June 21.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 947

The principal use of grammar is not to teach the art of
speaking and writing correctly; that art is acquired by
familiarity with good models, and by practice subject to
criticism and correction; and, with respect to the acquisi-
tion of the art, the function of grammar is the subordinate
function of criticism. The great value of grammar depends
on its character as a science of elementary logic, as a study
of the forms in which the processes of thought stand re-
vealed. In this aspect it plays a very important part in the
development of intelligence, and is pregnant with sugges-
tions that may guide the pupil into ways of philosophical
thought when his school-days are over. It is, moreover, a
science of classification, and among the classificatory
sciences it has this advantage: that there is no need to go
far afield to find the objects of it; they are accessible always
and to every one, being the thoughts of our own minds and
the words of our own lips. In grammar and analysis the In-
spector will employ, as tests or exercises, plain and straight-
forward sentences, usually short, and words that have quite
unambiguous functions.

In ARITHMETIC the tests of the work of any standard
should consist of easy examples of that work, and should
always comprise easy problems therein, excluding, except in
the Fifth and Sixth Standards, problems involving the use
of more than one principle; and exercises intended to test
skill and rapidity in the manipulation of figures should be
set only in parts of the subject that are certainly familiar
and easy to the pupil. In mental arithmetic, short methods,
depending on proportion—e.g., price per dozen is a shilling
for every penny each, 5 per cent. is a shilling in every pound
—are to be encouraged, but the work is not to be limited to
cases to which such methods are applicable.

In HISTORY the pupils will not be required to learn more
than about a dozen dates, or to answer questions on more
than about twenty-five persons and events for any one
standard; nor will they be expected to trace the remote
causes, or even to remember the proximate causes, of great
events. What is wanted is a clear view of a few prominent
persons and salient facts so exhibited as to afford glimpses
of the conditions in which our ancestors lived at successive
periods of our national history, and to establish in the mind
an outline that may be filled in by later reading. A child may
have a vivid idea of royal authority prone to excess, and of
the status of a baron, and of the political insignificance of
the common people at the beginning of the thirteenth
century, without knowing the contents of Magna Charta, or
all the incidents of feudal tenure. The manner in which the
whole outline is treated in the definition of history for
the Third Standard is an indication of the bold and general
treatment contemplated by the department in prescribing
periods for study in the later standards.

The ELEMENTARY SCIENCE prescribed in the syllabus is
called "elementary science" because that term is used in
"The Education Act, 1877": its scope is often misunder-
stood by critics of the Act and of the syllabus, who think
that the children are being "crammed with all the 'ologies.'"
But the term is to be taken as denoting such a knowledge of
conspicuous natural phenomena as constitutes a general
basis of the particular knowledge of separate sciences.
Children are capable of understanding why a scientific man
does not regard a whale as a fish, or a spider as an insect.
A few well-chosen experiments will suffice to give them a
definite idea of the difference between chemical combination
and mechanical mixture. A few other experiments with a
cheap and simple galvanic battery and an electro-magnet
will afford means of explaining to them in a very useful if
not a very complete way the operation of the electric tele-
graph. Instruction of this kind suited to their present stage
of development will serve to enlarge their conceptions of the
world and to quicken their intelligence—perhaps to stimulate
a profitable curiosity, and to create in some young minds a
bias towards scientific pursuits. Ohms and volts, atomic
weight, the vascular system, and such high matters in gene-
ral, are out of the reach of the ordinary primary-school
pupil, however desirable it may be that the teacher have
some real knowledge of them.

In examining in elementary science, or in the subject-
matter of object-lessons and natural-history lessons, or in
geography and history, the Inspector may, if the teacher
presents a book containing the notes of the lessons that have
been actually given, base his examination on the contents of
the note-book. He may also inspect any exercise-books in
which the pupils have entered composition exercises founded
on the lessons they have received on these subjects.

