The Institute has given most of its time and directed most of its energy to this work.

(a) First Introduction of Class Subjects.

When the Institute was first formed, the whole of the subjects of instruction were, treated as individual or pass subjects. In 1885, at the suggestion of the Institute, the principle of class examination was first introduced into the syllabus. The Secretary of the Institute drew up a full statement of all the reasons that could be advanced in favour of class examination, and sent it to the Minister for Education, Sir R. Stout. In the first place, the important principle was extended to history only, and in part to geography.

(b) Grouping of different Standards in small Schools.

Later, the representations of the Institute to the Education Department had the effect of securing for the teachers of small schools the liberty to group different standards in certain subjects of instruction. It is scarcely necessary to point out that this change afforded considerable relief to teachers in small schools.

(c) Three Years' Course in Elementary Science to be prepared by Teachers themselves.

Still more recently liberal provision was made for the better teaching of science in schools, by allowing teachers themselves to prepare a three years' course of lessons.

(d) Recent Modifications of the Syllabus.

It is scarcely necessary to say that the recent interview with the Hon. W. P. Reeves, Minister for Education, was the means of securing beneficial modification in the standards of education. It may be advisable to re-state these in succinct form :—(1) That Grammar has been made a class subject in all the standards except the fourth; (2) that the Geography of Standards III. and V. has been very considerably reduced in amount; (3) that the principle of stricter definition takes the place of vague enumeration; (4) that in the matter of History a period of a hundred years has been excised from Standard VI., and permission given to teachers to make a selection of events in each period upon which the examination may be based. In connection with this branch of the page 14 Institute's work, your Committee would call to mind that it has been the consistent aim of the Institute from first to last to try and educate the public to the pernicious effects of "passes" and "percentages." When individual passes and percentages were most in favour with the public and the inspectorate, the Institute was offering strenuous opposition to the whole system.

(e) Provision for Excepting Irregular Pupils.

Previous to 1885, the Regulations of the Education Department made no provision for excepting pupils who attended irregularly. All failures were counted against the teacher of the school in which the pupil was examined. At the suggestion of the Institute a provision was introduced by Sir Robert Stout, then Minister for Education, making exceptions of those pupils who failed, but who had not made more than half the number of attendances during the three quarters preceding that in which the examination was held.