3

B.—sb

Paper-folding and Cutting-out. —As an exercise in accurate measurement and judgment paperfolding is one of the best methods of arousing the child's faculties, and one well calculated to develop the use of the fingers. The exercises are mainly in folding paper into the simplest possible figures, and gradually developing a system of modelling the simplest objects in paper, such as a cube, basket, box, pyramid, &c. The child's constructive faculties are brought into action, and the fact of it being able to make the shapes of useful articles gives it a sense of power and pleasure in having accomplished something. Useful text-books are : " Practical Lessons in Paper-folding," A. W. Bevis (Newman and Co.); "The A.L. Kindergarten Scheme," Eleanor Lewis (E. J. Arnold and Sons); "Hand- and Eyetraining," George Bicks (Cassells and Co.); "Hand- and Eye-training Cards for Class-work," Cassells and Co. Exercises in cutting-out may be obtained by cutting out as class-lessons the simplest figures drawn upon paper. Bricklaying. —Drawing, in this as well as in the previous work, must be the medium of conveying the teacher's wishes to the class. The children should be taught to lay the bricks in the required position, from the drawing of the plan and elevation upon the board. Attention is also drawn to proportion, length, breadth, and thickness. Later exercises reverse the order of work, the teacher placing the bricks, the children drawing the plan and elevation. These exercises are capable of considerable development, and are most instructive. The only requirement is a small box of bricks for each child. A. W. Bevis's and G. Eicks's text-books contain all the necessary exercises. Wire-ivork. —This series of exercises afford a complete relief to those of Courses I. and 11., and as developed by the Birmingham School Board produce very satisfactory results. The simplest forms are executed in wire with the aid of a pair of flat pliers, the exercises are then elaborated until useful objects are made, such as letter-racks, bill-files, &c. The dexterity of the children is remarkable, and the pride and pleasure of the children in their productions is not the least pleasing feature of the work. The text-book used is A. W. Bevis's (Newman and Co.). Modelling (Cardboard or Cartridge-paper). —Simple plane geometrical figures may readily be cut in either cartridge-paper or cardboard ; this may be followed by. geometric solids, commencing with the cube and following on with the square prism, square pyramid, cone, cylinder, and the many-sided prisms and pyramids. This work may be interspersed with the making of simple articles, such as blotting-books, square and hexagonal trays, small boxes, letter-racks, and other similar and useful articles. This work is an excellent training, as accurate measurement and careful drawing are required, as well as careful manipulation in cutting. It further furnishes elementary notions of construction, and is a valuable aid to practical plane geometry. Some of the forms constructed will lend themselves to decorative treatment either by drawing from memory some suitable exercise previously drawn, which will fit the space, or by using coloured paper to form suitable patterns. Useful text-books will be found in Heaton's "Cardboard-modelling," A. W. Bevis's "Cardboard-modelling" (Newman and Co., London); George Eicks's "Modelling Cardboard" (Cassells and Co.). Modelling in clay will be found one of the most effective occupations, demanding as it does accurate observation. Clay- or sand-modelling may, be used as an illustration of a geography lesson by modelling a representation of the country, showing the principal rivers, &c, or of part of a district. In many instances models may be made of the object used for object-lesson, particularly of fruits, seeds, vegetables, &c. Take a bunch of leaves, explain their form and construction, and show how they may be adapted to some simple design. Then ask the children to model a leaf or take impressions of several leaves upon a square slab of clay, producing some symmetrical form, and cutting away the superfluous clay. Such lessons as these will have great interest for the children, and prove invaluable from an educative point. Clay-modelling may readily be combined with drawing, suitable exercises being drawn with a modelling-tool upon clay slabs, the surplus clay being removed upon completion of the drawing. Such an example as the shamrock-leaf lends itself particularly to this method of treatment. All such exercises are of the best educational value, and are a relief to the ordinary methods of procedure. Cutting out and forming Designs with Coloured Papers. —Excellent designs, from the simplest to the most complex, may be obtained by the use of a variety of shades of coloured papers ; drawing, cutting-out, and mounting are combined in these exercises. An example of this work by a scholar of the Burleigh Eoad Board School, London, where I found excellent work in this and other varied occupations, is reproduced (see Illustration I.). These exercises might be used with advantage in the Sixth Standard and above, where the full first-grade drawing certificate is held by scholars, or as a relief to the ordinary drawing instruction, for a few lessons. The advantages are that it promotes a sense of harmony and proportion, accuracy and good taste, in colour and design. Care, however, should be taken that the exercises do not become too intricate, or the manipulation is likely to become very monotonous, and destroy the aim of such exercises. The most useful text-book is " Designing with Coloured Papers," by George Eicks, published by Cassells and Co., price 2s. Brush-work is remarked upon in Part 3 of this section. I cannot urge too strongly the careful consideration by all teachers of the value of the exercises suggested in this chapter. The high opinions held by English teachers, and the results obtained in the various districts, should be sufficient in itself to warrant their introduction in our New Zealand standards. The exercises are in every sense educative; not only will they relieve the present monotony of exercises, they will impart a knowledge of form, colour, and the properties of material, and at the same time foster a certain amount of manual dexterity, which may be made a stepping-stone to exercises in other materials, and, lastly, help to place in the hands of children something which may give them a love for occupations outside their ordinary school-life, and tend less to literary occupations. It is of interest to note that these occupations have been introduced into over five hundred departments of the London School Board. Training of Teachers. —Special provision is made by the majority of the English Boards for the training of teachers in the subjects mentioned. Evening classes are, in addition, held by