E.—7.

A new gate for the side entrance has been made and fixed, while the whole line of fences and gates facing the street have been repaired and painted. I have again to report satisfactorily on the manner in which my assistants in the Museum have performed their several duties. I have also to acknowledge the kindness of the Inspector of Police in permitting the attendance of an officer on Sundays, a day of the week on which the attendance has throughout this year been largely on the increase. On other clays the attendance of visitors has been noticeably larger. I have, &c, The Chairman, Board of Governors, Canterbury College. Henby 0. Foebes.

4. ANNUAL REPOBT OF THE ABT MASTER. S m Canterbury College, School of Art, 16th June, 1891. 1 have the honour to submit to you the annual report for the year 1890-91. Morning Class.— The numbers attending this class compared with former years have been as follows :— „ m Second Term. Third Terra. First Term. 1887-8H ... ... 12 ..- 20 ... 24 1888-89 ... ... n ■■■ 26 ... 31 1889-90 ... ... 27 ... 30 ... 31 1890-91 ... ..- 26 ... 31 ... 31 This class has produced some good work during the year, and there are some really promising students in it. With the grant made by the Board last year I have been able to get a few more casts, and amongst them two full figures. These have already proved very useful to the more advanced students. I trust we shall be able to very materially increase these, for, next to drawing from the life, this is the most useful. ...... ~ .. . , As an evidence of the result of the work the school has done and is doing in the fostering of the fine arts in this district I may mention here that in the recent exhibition of the Canterbury Society of Arts forty-four works were shown by those directly connected with the school, and more than a third of the working members have received either the whole or a part of their training here. It will thus be seen that the seed is gradually bearing fruit; and though of course it cannot be expected that all those who attend our classes will ever take up art as a profession—indeed, a very small percentage are pursuing it with this idea—yet better principles, truer tastes, and a nobler conception of art will be developed in the community at large. The work is slow, but none the less steadily "rowing, and I venture to think that the school will be found in the van in this movement. The work of this class has been arranged on much the same lines as last year, with the exception that the students did not go over to the Museum, as I found it would be of more benefit to them to work in the school. If there were a better light there I should have continued to send them. The class for sketching from nature has gone out twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. and some fairly satisfactory work has been done, though there has not been the progress I should like to have seen in this class. A series of sketches were shown at the annual exhibition. The life class has been held twice a week throughout the year, and is now better attended than I have known it to be since it started; and, as this is one of the most essential branches, it is pleasin^ to find it one of the most promising. Before, however, anything thorough and satisfactory can be accomplished classes for drawing from the nude figure will have to be established in connection with this branch. I have to thank the Board for what they have already done in regard to the classes for drawing from the human figure, but I cannot but look on it as merely tentative, and I trust there will bo a hope of further development in this direction when the value of it is thoroughly seen and realised. The elementary students of the morning class are promising well, and have been receiving a good grounding in preparatory work. Evening Class.—-An compared with former years the numbers attending this class have been Second Term. Third Term. First Term. 1887-88 ... ... 73 ... 78 ... 63 1888-89 ... •■• 69 ■•■ 54 ••• 75 1889-90 ... ... 62 .., 69 ... 66 1890-91 ... ... 69 ... 54 ... 75 The work of this class is necessarily somewhat different to that of the morning, as, although based on the same principles, and similar in much of its practice, it has yet more to do with the application of art to industry, most of the members being connected with work in which art is required and in which an acquaintance with its principles gives a superiority to the workman possessing it. The work has thus a wider scope, and comprises freehand, geometry, model, perspective light and shade, architectural drawing, and decorative design, in addition to drawing, painting and modelling from the figure. lam pleased that the studies for industrial art are carried on under the same roof as those for the fine arts, and thus students encouraged to see the close sympathy existing in all art work of however diverse a character; for I fear there is too great a tendency in some quarters to separate what I am convinced should be more intimately associated. Life classes have been held as follows: Drawing from the draped figure twice a week, drawing from the nude figure twice a week. In these classes the students vary, from the beginner, who draws in simple outline, to those who have been "life students " for two and three years,_ and so have advanced to painting. In this way what is considered by some the best kind of tuition and help is gained—viz., that of the younger by the- older ones. The work done, though not reaching by any means a high standard, except in the case of one or two more gifted ones, has yet been earnest and thorough, and promises well for the future. 2 —ill. /.

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