E.—s.

14

but also, it is contended, place lads in a class far above those who enter the ordinary trade workshop direct from the primary school and at the end of the second year of their apprenticeship have acquired a limited skill in doing odd jobs and picked up a little unsystematized practical experience of questionable utility. It is to be regretted that the number of pupils who remain at the day technical schools for three or more years is not larger. It would be well if parents were prepared to exercise a little self-sacrifice and allow their boys to get the full benefit of the courses provided instead of hurrying them, often before thej have completed their second year, into wage-earning positions. Passing reference may be made to a matter having an important bearing on the attendance of lads at industrial courses, and that is the non-recognition at present of the time spent at day technical schools as part of the apprenticeship course. If employers could see their way to recognize three years' attendance at a .lay course as equivalent to the first yea: of apprenticeship a much larger proportion of lads would remain three years instead of two or less at the schools, and so become better equipped for their life's work. About 30 per cent, of the girls attending day technical schools took a domestic course during the year. Excellent courses bearing on home making and keeping are now being evolved at some of the schools. Progress in this direction has in the past been slow, chiefly on account of the difficulties experienced in obtaining instructors with an adequate knowledge of the sciences underlying the practice of housewifery. The establishment in connexion with the Otago University of special courses in home science and domestic arts, and the provision, recently, by the Government of liberal bursaries tenable at the University by students who have signified their intention of qualifying as teachers of domestic subjects should, however, have the effect of removing this difficulty in the near future. During the year bursaries were awarded to thirteen such students. As regards the courses now in operation, there is no question as to the excellence of the practical instruction provided. Instruction is given in English and arithmetic (including household accounts), elementary science, cookery and laundry-work, needlework, dressmaking and millinery. Speaking generally, the methods of instruction and the pupils' work are on sound practical lines. In some schools, where facilities for a wider application of the knowledge acquired by the pupils are at present lacking, meals for members of the staff and pupils are prepared daily. The pupils arrange the menu, purchase the necessary articles, prepare and cook the meals, and lay the tables and wait thereat. At Christchurch a well-equipped hostel has now been provided which will afford facilities for the practice of housewifery in all its branches not only by the students in residence, but by pupils of the day technical school carried on in connexion with the Technical College. The cost of the hostel, together with the large area of ground on which its stands, has been met by means of voluntary contributions and subsidies of £1 for .£1 thereon, and b, a special building grant. The hope is expressed that what has been accomplished in Christchurch in this direction will result in similar efforts being made elsewhere. It is unnecessary at this stage to emphasize the necessity for and the importance to the community generally of domestic training on right lines. Whether such training will help materially in the solution of the difficult and many-sided " domestic problem is an open question. It should at least have the effect of relieving domestic work to some extent of its drudgery and monotony, and so help to endow it with a dignity it appears to lack at tinpresent time. The agricultural courses provided at some of the schools have attracted only a few students compared with the courses referred ti> above. The work undertaken bears directly on agriculture generally, and includes instruction in English, arithmetic, book-keeping, mathematics, physics and chemistry, biology, woodwork and ironwork, and, as circumstances permit, practical operations incident to farming. It has not been found practicable so far to afford students opportunities for carrying out farm and experimental work on a large scale, though something in this direction has been accomplished in the Wanganui district owing to the practical help of ami interest shown by certain members of the farming community. As a result of the opportunities so provided pupils have been able to carry out a good deal of really useful work, and to gain some experience of farm work at first hand. At Christchurch and Invercargill also improved facilities for outdoor work are being provided for. The following remarks have reference to the various branches of art, science, and technology in which instruction is provided in technical schools apart from the day technical-school courses referred to above. Art, —No branch of technical instruction affords greater and easier facilities for the display of meretricious work; it is therefore gratifying to be able to report the almost entire absence of work of this kind in the various branches of pure ami applied art in which instruction is provided. Speaking generally, a solid foundation of drawing is laid, particularly in classes which include a number of young pupils whose intention it is to take up some occupation calling for a knowledge of art. The flat copy is being steadily eliminated in favour of natural and fashioned objects, with the result that in the students' work there is more evidence of spontaneity and originality than formerly. It is now generally accepted by authorities on art teaching that no place should be found in a scheme of art instruction for the use of Hat copies except for purposes of reference when the actual object is not available. Whether this view will be shown to be correct as times goes on is a debatable point, but there can be no question that the use of flat copies in serious art work should be discouraged, as. at best, they are only second-hand sources of know-