In GEOGRAPHY the Inspector may require the children to
point out on the map the places that they ought to know,
and this with respect not only to places named in their geo-
graphy lessons, but also with respect to places referred to in
the lessons on history, on animals, on natural products, and
on manufactures. The importance of bringing the several
parts of the school-course into mutual relation in this way
cannot be overestimated; the degree of success attained by
the principal teacher in his endeavours to establish such a

correlation of parts should weigh heavily with those who are
called upon to form an estimate of his skill and efficiency,
and upon it will depend in a high degree the development of
the intelligence of his pupils.

16. It is to be remembered that in many ways the exami-
    nation of a school has an important bearing on the morals
    of the children. They should be made to feel and under-
    stand that the Inspector is not a severe and frowning critic
    bent on probing their ignorance and finding opportunity to
    put them to shame, but that he comes as a courteous and
    gentle friend, who will use his best skill to put them at their
    ease, and will invite them to give him proof of their diligence
    and let him see what progress they are making; and they
    should be taught to despise all showy tricks and arts of
    evasion, to show themselves frank and simple, and to avoid
    everything that is not in accordance with the strictest prin-
    ciples of honour.

17. The syllabus of pass-subjects, class-subjects, and addi-
    tional subjects for each of the standards shall be the follow-
    ing:—

STANDARD I.

1. Pass-subjects.

Reading.—Short stories, fables, verses, &c., well within the
comprehension of the youngest readers, and not containing
rare words or long words. As a rule the words of more than
one syllable should be only such as are formed by inflection
from short words, or names of familiar objects—persons,
well-known animals, birds, rooms, meals, &c. The children
must be able to read the sentences with intonation indicat-
ing a sufficient grasp of the meaning.

Spelling.—Easy words of one syllable, and longer words in
most familiar use and of quite regular formation (sister, for
example, but not daughter).

Writing.—The small letters, short words, and the ten
figures, on slate, at dictation.

Arithmetic.—Counting, and oral addition by twos, threes,
fours, and fives, up to 100; numeration and notation to 999;
addition sums of not more than three columns; multiplica-
tion of numbers not exceeding 999 by 2, 3, 4, and 5; relative
values and chief aliquot parts of current English coins; and
relative lengths of the yard, foot, and inch. The numeration
must be applied to the addition and multiplication, and the
multiplication known to be a compendious method of addi-
tion. The Inspector should satisfy himself that, within the
limits of three places, the idea of the decimal notation is
fully established. The examination is not to be confined to
set sums, but must include concrete examples of a very
simple kind, such as—There are 14 children in one class and
19 in another: how many are there in the two classes? or,
John has 31 marbles and Thomas has just 4 times as many:
how many has Thomas? or, There are 20 shillings in a pound:
how many are there in £3?

Drawing.—Straight lines, rectilineal angles, simple recti-
linear figures, and patterns—as defined in Regulation 19.

2. Class-subjects.

Object and Natural-history Lessons.—A syllabus of the
year's work done to be given to the Inspector, who will
examine the class upon some object or objects selected from
the syllabus, or allow the teacher to examine.

3. Additional Subjects.

Comprehension of the Language of the Reading-lessons.

Repetition of Easy Verses.—Syllabus and test as for object-
lessons.

Singing.—A sufficient number of easy and suitable songs
in correct time and tune, and at a proper pitch.

Needlework and Drill.—See Regulations 24 and 11.

STANDARD II.

1. Pass-subjects:

Reading.—More difficult matter than is required for
Standard I., but still well within the comprehension of
ordinary children at the age of nine. The pupils will be ex-
pected to answer questions on the meaning of the more
difficult words in the passage read, but not to give strict
definitions. They will also be expected to show that they
have understood and that they remember the substance of
the same passage.

Spelling.—Words of one and two syllables, including words
containing silent letters or other peculiarities, and easy
words of three syllables.

Writing.—Short words, in copy-books, not larger than
round-hand. On slate: Capital letters and transcription
from reading-book of Standard II.

Arithmetic.—Numeration and notation of not more than
six figures; addition of not more than six lines, with six
figures in a line; short multiplication, and multiplication by
factors not greater than 12; subtraction; division by numbers
not exceeding 12, by the method of long division, and by
the method of short division; multiplication tables to 12
times 12; relative values and chief aliquot parts of the