41

E.—s

are of more worth to the state than any single genius. If we turn to Denmark, a country by the universal consent of travellers and statesmen, prosperous and happy, it will be seen that she has secured her standard of citizenship by a wise adaptation of her education system to the needs of her people. Of course, technical instruction, like every other form of instruction, has its limitations. It is not a panacea for all the ills that nations are heir to, nor will it by any inherent virtue make or keep the heart of a nation sound ; but if the capital of our people—their thews, sinews, and native ability-—as well as the material resourses of our country, is to contribute adequately to the production of the wealth necessary for the national comfort and safety, then the worth of technical instruction in our system of education must be fully realised. We in this Dominion of ours may accordingly well pray for the day when every youth of both sexes will continue his or her education till the age of seventeen is reached, and thereafter devote a definite period of time to training for the defence of the State— surely there is here a niche for young women—and so win at the age of twenty-one the laurel wreath of title manhood or true womanhood. G. D. Braik, Superintendent. instructors' reports. Agriculture (Mr. Grant). At the close of the year 1907 the number of school classes in elementary agriculture was eightyone, the number of pupils receiving instruction being 1,870 ; at the close of 1908, the number of school classes is eighty-seven, the number of pupils receiving instruction being 1,988. As a whole the teaching of elementary agriculture has been conducted on sound lines. In some of the schools some very good experimental work was done, the.pupils setting out their work very nicely. In a few cases the work is carried on without any ideal. The pupils merely dig or perform some other garden operation. They have no problems set to which they can obtain an answer. The results are a badly kept garden and dull pupils. If a proper scheme of work is drawn up at the beginning of the season, the interest of the pupils would be much increased Bad work is generally associated with faulty plans. lam pleased to report that some of the gardens are laid out with considerable taste. Of those I visited th ; s year, Ohakea has the most merit in this direction. In the care of tools much remains to be learned. Though the number of badly kept tools is small, yet the number of well-kept tools is not large. In several schools, notably Beaconsfield, Awahuri, and Riverlea, all that can reasonably be expected is done. The tools in these schools should last for at least a dozen years. During the last three years tools to the value of £36 17s. 3d. have been destroyed. The fire at the District High School was responsible for more than one-third of the damage. People living near some of the schools are getting into the habit of borrowing the school tools. No one besides the school-children has any right to the use of these tools. I hope this practice will cease. A number of very carefully conducted experiments have been spoiled through the school gardens being robbed during the school holidays. It seems very hard that the work of the pupils should be spoiled in this way. As in former years, the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association, the Feilding Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and the Wanganui Horticultural Society have done their part in the encouraging of the study of practical elementary agriculture by offering substantial prizes for various phases of garden-work. Dairy-work (Mr. Browne). Of the schools in which dairy-work was taken last year, the following continued the course this year under the headmasters : Okaiawa, Kapuni, Kaponga, Stoney Creek, Bunnythorpe, Colyton, Taonui, Awahuri, Lytton Street, and Cheltenham. Work was begun at Kakaramea. I had intended visiting these schools during the second half-year, but could not do so owing to my taking up technical work in the Northern District. For the first half-year classes were regularly taken by myself in the Feilding district at Bull's (two), Halcombe, Linton, Pohangina, Ashhurst, Hiwinui, Glen Oroua, Carnarvon, and Ifimitangi, and also occasionally at Lytton Street, Stanway, and Ohakea. A successful class for adults was also taken at Pohangina. The position now is, that with the exception of Apiti and Kimbolton, dairy-work has been taken in all readily accessible schools in suitable districts south of the Rangitikei River. In the northern district technical duties did not permit so much time to be given to dairy-work. Classes were taken in the following schools : Otakeho, Normanby, Alton, Whenuakura, and Kaitoke, with occasional visits to Rata. On Saturdays a teacher's class in nature-study was taken in Wanganui. Without exception, all schools taking dairy-work have shown a keen interest in the subject, and this has made the work of instruction a very pleasant one. Next year I hope to be able to give more time to visiting those schools in which classes have already been established. Jloo much time was this year spent in long train journeys to give an occasional lesson. Woodwork (Wanganui, Hawera, and Eltham), (Mr. Clark). Work and Progress : The work has, on the whole, been as satisfactory as in 1907. Quantity, as represented by the number of models made, has been a less important consideration than the pedagogic value of the manual training involved. Owing to the instructor's absence at Gisborne on the occasion of Mr. E. C. Isaac's first visit during the year, and to the fact that the various classes had completed their courses before his second visit, they have not had the benefit of his inspection and criticism. Attendance : The attendance generally has been good. In two of the Hawera classes and most of the Wanganui classes it has been excellent. two classes have been small, one at Hawera especially so, but this seems to have been unavoidable" l such cases as these it might be possible to admit a contingent from another school to fill the class. The change from the hour-and-a-half lesson to the two-hour lesson has not made any appreciable difference in the working of The conduct of the pupils has been good, with one or two inconsiderable exceptions in the case of individuals. As

6—E. 5.