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[h. j. del m. mahon.

7. Would it not be desirable to have all the secondary schools in a district placed under one control —say, the Education Board or some other authority to take the place of the Board ?—I think it might tend to greater efficiency. 8. Mr. Wells.] What is the size of the classes at the Grammar School? —The first-year classes vary from forty to forty-five; the second-year classes are in some cases over forty; and this year •the third-year class, the matriculation class, began with forty, and has fallen to thirty-five during the year. The B class in the fifth form is about the same size. The C class is somewhat smaller. The lower sixth numbers about twenty-seven, and the upper sixth about sixteen. 9. Then, except in the very- highest classes, the numbers are practically double what they are in the best German and English secondary schools ?—Yes. 10. Has attention ever been called to this fact?—l think the Inspector-General of Schools has reported upon it on two occasions lately. The Board has made some provision for increases of staff, but there has been such a large accession of new pupils that we have not benefited much. I do not know what will happen next year unless we get a new school-building. 11. Have you not been a primary-school teacher? —Yes, for two years. 12. What is your opinion as to the benefit of training in a primary school for a secondaryschool teacher? —Personally, I attach very great value to it. I think I derived a great deal of benefit from it. 13. If all the schools in a district —primary, secondary, and technical —were under one authority, w r ould it not provide the secondary schools with better-trained teachers, and at the same time give a far better outlook in the way of promotion ?—I think it would. At present one of the disadvantages of secondary work is that the outlook is so very limited. Positions worth more than £300 a year are very few indeed; and, moreover, secondary teachers are practically debarred from all appointments outside secondary work. They have little chance of becoming Inspectors. I think the secondary teachers would welcome any chance of becoming headmasters of primaryschools. 14. Would not the accrediting system have a stimulating effect, in this way : that presumably only schools in a thoroughly good condition should be allowed to accredit? —I think that should be made a condition. I think it would have a stimulating effect if the pupils knew that the masters would only allow those to go forward who did really honest work throughout their career. 15. Suppose it were understood that the privilege of accrediting would be withdrawn if unsatisfactory pupils were sent on ?—I think that would have a good effect. 16. Do you see any objection to the accrediting system in the primary schools for free places— from good schools? —I see none. There is a great difference in the quality of the pupils that come to us at the beginning of the year. As a rule, those who have passed the Junior National Scholarships Examination are much superior to those who have merely gained the proficiency certificate. Great discretion would be required from the teachers to see that only those truly qualified should come up. I may mention that some time ago I noticed in one of the journals a report on the Northumberland system of scholarships. The headmasters of the schools were asked to send in the names of the pupils they thought qualified for admission to the secondary schools. All those who were put on the list were given a written examination on the essential subjects, and then a viva voce examination. If that could be managed, it is an ideal way of making the selection. We have then the opinion of the headmasters, we have the written examination, and —much more important —we have the viva voce examination. 17. Do you find that there are many free-place pupils who are not likely to be worth their places?— Not a large percentage. 18. Is there not a fair percentage who would have done better work at a technical school? —A small percentage. 19. Would there be any advantage in having a consultation with the headmaster as to which course they should take up ?—I do not think many boys know what career they are going in for when first they come to a secondary school. 20. Would it not be worth while to have a consultation between the parents and the teacher as to whether pupils should go to the Technical School or the Grammar School? —I think that the day course at the Technical School coincides to a large extent with ours. A modification of the curriculum would overcome that difficulty. 21. Are you aware of any overlapping between the Technical School and the Grammar School? —I think that in a number of classes the work is very much the same, except that they go in for definite commercial work at the Technical 'School. As far as I know, there is no great amount of overlapping, but I think that the teaching either at the Technical School or a secondary school of shorthand and typewriting is a great mistake. I think it should come only in the third year, when the pupils have a broad foundation to go upon. Business men have complained to me that a large number of the typists they employ cannot spell properly. That is because they are not taught properly before they specialize. 22. Is any instruction as to the duties of citizenship given at your school? —Personally I try to bring that out in my teaching of literature. Moreover, in the higher classes we have debates, and I choose subjects that are likely to stimulate the interest of the students on public questions. The boys take great interest in these matters, and I am very well pleased with the progress they make. There is no definite course in civics, but it is taught indirectly. 23. The Chairman.] Do you think it would be better to have definite teaching in civics?— Certainly, the boys should know something about the questions that are exercising the public mind, and their duties as citizens. It should form part of every scheme of education. 24. Mr. Kirk.] How can the training of teachers for secondary schools be best assured?—ln Germany teachers who are going in for secondary teaching have to undergo what are called two probationary years. They are appointed as probationers for two years, and during that time