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upon to control. It has been in. this department that our arrangements have been least effective, owing to lack of sufficient schools. For the number of students in training five such schools should be the minimum number to provide each student with a month's experience in country-school teaching. Library. —A gift of £25 for the library was received from Mr. J. L. Heckler, of the Wairarapa, from funds donated by him to the Board in memory of his brother who died on active service. The gift carried a pound-for-pound subsidy, and has enabled us to obtain a very welcome addition of books to the library. I desire to express my very great thanks to the donor for his generosity. The books will be labelled to indicate the purpose for which the money was donated. Social Service. —A very active social-service club has provided various entertainments throughout the year at such institutions as the Ohiro Home, the Ewart Hospital, the Incurable Ward at the General Hospital, and at the Seamen's Mission. Such voluntary service by the student indicates a very commendable sense of social responsibility. Additional Activities of the College. —There is a more far-reaching purpose back of the activities of that part of the week which is freed from academic subject-matter and teaching practice than mere recreation. We are attempting to develop each student's individuality, each student's special interests and abilities so far a-s possible. We are trying to train each in the use of his own peculiar abilities for the welfare of those with whom he will come into direct contact. Fields for such activities are provided in such clubs as glee, orchestra, appreciation, dramatic, debating, and social service. Sports activities in the direction of cricket, tennis, football, basketball, hockey, swimming, boxing, and athletics are afforded. There are very few students who do not display average ability in one or more of these forms of recreation. Thanks. —l desire to express my thanks to the Board for the support accorded me during the year. CHRISTCHURCH. I have the honour to submit my report on the work of the Christchurch Teachers' Training College for the year ending December, 1927. Staff. —At the beginning of the year Miss Dorothy Stewart, M.A., was appointed Lecturer in English in succession to Dr. Helen Richmond. Miss Stewart, after graduating in New Zealand, spent twelve months in Paris studying methods of teaching French, and then twelve months at London University Training College under Professor P. Nunn, specializing in English. She is thus especially well equipped to undertake the work of training students in those subjects. Mr. 'V A. Griffiths, M.A., Mum. Bac. (Cantab.), was selected from a large number of applicants for the position of Lecturer in School Music. Mr. Griffiths also comes to his work thoroughly well prepared to train students along the lines adopted in the English schools. At the beginning of the second term Miss Ironside resumed duty after twelve months' leave of absence in England, where she was for one term lecturer on the staff of the Avery Hill Training College for Teachers (London). During the month of August the Vice-Principal was released from duty at College in order to visit some of the schools in the district. His itinerary was arranged in consultation with Mr. McLeod, the Senior Inspector, and included (a) city, (b) suburban, (c) country schools. Another factor determining the choice of school was the presence of teachers who had been recently students of the College, so that some idea of the way in which they were tackling their work could be ascertained. The purpose of the visit was to make a general survey whereby (1) the Training College might be brought into closer touch with the work of the schools in order that the effectiveness of the training might be increased ; (2) the aims and ideals of the College might be discussed with Inspectors with a view to greater unanimity ; (3) the success of the Training College trainees in practice might be estimated. A good deal of very valuable information was gathered, and while in most of the cases the weaknesses exhibited by ex-students were those one expects from inexperienced teachers, there were some that showed where improvements were required in the process of training. These have been carefully tabulated, and will receive due attention. Among other things the head masters pointed out the necessity of more cohesion between the courses of study of probationers and the Training College courses, and they suggested that the Principal oi' the Training College should have some control over the course undertaken by the probationer during his pre-College year, so that his whole scheme of study might proceed without dislocation. It was also suggested that the Principal should issue a study scheme for probationers not taking a degree course, such a scheme to be preparatory to the Training College course of study. At the request of the Senior Inspector special attention was paid to those students not long out of College, in order to judge, if possible, how correct had been the Training College estimate of their teaching ability. This brings up the question of Training College grading. We feel keenly the impossibility of doing justice to students, and quite frankly admit that our grading, owing to the conditions under which teaching practice is carried on, must many times be incorrect. For instance, the control of the class is the staff teacher's, not the student's. A student may teach quite satisfactorily in such conditions and fail when thrown on his own resources. Again, students are extremely self-conscious and do'not do themselves justice while under constant personal supervision. We should be glad, therefore, to know that during the first year or two after the completion of the Training College course special consideration was paid to the grading allotted. We have always recognized that the provision made in College for training for rural work has been inadequate, and we regret that the Department could not see its way to afford the necessary facilities for railway travelling, which would have enabled us to use two one-teacher schools not far from Christchurch for practice-teacher purposes. That the time spent in the Junior Model by each