Revie,r or Review,. 1/11106. -pfj^ State Sc/tools ExhiMtioit. 



441 



The Training Coliege for State School Teachers, Melbourne. 



mtTii, some from others buried in the heart of 

 Gippsland forests. 



Not manv vears ago the average teacher in a 

 country school taught little drawing. The exhibits 

 showed there has been a striking improvement in 

 this subject, for the work of town and country 

 school alike was excellent. In no subject was de- 

 velopment more noticeable than in history. I saw- 

 many plans and relief models of battlefields, as I 

 strolled through the courts. A smart boy in our 

 schools to-day can not only give you an account 

 of, say, the battle of Waterloo, but can model the 

 long ridges and the valley between, where the great 

 struggle took place, with men and guns in position, 

 and could no doubt point out the exact spot where 

 Wellington and his great opponent stood at the 

 crisis of the fight. 



Another subject which attracted one's attention 

 was the nature study. In many courts collections 

 illustrating this branch of the S'^hool work were on 

 view. Insects have always had an attraction for the 

 average boy. We all know how hard it used to be 

 to pass by an ant heap without disturbing the deni- 

 zens of the mound, and insects generallv have had 

 little cause to be grateful for the pointed attentions 

 paid them bv Australian juveniles. In nature study, 

 while manv have made botanical collections their 



aim, most children have preferred the study of in- 

 sect life. Where definite work had been undertaken 

 in this direction, it was seen to be the life history of 

 an insect, as a rule — for example, the Empeior gum 

 moth. The eggs were shown first, then the cater- 

 pillar, then the cocoon with its chrysalis, and finally 

 the moth. Thus the life history was traced out. In 

 more than one court, there was a small aquarium 

 in which insects that frequent the water were kept 

 for observation. A part of the exhibition which was 

 much frequented was the Sloyd court, w'here boys 

 were busy at wood work during each afternoon. The 

 knowledge of tools and the dexterity shown by the 

 boys was praiseworthy, and the attention paid to the 

 workers showed that people were decidedlv curious 

 about this form of manual training. Undoubtedly 

 this preparatory work will be of great advantage to 

 boys who intend to become mechanics. 



Another s_triking feature was the wfirk shown to 

 illustrate geography, and how it is taught. Relief 

 maps and models could be seen ii every court. 

 Some of these were beautifuly finished. A model 

 of the floor of the Pacific, which could be filled 

 with water, attracted considerable attention. The 

 mapping in many courts also was decidedly good, 

 anrl there was no evidence of any falling off in this 

 part of the work. The quadrant w-as freauently no- 



