E.—s

38

OTAGO.

Extract prom the Report of the Director of the School of Art. The total number of individual students in attendance at classes was 560, made up as follows: Day students, 108; evening students, 142; town pupil-teachers and probationers, 80; junior students in training, 65; senior students in training, 58; country pupil-teachers, 34; country teachers, 73. Although these numbers show a slight increase on 191.5, the war again sensibly affected both enrolments and attendances. The architectural course lost 80 per cent, of its students during the year ; in fact, only two l articled pupils are left among the architects of Dunedin. It was found impossible to obtain students among cabinetmakers, -who are especially hard hit. The building trade also was seriously depleted of its young men, and our course in building-construction suffered a gradual diminution of attendance throughout the year. It was thought advisable not to open the class in photography with the numbers offering. The attendance of lady students also suffered, especially during the day, on account of the demand for office and shop assistants to replace men on active service. The usual programme of art subjects was provided for day students—freehand, model, geometry, perspective, design, light and shade, drawing and painting from life, still life, landscape, &c. Solid progress was made by a small body of earnest students, and some excellent work was done in all branches. In art craft subjects, copper and pewter relief work, enamelling, wood-carving, stencil, art needlework, and modelling were provided for, and met with fair support considering the war strain on society. There was a pleasing increase in the attendance at the juvenile classes during the afternoons. Interesting work in colour, design, and simple stencilling on material was done, while an attempt was made to interest, the older ones in the all-important study of drawing through light and shade. These classes are non-productive of revenue, but are of the utmost importance to the community, and it is from their ranks that future art students should spring. As a result of the excellent attendance at classes for pupil-teachers and probationers we were enabled still further to increase the percentage of young students who have passed the drawing tests for D certificate before entering the Training College. Especially gratifying was the progress made in blackboard drawing both by pupil-teachers and students in training. For the latter a course of study in free drawing from actual objects, natural and fashioned, instrumental drawing, brush drawing, the study of plant and animal form and design was provided. For pupil-teachers and probationers living outside Dunedin classes were provided on Saturday mornings. There was a good average attendance of such students, who were prepared in the three branches of drawing for the D certificate. Large numbers of head teachers and assistants outside Dunedin were also enabled to take a course of study in drawing and handwork. Modelling in clay and plasticenc, design, brush and colour work, wood-carving, cardboard, and brickwork were the principal handworks dealt with. Drawing of common objects, mass estimation, light and shade, and blackboard illustration were the drawing subjects in most request. At the evening classes in art subjects, instruction in freehand, model, and object drawing, geometry, perspective, plant form, design, light and shade, drawing from life and the antique, painting in oil and water colours was provided. The classes were, on the whole, well attended, and a good standard of work was maintained. In art craft subjects the number of students taking copper and pewter relief work, enamelling, jewellery, woodcarving, and other practical crafts showed a decided diminution, possibly due to the difficulty of obtaining material unless at excessive cost. There was almost an. entire absence of male students. On the other hand, the art needlework section was very considerably increased, the attendance being excellent throughout the year. The architectural course commenced with a good roll under the experienced guidance of Mr. R. Newton Vanes, A..R.1.8.A. History of architecture, architectural design, and building-construction, formed the special subjects; the course also including geometrical drawing, perspective, freehand, and light and shade. I am indebted to the Otago Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects for the very practical interest taken in these classes and for a substantial contribution towards their maintenance. The annual exhibition of work by students was held in June, in conjunction with the Otago Art Society. Miuch credit was given to students and the staff for the excellent display of drawings, paintings, sculpture, and art crafts, Press comments being very eulogistic. We again carried off the whole of the prizes awarded by the Otago Art Society for life studies in charcoal and in colour, still life, &c. An attempt was made during the year to induce the whole of the secondary schools in Dunedin to associate themselves with the School of Art so that there might be uniformity in their teaching of drawing, thus securely linking the secondary course between that of the primary schools and the School of Art. The suggestion was sympathetically received, and will probably bear fruit whenever arrangements between the schools and their present staff permit. R. Hawcridge, Director. Extract prom the Report of the Dunedin Technical School Board. Notwithstanding the large number of voluntary enlistments from among students of outclasses during the year the attendance at the school was well, maintained, and the classes were conducted on much the same lines as in former years. Towards the end of the year delegates representing the Typographical Union arid the Master Printers' Association met a committee of the Board, and urged the establishment of a class for instruction in typography. The Board, by adopting the report of this conference, agreed, to open a class at the beginning of the 1917 session, and with this end in view, after discussing the financial position, the Managers decided to obtain at once the initial equipment, costing approximately £110, without making application to the Education Department for a grant-in-aid. It may well be added here that in pursuance