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Catholic boy who goes to Kingston. Rev. H. F. Kirton, of the Grove 

 Church gives religiousinstruction to the boys once a week. 



Several visits have been made to the school. His Excellency Sir 

 Henry Blake's personal coneern for the welfare of the boys being well 

 known. The Official Visitors have been : — Honbles. Fred. Evans, 

 (Col. Secy.), W. Fawcett, T. Capper, Dr. J, Pringle, their Lordships the 

 Bishop of Jamaica and Bishop Gordon, His Honour Justice W. Hynd- 

 man Jones, Rev. H. H. Isaacs, and James Verley, Esq. On different 

 Public Holidays Mr. and Mrs. Cradwick have kindly prepared treats for 

 the boys, besides supplying them with Magazines, etc., all of which, 

 have been much appreciated. An interesting volume of " Stories of 

 Boy-Life" was also presented through them by Mr. Newstead, late 

 Superintendent of the Water Works. 



I have, &c, 



A. J. Hopwood, Master-in-Charge. 



Agricultural Students in Hope Gardens. 



It has been suggested that an agricultural course should be instituted 

 at University College, and that part of the practical training should be 

 given to the students in the Hope Gardens. 



The success of any such scheme depends altogether, I believe, on the 

 practical work. 



If the education of the present day has to some extent failed, it has 

 done so in so far as it has depended solely on books and mere oral in- 

 struction. Such exclusive dependence is not wise even for literary 

 culture, but should be combined with the training of hand, eye, and the 

 whole body, in order to turn out men and women fit for their work in 

 the world. 



It is a question whether it matters very much what this practical 

 training consists of, so long as it is based on sound theoretical principles. 

 But if it can be made the foundation for the child's life-work after- 

 wards, he starts with this double advantage over children who have 

 learnt from books 



In this island, the practical training should be almost universally one 

 in agriculture. 



If so, it is even more important that the teachers of elementary schools 

 should have a thorough training in this respect than those who are going 

 to be actually engaged in agricultural work ; for the latter get their 

 training somehow and after a fashion, whereas the others who have to 

 teach, cannot find the time, even if they had the inclination. 



If this be granted, provision should be made that students in 

 training colleges should spend the last year of their course in practical 

 work at Hope with the regular agricultural students ; or, perhaps 6 

 months of their second year, and 6 months of their third year. 



In either case the end of their course should be the practical work, 

 partly to correct the tendency to bookishness, and partly to send them 

 fresh from such work to their duties in school where the practical 

 should be considered the more important side of education. 



What then should be the course of training in agriculture at Hope ? 

 The danger that I foresee, — the rock on which it may split, is in making 

 the course a oollegiate one rather than a practical training. This may 



