E.—lβ

18

In the matter of providing apparatus for school-work, the Board has again dealt with its schools and teachers in a generous manner. The latest purchase, in the shape ofjja splendid lantern with specially selected slides, should prove of great value to teachers, and we trust"]there are many who will make arrangements for its use in their schools for a short period each year. 'Enterprising committees in the district might act upon the hint given here to the effect that, if they cannot see their way to purchase a lantern for themselves, they might materially assist in the matter by providing darkening shutters to enable the lantern to be used. In the matter of providing science apparatus the Board has been most generous, and it is to be hoped that every teacher will show his appreciation of this by using every piece of apparatus provided for his school. Nothing should rust unused, and nothing should be allowed to get into disrepair. To have everything in thorough working-order should be the aim of all in respect of apparatus and material. School Hygiene.—Much might be profitably written under this head. The attention of school authorities everywhere is being directed to the need there is that greater precautionary measures be taken in regard to the physical well-being of the children attending our schools. In some other countries it is the practice to have all children medically examined, and there is much in this course to commend. In New Zealand during the past few months an examination has been made of the teeth of the scholars, and the researches of dentists have revealed a deplorable condition of neglect in this matter. Where the movement will eventually lead is still undetermined ; but it is sure to have the good effect of arousing more interest in matters affecting the general health of scholars. Leaving alone for the present general matters of health, and the whole question of the desirability or otherwise of having all our pupils medically examined, we venture to think that there is a field as yet little touched where teachers might exercise some considerable influence, and help to prevent the growth of defects. In the matter of eyesight and hearing a few simple tests might be placed in the hands of teachers by which they could discover defects that are likely to retard the pupils' progress, and perhaps lead ultimately to serious trouble. Medical testimony goes to show that defective eyes and ears are all too common, and further to indicate that school-work does not tend to improve matters. Would it not be possible for the Board to arrange with some medical man to give a few lectures to teachers on the subject, or to put in their hands in pamphlet form certain tests by which they might discover faults and defects in the eyesight and hearing of their scholars ? School Exhibition.—Not the least important event of our school year was the exhibition of school-work done under the Manual and Technical Regulations. This was held in the Technical School, Wanganui, towards the close of the year. The schools of the district were closed a week earlier than usual to give to all the fullest opportunity of visiting the exhibition. Arrangements were made with the Railway Department whereby scholars were allowed to travel at school-excursion rates. Teachers were allowed to come in free by using the tickets provided by the Education Department. The citizens of Wanganui, with characteristic enthusiasm, undertook to billet scholars who could not conveniently make the visit in one day. The undertaking was on the whole successful. Something like a hundred schools sent in exhibits, and from very many of these exhibits were sent for various classes. The amount of work sent in, and the quality of most most of it, was an evidence of the whole-hearted enthusiasm evinced by teachers in the movement. A very large number of schools availed themselves of the opportunity thus offered for seeing what was being done in manual and technical work throughout the district. Special trains were run from all parts of the district, and during the week the crowd of visiting scholars and teachers gave quite an animated appearance to the town. About a hundred and fifty children of outlying schools availed themselves of the hospitality of the Wanganui townsfolk, and stayed for one or more nights. Needless to say these will long remember the exhibition. The testimony of teachers on every side was that the work shown was of the nature of a revelation. It is quite easy to understand why it should be so. Working away by himself in his own school, the average teacher has few chances of seeing what his neighbours are doing; so that when he does see it, as he had the opportunity of doing in Wanganui, it comes with all the freshness of a great surprise ; and we trust it will prove to many a real incentive to aim at a higher standard and produce work of a quality which hitherto they had not believed it possible to obtain. To Mr. Varney, Director of the Technical School, and his energetic committee we are extremely grateful for the assistance they rendered in bringing the exhibition to so successful an issue. One or two matters akin to the exhibition and in part suggested by it are worthy of mention here. It seems to us that, good as are the present travelling facilities for children offered by the Railway Department, greater advantages might still be given. Schools might be allowed two or three days in the year on which they could go from home to visit other districts or other towns than their own, no charge being made for their fares, and attendance on such occasions being as compulsory as on ordinary school days. Again, the billeting of so many children in Wanganui during the exhibition suggests the possibility of schools in different parts of the district entering into similar holiday arrangements with one another. Suppose for example that Rongotea and Manaia enter into some such arrangement, each in turn acting as host to the other for two or three days during one of the term holidays. We are pleased to recognise here the enthusiasm and whole-hearted zeal of those teachers who have been furthering the ends we have in view in writing this paragraph by organizing, in connection with their schools' camping parties, visits to local industries, visits to agricultural shows, &c. A contingent from the upper classes of one of our northern schools, under the direction and supervision of the headmaster and first assistant, paid a two or three days' visit to the Palmerston Show. One of the local schools was kindly lent for camping purposes. Needless to say the excursion was both enjoyable and profitable. How much more profitable it might have been had it been possible to take treble the number ? Pupil-teacher Examinations. —The regulations for pupil-teachers were revised during the year The most important changes made are (1) the abolition of the local examinations and the substitution of the Civil Service and Matriculation Examinations ; and (2) the arrangement wherebyjinstruction in