190 REPORT— 1900. 



schools of different sizes and circumstances ; and in the explanatory 

 memorandum one of their objects is declared to be ' to make the course 

 of instruction in all schools more comprehensive, so as to give all scholars 

 the rudiments of general information, while enabling the details of the 

 instruction to be adapted to the special needs of various kinds of schools.' 

 It is added that in all schools both boys and girls ' should learn something 

 of their own country, and be taught to observe and to acquire for them- 

 selves some knowledge of the facts of nature. ... In country schools 

 lessons on the objects and work of country life are valuable that would 

 be inappropriate in town schools, while in the latter the instruction given 

 in lessons on Common Things and in Elementary Science should be varied 

 with reference to the probable future occupations of the children. . . . The 

 introduction of a wider and more generally interesting course of instruc- 

 tion will, it is hoped, be a welcome relief from the continued repetition 

 of the restricted course of lessons, which has a tendency to become lifeless 

 and wearisome.' As an illustration may be quoted Scheme 5, for a boys' 

 school in a seaside town, in which the course for ' Elementally Science and 

 Common Things ' is thus set out : — ' Class V. to III. : A course of lessons 

 on marine animals and plants, on local rocks, pebbles, «fec. ; various sorts 

 of boats, ships, &c. ; lighthouses and lightships ; the local tides ; flags of 

 different nations, &c. Class II. : The magnet and compass ; practical 

 methods of finding the cardinal points ; apparent movements of sun and 

 moon ; measurement of sun's altitude by shadows. Class I. : Practical 

 measurements of areas and volumes ; lever ; pulley ; inclined plane ; 

 practical examples of parallelogram of forces and parallelogram of velo- 

 cities ; the chief constellations and the apparent movements of heavenly 

 bodies.' 



Since the issue of the Code for this year the Board of Education have 

 issued a minute establishing Higher Elementary schools. Higher-grade 

 schools, as they have usually been called, have grown up in all the large 

 industrial centres during the last twenty years or so, with the approval of 

 the Education Department, though questions have been raised as to the 

 right of School Boards to carry them on. All such doubts would Ije set 

 aside by working under the minute, which provides for a four-year course, 

 connnencing at a point equivalent to Standard V., and contemplating a 

 continuance of study up to fifteen yeai's of age. No definite scheme of 

 instruction is laid down in the minute, as that is to be regulated by ' the 

 circumstances of the scholars and the neighbourhood,' and the grants will 

 be assessed at the higher or lower scale according to ' the thoroughness 

 and intelligence with which the instruction is given, the sufficiency and 

 suitability of the staff, the discipline and organisation.' Though there are 

 some inconvenient restrictions which it may be found necessary to modify, 

 the effect of this minute should be in the direction advocated by your 

 Committee. 



This, however, will depend absolutely upon the will of the Managers 

 and the consent of the Board of Education, as the minute only provides 

 that ' the Managers of any school who desire such school to be recognised 

 as a Higher Elementary School must submit for the approval of the 

 Board before July 1 in any year proposals for a curriculum and time table, 

 and supply such other information as may be required by the Board.' In 

 contrast to this may be quoted the provisions of the Scotch Code for 

 Higher Grade Schools, which include the following : — ' Such schools or 

 departments may give an education which is either predominantly 



