Appendix B.|

E.—2.

III

classes I, 11, or 111 for more than two years. Each case must, of course, be judged in the light of attendant circumstances, and the teachers concerned are the proper persons to make the final decision ; but, in the interest of the pupil as well as in that of the class, wo believe it to be a mistake to allow pupils to remain in any one class for longer periods than those just named. Such a pupil, if left behind year after year when others are promoted, loses in self-reliance and self-respect, in tmergy and in desire to work ; seeing his classmates, younger than himself, advancing where he continues to fail, he gradually comes to lose all confidence in himself and in his ability to succeed. Glasses for Backward Children. —Closely connected, with the above is the provision of special classes for children of the type referred to. In a number of the large elementary schools in England these pupils have been collected into two or more classes (i.e., in each, school), a senior and a junior class, each with about thirty pupils. The junior class is recruited mainly from SI and S2 ; while the senior class draws its membership chiefly from the junior, with, an occasional addition from S3 or perhaps S4. Obviously, however, the numbers of backward pupils in these classes (S3 and S4) will be small, for the special junior class will succeed in capturing practically all. of these before they pass out of S2. Pupils who make sufficient progress or show signs of sufficient mental development are promoted into the ordinary school classes, though very few succeed in reaching S6. The range of attainments reached by the most advanced in the junior class corresponds to that of S3, and in the senior class to that of 85. In general, unless circumstances warrant exceptional treatment, no pupil is allowed to remain in S2 beyond the age of ten years, and no pupil is permitted to remain in the junior class for defectives beyond the age of twelve years ; he is moved into the junior class and the senior class respectively. A special programme of instruction, including a variety of manual occupations, is provided ; though the ordinary class subjects are by no means overlooked. A most favourable opinion lias already been expressed by those experienced in this work. The various standards in the school are relieved of a retarding and embarrassing element, and the pupils concerned are trained along lines more conducive to their' mental, and moral development. We commend the scheme, where circumstances permit, to the favourable consideration of teachers, feeling certain that if properly comprehended and wisely applied its success will steadily declare itself. Continued Education. —Year after year the demand for child-labour and the ease with which boys and gills of fourteen and fifteen years can obtain remunerative employment have actually drawn pupils away from the primary schools before reaching the higher classes. Large numbers of children are thus prevented from continuing their education beyond the primary-school stage ; and yet under existing conditions of civilized life it is becoming more and more essential that every boy and girl in the State should receive further training than the primary school affords. In. a report issued some years back by the London Board of Education on " The attendance, compulsory or otherwise, at continuation schools," occurs the following : " The Committee find that at the most critical period in their lives a very large majority of the boys and girls in England and Wales are left without any sufficient guidance and care. This neglect results in great waste of early promise, in injury to character, in the lessening of industrial efficiency, and in the lowering of ideals of personal and civic duty." These words apply to a much wider area than that mentioned in the text, and we should seriously consider whether, in the interests of increased economic efficiency, we should any longer permit our young people to bring to an end their school education at the age of fourteen years. It is true that none of the older countries have as yet adopted compulsory continuation education as a general condition of civic life, but all are agreed on its necessity ; and its introduction is deferred only because of difficulties that apparently lie ahead —difficulties the result mainly of industrial, commercial, and civic conditions gradually developed with the growth of national life. In England, for instance, industrial development preceded educational development, with the result that the latter was obliged, so far as possible, to adapt itself to the former, instead of directing and to some extent controlling it. Here there are no such difficulties to be surmounted ; our industrial, commercial, and educational interests are being simultaneously developed, so that the time is now ripe for the introduction of change. As each year passes by, however, the question of enforcing continued education, will present greater difficulties, and our object in referring to the matter in this report is to emphasize this contention and to urge the need for prompt and decisive action. Observation of Pupil-teacher Regulations. —We have been obliged to draw the attention of certain head teachers to the necessity for compliance with Pupil-teacher Regulations. These provide not only for the training of pupil-teachers in the technique of their work, but also for such instruction as will enable them w qualify for a full teacher's certificate of Class D. We have met with sgveral cases where head teachers recommend their pupil-teachers to take coaching lessons in order to prepare for the departmental examinations, apparently forgetting that whatever coaching was necessary should be done by themselves. Pupil-teachers who are regularly and efficiently taught by head teachers have little or no time to do justice to additional coaching, and should not be required to undertake it. We are not referring here to those schools where pupil-teachers attend the special classes provided for them at the Technical College, and recognized in the Board's regulations. The distribution of special lessons is not always satisfactory; in some cases these have, to some extent been abandoned after the Inspector's visit. Both the letter and the intention of the regulations point to the need for continuing these lessons at regular intervals throughout the year, and this we expect all head teachers that are entrusted with the training of pupil-teachers to do. Medical Inspection. —Though this matter continues to receive a good deal of attention, much remains to be done before we can claim that the work is carried out with that thoroughness its importance demands. A considerable number of our children are in need of medical attention, including dental treatment, which under existing conditions they do not receive, owing partly to the small number of medical officers employed and partly to lack of facilities for following up the work of inspection In the older countries it has been found necessary to employ nurses, who follow up the work of