E.—2

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Accommodation. —Last year I drew attention to the lamentable lack of accommodation. Despite the fact that our numbers have still further increased, no effort has been made to grant us relief. During the past year we have been compelled to use the gymnasium as a regular lecture-room—a purpose for which it was not designed. It is fair neither to students nor to staff that they should be compelled to spend hours on end in a great draughty hall, which, notwithstanding our best efforts, remains a cold, cheerless place. The effect upon the health of students and staff is so apparent that I cannot undertake to so use it again. Our class-rooms, students' common rooms, and staff-rooms are all overcrowded and woefully insufficient. With the additional number of students in 1925 it is difficult to know how we shall carry on. Staff. —Our staff was slightly increased during the year, and now consists of Principal, VicePrincipal, seven lecturers, and two lecturers' assistants. Counting these last as equivalent to one lecturer, we have 10 full-time teachers on the staff for 323 students, giving an average of 32-3 students. This improvement in staffing, though far from sufficient, enabled much to be done that formerly we could not attempt, besides making more thorough the work formerly done. That there is still room for a considerable improvement in staffing is apparent from the fact that in all parts of the Empire outside New Zealand the standard staffing rate is approximately 15 students per full-time lecturer. In South Africa the average is 15, in Sydney 14, in Great Britain 13-9 ; in Adelaide and in Melbourne the average is slightly higher ; but nowhere, except in exceptional circumstances, is the average more than 20. The training of teachers cannot be satisfactorily carried out on any mass plan. While the lecture to large numbers undoubtedly has its place, this is not, or ought not to be, a very prominent place. The instruction should, as far as possible, reach the individual stage. Only then is it possible to develop the self-confidence so necessary in a teacher. In exemplification one might mention music. It is a common complaint that few of our teachers are able or willing to teach music. The complaint is undoubtedly warranted, and will continue to be so long as during the course of training the students are taught simultaneously in drafts of fifty to one hundred or more. Under such conditions the student cannot possibly develop the necessary confidence in his ability—he is afraid of his own voice. This applies in a less degree probably to the rest of his training, but it nevertheless applies. Teaching is not. merely a matter of knowledge but of capacity to do. And this capacity is developed by doing, not in mass formation, but as largely as possible individually. The most outstanding staff change during the year was the retirement on superannuation of Mr. J. Costin Webb, 8.A., Headmaster of Thorndon Normal School. This position was held by Mr. Webb from the establishment of the College in 1906. During this period he has had under his directions some one thousand five hundred students, who are now scattered over the length and breadth of the Dominion. It is impossible to estimate his effect upon the educational progress of the country, but it is nevertheless safe to assert that few men have exercised so great an influence. His zeal for the service, his unfailing attention to his many duties made of him a teacher whom it will be difficult to replace. General Work of the College.—Notwithstanding our disabilities in the matter of staffing and accommodation, I am pleased to be able to report a continued improvement in the work of the College. This to be accounted for largely by the additional staffing noted above. The experiment in method indicated in last report has been continued and extended to a wider range of subjects, so that almost the whole work of the College has been placed to a greater or less degree on a " project " basis. The results have been very gratifying. The general quality of work done, as well as the quantity, has much improved. The students themselves responded to the increased demands made upon them with a surprising concentration. So marked, indeed, has been the response that it has been necessary at times to safeguard the more zealous student from too great a zeal. The newer method, besides requiring of the student greater personal effort and concentration, enables him to express his individuality. The definite expression work, individual and collective, associated with each " project " gives the student an opportunity that the purely lecture method lacks. He is an active participator in the work, not a mere onlooker. Moreover, the expression work encourages a correlation that is highly desirable. As an instance one might mention the close correlation of art and handwork with almost all other subjects. No longer is handwork a detached subject, but rather an essential part of almost all other subjects, showing itself in history, in the construction of models, in science, in nature-study, and in almost all subjects in the provision of didatic apparatus and illustrative material. During the year, as part of a project "in New Zealand history, a private exhibition of students' work was held. The development of New Zealand has been studied by different groups from different aspects —political, social, industrial, &c. —and the resultant display bore evidence of the keen interest engendered. We desire to express our thanks to the large numbers scattered throughout the Dominion who lent books, old manuscripts, photographs, works of art, curios, weapons, &c. University Work. —The University classes attended by students were as under : English, 69 ; Latin, 18 ; French, 32 ; Education, 95 ; Philosophy, 51 ; History, 68 ; Economics, 17 ; Geography, 5 ; Mathematics, 13 ; Geology, 2 ; Chemistry, 3 ; Physics, 2 ; Botany, 4 ; Zoology, 1 : total, 380. Altogether 174 students attended University classes, leaving 149 students whose full course had to be provided by the college. An analysis of the final terms examination results gives the following : Honours, 6 ; first-class passes, 18; second-class passes, 60; third-class passes, 217 : total, 301. This result is highly satisfactory, especially when it is recognized that our students are required at the same time as they attend the University to do a very full Training-college course,