47

E.—s

Dressmaking classes were again held at Mosgiel, and new classes in the same subject were established at Outram and at Milton. During the year the technical classes at Oamaru, twenty-two in number, were inaugurated in the name of the Dunedin Technical Association ; but the local provisional committee afterwards became the Board of Management, and the detailed account of those classes will therefore appear separately. The number of students enrolled was as follows: At Dunedin, 722; at Mosgiel, 20; at Outram, 17: at Milton, 25; at Oamaru, 291. The following list of classes and attendances indicates the extent and nature of the work undertaken (the first number indicates the attendances for the first quarter, the second those for the second quarter) : English, senior (two classes), 34, 20; English, intermediate (two classes), 106, 84: English, junior (two classes), 112, 90; Maori (one quarter only), 10; French, junior, 18, 16; French, senior, 7, 7; Latin, senior, 25, 23; Latin, junior, 15, 12; mathematics, junior, 32, 22; mathematics, senior, 20, 13; commercial arithmetic, junior, 61,62; commercial arithmetic, intermediate (two classes), 81, 95; commercial arithmetic, senior, 55, 46; typewriting (four classes), 99, 107 ; shorthand, junior (two classes), 53, 51; shorthand, senior (two classes), 38, 32; shorthand, advanced (two classes), 31, 22; commercial correspondence, senior, 41, 36; commercial correspondence, junior, 48, 44; book-keeping, senior, 34, 27 ; book-keeping, junior, 67, 41; commercial law, 11, 8; physics (heat and electricity), 21, 14; chemistry, 36, 27; geology (special session for teachers), 36; botany (special session for teachers), 8; botany class (now in session), 16; painters' work, 18, 10; theory of plumbing, 13, 9; practical plumbing, 18, 19; practical mathematics, senior, 6, 6; practical mathematics, junior, 22, 19; mechanical engineering, senior, 12, 10; mechanical engineering, junior, 14, 8; carpentry, 12, 13; wood-carving, senior, 3, 5; wood-carving, junior, 31, 26; dressmaking (five classes), 124, 74; cookery (three classes), 44, 36; dressmaking (Milton), 22, 18; dressmaking (Outram), 17, 16; dressmaking (Mosgiel), 13, 20. The large attendances at the classes for English and arithmetic are accounted for by the fact that English or some other language, and arithmetic or mathematics, are subjects that must be taken by all pupils granted free tuition under the scholarship regulations. Of these scholars 209 entered at the beginning of the session, and 53 were admitted when the classes opened for the second term. This represents a decrease in the number of such pupils, but their attendance was more regular, and in the majority of cases their work was more satisfactory than in previous years. Doubtless this improvement is to some extent owing to the new arrangement whereby parents become responsible for the fees of those who attend so irregularly that the capitation grant for their attendance is lost to the school. Although a number of these sholarship-holders do little more than attend, yet the majority take every advantage of the excellent opportunities offering. Each of these pupils attends for instruction in four subjects on the average, and compliance with the regulations thus involves their spending eight hours per week of their evenings in the school. Upon those regularly engaged during the day this may be regarded as somewhat exacting and rather a strain, but it is nevertheless a good training in persistency of application. It seems to me, however, that the proper solution of the difficultj r is to gradually extend the scope of our work by the establishment of day classes, and so give the younger pupils the benefit of, say, two years' training before they enter employment. The syllabus of work for the senior English class was designed to meet the requirements of those who purpose sitting for the examination for the teacher's C certificate or for that for the Civil Service. But the programme thus drawn up proved rather exacting for students who were attending the class merely for general improvement in literature, and it has been decided to hereafter somewhat lighten the work of this division. The requirements for the above-mentioned examinations will then be met by making the course a two-years one. The difference in the attainments of pupils attending the other classes for English was considerable, and so rendered the work rather uneven. This is not likely to occur again to the same extent, for on the completion of the buildings now in course of erection the increased accommodation at our disposal will permit of a classification of the students according to attainments and ability, and a subdivision of the classes to meet their requirements. The amount of set work prescribed by regulation is rather more than can be conveniently covered in two quarters, and at the same time permit of justice being done to that important branch of the subject—composition. The good work that followed the subdivision of the classes for Latin, French, and elementary mathematics continues, and pupils from these classes are in the habit of proceeding to the University Matriculation Examination. The study of Maori was not this year very enthusiastically taken up; the class languished and was ultimately closed. The commercial subjects have again been a conspicuous success and source of pleasure. With the exception of commercial law, these subjects have been so eagerly sought after that some difficulty was experiencd in making provision for the various sections of these classes. The progress of most of the pupils has been pronounced, and regarding the results of the final examination the examiners all comment favourably on the serviceable quality of the work. Mr. Brown remarks that commercial men generally do not realise the high standard of proficiency that is attained by our senior students of book-keeping, while Messrs. S. M. Park and M. Cohen, our examiners for commercial correspondence, probably actuated b} r the same belief, suggest that, for the information of those interested, samples of the work done by pupils under examination pressure be exhibited at the meeting usually held for the distribution of certificates. The examination results as published in the certificate-lists is an index of Mr. Rossbotham's opinion of the teaching of shorthand. The science classes should, theoretically and according to the modern tendency in education, be liberally and consistently supported, yet they are on the whole very indifferently patronised. The chemistry class, I am pleased to state, has, since the appointment of the present teacher, Mr. Bruce, been a conspicuous success, the large amount of time given to practical work being a marked feature of the teaching. A special class for instruction in geology suited to the requirements of teachers was successfully conducted by Dr. Marshall, and evoked a considerable amount of enthusiasm among the thirty-two adults who attended the course. The comparative failure "of the other classes for science is in large measure due to the frequent change of teachers, a change necessitated by the promotion of teachers to positions outside the district,