chairman, Mr. J. A. Valentine, 8.A.) Agriculture. —The year's work in rural-science instruction has been generally satisfactory. Schools under the close supervision of the instructors, have been allowed full latitude in the framing of their schemes, so long as the syllabus requirements are satisfied. Agriculture and dairy science have been almost universally accepted by teachers, and a good appreciation of the practical essentials is apparent. Good science work has been done at all three District High Schools, and the Board's Senior Instructor in Agriculture considers there is evidence of a general quickening in the attitude towards broader and more thorough education as contrasted with the narrow prescriptions of the examination. Boys' and Girls' Club Work. —The interest in the club work in the schools is unabated. Good entries in both stock-raising and plot work were received. Continued efforts are being directed towards making the club instruction broadly cultural and educative. Articles have been regularly contributed to the press by leading members of the executive, and these articles are being used in a number of our schools. Entries for season 1935-36 totalled 1,549. The instructional staff has devoted considerable time to helping the organization of the club's competitions and to the despatch of the seeds and manures, all of which were donated by sympathetic firms. Teachers render splendid support to the work. Pupils' note-books and charts were up to the usual good standard, and the demonstrations given by the farmer judges were much appreciated.

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