fit. A. E. MILNES.

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the furniture of the schools made them sit up, and their parents made them walk with an erect carriage, it seems to me we would build up a different race altogether. Carriage is neglected altogether now, except by a few odd teachers here and there. 33. In the case of those children who with the best of intentions cannot reach to this state of. physical fitness, would not the introduction of the B Grade certificates rather discourage the 'John Ruskins of the future, for instance?—l think Join; Rusk in. would have been far better if he has been able to swim as a boy instead of writing such a lot of rubbish as he did in his later years. 34. In respect to these children who are bright and brainy, and yet nevertheless are not up to the physical standard, would it not have the effect rather of discouraging them?—l will not admit they would not be up to the physical standard 1 would set. All I want is that every boy should have a body. He has a brain, and he should pay as much attention to his body as to his brain. 35. Mr. Wells.] I gather from your replies you would consider the individual's efforts to improve his body rather than the ultimate result reached? —Decidedly. 36. I think the students at the training college may be divided into two classes —those who have had experience of teaching, and those who have not? —Yes. 37. What is your opinion of taking into the training' college students without experience in the method of teaching? Do you think it is wise?— Speaking generally, I think it would be far.better if the students who come to the training college had some little experience in schools — say, two years as probationers. I think that would give them a chance to look round and find out if they are really likely to make teachers. On the other hand, Ido not.think the rule should be too rigid. I think the present scheme is a very good one, because, certain people only find out late in life that they have any call to be teachers. I have had actual experience of men who have taken up teaching late in life after having done other work, and without having had any previous training at all, and the two men 1 have in my mind are doing as excellent work to-day as men who have had previous training. I personally would like to see the present system continued. 38. There are some pupil-teachers who fail to get admission to the training college through failure to get a certificate or pass matriculation : do you not think it would be better to allow them a chance rather than take any people without previous experience ?—Well, if it came to the question, I suppose it would in fairness, provided they had an aptitude for teaching. Ido not hold that a teacher should be a prodigy. I find in experience that some of the best teachers are dull, and their dulness makes them sympathize with the children. 39. You would not shut out a pupil-teacher who had done good work for a number of years because he had failed to pass the examination? —No, I would like to see them included in some way. 40. With regard to the practical work, you find that at the Normal School there is not sufficient scope for practical work. Do you consider that the pupils of the school suffer through the large amount of practising that the students have to do through being confined to practicework at that school? —Of course, one does not like to admit that one's own institution is not the! best, and I do not know 7 that I am prepared to say that the normal-school children suffer in any way from the presence of the students, because what they lose, in one direction they gain in another, because there is so much striving on the part of the students to give good lessons that the pupils get very much better teaching probably than they get anywhere else. -11. Continuity of teaching is an important factor?- -Undoubtedly, and that is disturbed. 42. You were speaking of the importance of reading, and you were suggesting reading instead of home work in the secondary schools : what steps would you take to see that the reading was done? —1 would set it as definite home work, f would get editions of standard authors, and would get the pupils to prepare a pricis of whatever work they had read, and thus find out if they had read it and understood it, 43. You were speaking of bursaries for young teachers, to enable them to travel: do you not think it would be a good plan if it were a recognized principle that Inspectors should get a year off for travel? —I think it would be a very good thing; that is the custom in many countries. 44. You think that might well be recommended here ?—Very well indeed. 45. On account of the way in which Inspectors are brought into touch with large numbers of schools, you think what they gained through travel w-ould be made specially- valuable?—Veryvaluable indeed.. Of course, "doubtless if bursaries were put into practice for young teachers they would in time become Inspectors, being-picked students. 46. In your opinion, will these new regulations make it much more difficult for backblock teachers to advance themselves? —I should think it would make it impossible for them. They cannot do eighty hours practical work in the backblocks. This will cut them out of the service so far as I can see. 47. Will it make it much more difficult to get. teachers to go into the backblocks?—l should think so. .... 48. Can you offer any suggestions at all for improvements in the present training-college course other than you have made?—l. do not know that I can. It is an excellent scheme as far as I can see and compares very favourably indeed with anything I have been able to read about or to come across. 49. Mr. Pirani? You outlined to us a method adopted in Auckland in regard to training assistants : is anything done outside the training college but in connection with the training college for training teachers of small schools? —No ; we are so fully occupied with the 100 students we have that we cannot do much more. 50. Is it not possible to have a system of special small schools selected by the Inspectors as what you might call observation schools, at which students, or teachers even, could attend on certain days or certain weeks in the year, and so get experience in regard to sole-teacher schools? It would be possible, but not, in my opinion, advisable. I think a teacher should be trained. ■. :.-....,.

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