15

E,—4

in conclusion I wish to quote from my annual report for the year 1912. " The rebuilding in brick of the Boys' Home is a matter that should be considered. The present building is an old wooden one, and cannot be expected to last many more years. Great precautions have to be taken in the use of it to avoid danger from fire. Should the erection of a new Boys' Home be decided on, it should not be designed to accommodate a greater number of boys than the present building. I have repeatedly stated my conviction that the school in point of view of numbers is already too large. There is every indication that the number of deaf children in the Dominion will continue increasing, and to provide for this increase a preparatory school for young deaf children should be established in the near future. To it children might be admitted at an earlier age than under present conditionsjtis desirable. After two or more years at the preparatory school they should be transferred to the main school, which would then contain no pupils unable to speak. Thus the tendency to resort to signs on the part of the pupils would be largely diminished. In previous reports I have pointed out other benefits that would be derived from the establishment of such a preparatory school. Instruction in it should be carried on as much as possible in the open air, and abundant use made of kindergarten methods." J. E. Stevens, Director. SI w

No. 6.—SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS, OTEKAIKE, OAMARU. EXTRACT FROM THEfREPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. Otekaike, 7th July, 1915. I have the honour to lay before you my report on the school for the year ending 31st December, 1914 Admissions and Discharges. Boys. Girls. Number of children in the school on Ist January, 1914 .. . . 69 4 .j. Number of children admitted during the year .. . . .... Number of boys discharged .. .. .. .. .. 1 Number of boys transferred to Burnham Industrial School .. .. 1 Number of boys and girls in the school on 31st December, 1914 ..67 4 Ages of children on the school roll on 31st December, 1914— From five to ten years .. .. .. .. .. 4 From eleven to sixteen years . . .. .. .. 28 2 From seventeen to twenty-one years .. .. . . .. 27 1 Over twenty-one years . . . . . . .. • • j8 1 67 4 Discharges. Two boys were discharged during the year. In the one case the lad had become dangerous, and as such was unsuitable for further residence here. The other lad was returned to the Burnham Industrial School, as his influence on the other children was harmful. This lad was originally committed to the Burnham Industrial School, and had been transferred to Otekaike for special treatment owing to his epileptic fits. He was under my treatment for about four years. During the last two years of his residence here he had only one epileptic seizure, though during the first year he was in residence his fits occurred regularly at intervals of a fortnight. Manual Occupations. Basketmaking, coir-mat making, and wood-carving have been successfully carried on, and the number and quality of articles produced in the workshops are evidences of satisfactory teaching. We, however, require [much better accommodation, so that bootmaking, carpentry, weaving, rugmaking, (fee, can be commenced.