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meet the wants of the community. If the country were populous, and its schools numerous, no doubt the demand for different kinds of secondary education would best be met by instituting different kinds of secondary schools. This is actually done in Germany, and to a certain extent has, within the last few years, been tried in England. In many of the English schools, however, a substitute for this more complete provision has been made by dividing the school into two sides : one being the classical side, the distinctive aim of which is to prepare pupils for the Universities, for literary pursuits, and for the learned professions; and the other the modern side, intended to prepare pupils for other professions and for commercial life. In most cases, we believe, this plan, although well conceived, has met with only moderate success so far as the modern side of the school is concerned ; partly because of the high estimation in Avhich the classical languages are held as educational instruments, and partly because boys entering on the modem side arc thereby cut off from any chance of a University career. It may be pointed out that the latter obstacle to the success of the modern side does not exist in New Zealand, for the reason that Greek, Avhich is usually taken as the differentiating subject between the two sides of the school, and which in England is a necessary part; of the University course, is not a compulsory subject for the matriculation and degree examinations of the University of New Zealand. If, then, Latin Avere retained, and efficiently taught, on the modern side of a school (as on all accounts is desirable), the curriculum of this side, although not planned with that immediate object, would prepare a boy for the University equally with that of the classical side. In order that it may be clearly understood what is intended by the terms "classical side" and "modern side," we have thought it useful to draw up a table indicating generally the subjects, and the hours per week to be allotted to them, in the alternative courses for the two highest forms. We assume that twenty-five hours a week are devoted to school-work. The arrangement of work for the two sides would then be somewhat as follows : — Classical Side. Modern Side. English ... ... five hours English ... ... five hours French or Gorman ... two hours Modern languages ... four hours Mathematics ... five hours Mathematics ... seveu hours Latin ... eight hours Latin ... ... five hours Greek ... ... five hours Science ... ... four hours Iu addition to the above, drawing should be taught on both sides of the school for two hours a week. "We are aware that few, if any, of the schools would be able, at present, to adopt a complete separation into two sides, on account of the expense Avhich it would entail; and, even if it were otherwise, we should not be disposed to insist that the above distribution should be rigidly followed in every case. In some schools, in order to suit particular circumstances of staff or locality, it may be proper to give greater prominence to some subjects and less prominence to others than we have assigned to them; and in every school the headmaster ought to have power to excuse individual boys, whose parents or guardians wish it, from attendance on particular classes. The utmost that can be done in existing circumstances is, that each school should elect one of these sides as its chief aim, and arrange for meeting any demand for the other as necessity exists and funds allow. To a great extent this appears to be the plan on which the existing schools are working. Thus, the Auckland College and Grammar School and the Dunedin Boys' High School have been arranged on a plan which approximates to what we have seti down as the modern side. In Auckland College, however, there is no provision at present for teaching science ; and, on the other hand, Greek has just been reintroduced as a voluntary subject in the highest class. In both institutions the time allowed for school-work is twenty-five hours a week. Nelson College, Wellington College, and Christ's College Grammar School follow more closely the course set down for the classical side. In Nelson College, however, Greek appears to be taught as an alternative subject with English, and twenty-six hours a week are allotted to school-work. In Wellington College, also, a bifurcation exists to the extent that Greek is made alternative with German. To Latin