478 report — 1879. 



by, or rather explaining, a series of experiments performed by the science instructor. 

 It then became necessary to determine whether the children should receive 

 instruction at their own schools or at certain fixed centres ; the latter method 

 would have greatly economised the time of the instructor and have diminished the 

 number of lessons required, while it would have allowed of somewhat more delicate 

 apparatus being used. In view, however,of the requirements of the Education Depart- 

 ment, that the ' attendances ' upon which a large share of the Government grant 

 depends, shall each be of two hours' continuous instruction, and of the importance 

 of having one or more of the teachers present at the demonstration, in order that 

 they may subsequently go over with the children the subject of each lecture, it was 

 decided to have the instruction given in each school separately. The system 

 followed was this. The science instructor prepared for each week a lesson in 

 mechanics for the boys of each of the two groups into which the schools of the 

 Board are divided, and in domestic economy for the girls of one of these 

 groups, that is, three lessons per week, of which each lesson necessitated a 

 different set of apparatus. The lessons to one group would be given during the 

 earlier, those of the other during the later days of the week. The requisite 

 apparatus was transported from school to school in a small hand-cart by a boy 

 specially employed for the purpose. By this means the instructor was enabled to 

 give four lessons each day, or twenty in the course of the week. In each school 

 the children in the three upper Standards (IV., V., and VT.) were during the first 

 year grouped together into one class for the purpose of this instruction, but after 

 the following examination by the Government inspector, when the children were 

 all moved a standard higher, and those who had previously formed Standard III. 

 entered on Standard IV., a second class became necessary. This increased the 

 number of lessons required in each week, and it became necessary to appoint an 

 assistant to the original science instructor, and now after the expiration of a second 

 year, and the formation of a third class in each school, a second assistant has been 

 required ; but, in the instruction of the later stages — when the children have been 

 already well grounded in the subject — a larger share is left to the ordinary 

 teachers of the school, so that the actual demonstrations given by the science in- 

 structor or his assistants in each school are as follows. Boys, Stage I., one lesson 

 per week ; boys, Stage II., one per fortnight ; boys, Stage III., one per month. 

 Girls, Stage I., one lesson per fortnight ; Stage II., one per fortnight; Stage III., 

 one per month. Although a large proportion of the demonstrations are now given 

 by the assistants, each lesson is still prepared by the science instructor, and is 

 actually delivered by him in one school in the presence of the assistant, who is 

 afterwards to give that lesson in other schools. The number of children now 

 under instruction is about 2700, and will shortly be 3,000. The cost to the 

 board has been about \00l. for the stock of apparatus, and about 470/. a year for 

 salaries to the instructor and his assistants. This amount is diminished by one 

 half the grant earned from Government, the other half being for each school paid 

 in equal proportions to the science instructor and the head teacher. The experi- 

 ment has so far been very successful, the demonstrations are extremely popular 

 with the children, and have made a perceptible increase in their intelligence, 

 especially among the elder children, and even more markedly among the girls 

 than the boys. 



4. Reformatory Punishment. By F. T. Mott, F.B.Q.S. 



The reformation of the criminal is the only basis of social punishment which is 

 consistent with the highest morality. Upon this principle the following system of 

 punishment is suggested, viz.: — 1. That the criminal, when convicted, should be 

 removed from those influences under which the crime has been committed, and 

 treated as a weak and selfish child. 2. That he should be detained for no definite 

 period, but until he has given evidence that he is not likely to commit crime again. 

 3. That prison discipline should consist in teaching every one to labour for the 

 benefit of the others, the principal test of reformation being the willingness to 

 sacrifice ease and comfort continuously for the good of others. 4. That Courts 



