E.—l

In a large school like the Normal I find it convenient to have three distinct libraries—one for the Third Standard, one for the Fourth, and one for the Fifth and Sixth combined. In this way the sympathies of all the class-teachers are enlisted ; the labour of changing the books and keeping the records is lightened by subdivision ; and the boys lend their books more freely when they know that no one but their own class-fellows will have the privilege of taking them out. AiHhe boys go through the standards their books go with them. The main library therefore, at the top of the school, receives a large accession of books every year, while at the same time a fresh library is founded in the Third Standard. Thus a healthy circulation is kept up, and the library never becomes stale. So much is this the case that boys frequently go on taking books out for years after they leave. In order that you may be able to see the kind of book we get, and the scale on which we are able to work, I send you the catalogues of the respective libraries. You will notice that there are over 300 volumes in the main library, over 100 in the Fourth Standard, and 30 in the Third Standard. The total number of boys on the roll is about 360. It may occur to you that, as the books are only lent, there must be a steady drain as boys leave. In practice, however, we lose very few books in this way ; the boys nearly always leave them on the shelves. It will bo plain, I think, that a library formed on this plan is easily and cheaply started, and is self-supporting. It is the teacher's own fault if there is any lumber on the shelves. He has only to exercise reasonable care to insure that the largo majority of the books shall be " effectives." In this way only can a school-library be popular. The plan has been adopted with uniform success at the East Christchurch, at the West Christchurch, and the Papanri Schools, and I see no reason why it should not be found useful in the country as well as in the towns I am, Yours faithfully, William Wilsoh.

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