E.—4

At the 31st March, 1938, there were 113 pupils on the roll, including 17 day pupils. The annual report of the Principal is appended : — Annual Report of the Principal, School for the Deaf, Sumner, 1937-38. T have the honour to lay before the Department my report for the year ended 31st March, 1938 Data relating to the number of pupils is set out hereunder : —

The standard of work was well maintained during the year. The Canterbury Education Board's Inspectors visited the school, and a thorough survey was made of the genera! attainments of the classes and the work of the teachers. The comments on the work and organization were of a favourable nature. Staff Library.—The teachers' library, which is maintained by regular contributions from each individual member of the teaching staff, continues to grow. Periodicals dealing with current thought and modern trends, as well as standard works on the teaching of the deaf and treatment of speech, are thus available for use and discussion by the whole of the staff. Pupils' Library.—The library books in the girls' library are in good order and are freely used. Most of the boys' library books need renewing, and this matter will receive attention when the new boys' house is available. The Press, Star-Sun, Auckland Weekly News, London Illustrated News, Pictorial Education, and the Geographical Magazine are made good use of in the class-rooms and are available to the children at all times. In addition to the usual school subjects, special attention was given to the boys' woodwork by Mr. L. F. Regnault and very creditable work was turned out. I propose in the near future by the use of power tools to make a start on practical lines with the manufacture of chairs, &c., for use in the institution. The girls were taught sewing and dressmaking. For this purpose three sewing-machines were used by the sewing class. Pinafores, dresses, and other garments were cut out and made up by the older pupils. Knitting was successfully undertaken by many of the girls. Tea-cosies, socks, scarves, and jumpers are also made. Pewter-work instruction was also given. Decorated bowls, candle-sticks, serviette-rings, matchbox-stands, and reading-lamp pedestals were made. Leather table-centres and bookmarkers were made by the girls. Silk art-work in the making of toilet sets, stencilling of cushion-covers and table-runners, was undertaken. Mending, darning, ironing, and laundry-work were carried out by the pupils under supervision. Training in housework also received attention. In the cooking class the girls were put through a variety of cooking and did good work. At intervals the girls were given the necessary ingredients and material and were left to prepare meals, &c., without supervision of any kind. The results quite justified this method of testing the pupils' abilities and knowledge. Gardening-work was given. The work of propagation of seeds, planting, thinning out, and weeding was covered by the boys. Manuring and cultivation of the soil was practised. All the boys leaving school learnt to milk and to attend to the feeding of the cows and horse. Haymaking and stacking were features in which the boys took parr. A stack-cover was made entirely by the boys themselves. I have to record the retirement on superannuation of Miss C. M. Leary, who had been Matron of the School for the last twenty-five years. Miss Leary gave loyal and valuable service to the deaf, and carries with her in her retirement the best wishes of all connected with the school. The vacancy caused by Miss Leary's resignation was filled by Nurse Gray, who entered enthusiastically into her duties as from the commencement of the School vear in February. During the year the School was visited by the Hon. Mr. Fraser, the Minister of Education. As an outcome of his visit plans were prepared for the rebuilding of the boys' house, which was in a tumbledown condition. Work on the new structure commenced in January. The building is to be of wood, and generous facilities are provided for the children and staff. Parents and various people interested in the institution are very gratified that this necessary work has been put in hand. The health of the children during the year was uniformly good, and thanks are due to the Matron and her staff for their care and attention. The diet as drawn up by the Department of Health is in use and is proving highly satisfactory. Under Mrs. Gray's supervision the dormitories and various other parts have been brightened up considerably by tinting and decorating and enamelling the bedsteads and furnishings in suitable colours. In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge the loyal co-operation of the staff in carrying out the work of the institution during the year. T. F. Chambers, Principal. BOYS' TRAINING-FARM, WERAROA. In 1899 a sum of £1,000 was voted by Cabinet for the establishment of a boys' industrial school in the Wellington District. Two years later approximately 400 acres, a portion of the Levin State Farm, was granted as a site for the proposed school. This land was gazetted on the 11th November, 1902, as "land permanently reserved for a reformatory site." The urgent need for removing the older resident boys from the Caversham Industrial School decided the Government to enter into occupation of the Boys' Training-farm, even although the accommodation at that time was limited. The boys from Caversham accordingly entered their new home on the 2nd November, 1905, and at the end of that year there was a total of 111 in residence. The girls remained on at Caversham. Two sections of the property, one of 32 acres and the other 232 acres, were disposed of in 1933 as unnecessary for the purposes of the institution. At present the question of reorganizing the buildings on modern lines for the purpose of providing additional educational, cultural and recreational opportunities for the boys, is under consideration.

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j Boys. Girls. J Total. Pupils on the roll as at 1st April, 1937 .. .. • • 57 51 10® Admitted during the year . . .. .. .. . . 7 9 Total .. . . . • ■ • • ■ ■ • 64 60 124 Died 1 1 I Left during the year . . .. . . • • • ■ • • 5 + On the roll as at 31st March, 1938 .. .. 58 55 113