Shield was won by the pupils of the Wolseley School (Mr. D. S. Michell, Principal). The Birks Trophy went to the Salisbury School (Miss Ruth Richardson, Teacher). This latter school also holds the diploma for good discipline in the inspectorate.

PATRIOTIC
WORK

The science and art of making things grows in favour and forms of useful handwork are seen in most schools. The schools have played an honourable part in contributing to patriotic demands and in forwarding supplies of school-made garments and comforts to their brothers on "the blood-red fields" of France. The Centennial School (Mr. J. W. Doubleday, Principal), turned over to the Patriotic Fund $300 in cash alone; and a generous part has been carried out in this line by the pupils of Selkirk and other schools.

Domestic science is yet in its infancy, but its educational possibilities are unquestionable. The hot lunch feature meets with general approval from the parent, the teacher, and the trustee. The following statements culled from papers read before a convention of trustees and teachers at Stonewall were endorsed by the meeting:

meal."

DOMESTIC

"Every child is entitled to and needs a warm mid-day "The practice of keeping children in school all day with nothing more nourishing than the contents of the old-fashioned lunch-pail is not conducive SCIENCE AND to good health." "The nutritive value of the hot lunch is not its only recommendation. Under proper supervision the children learn to plan and

THE HOT

LUNCH

Practical Arts and Fine Arts receive attention at Glenwood School.

The Glenwood Trustees are J. Wiggins, R. E. Gunn, G. G. Brighton.

Domestic Science Class (Miss Irene Best, Instructor), Gunton School.

The Trustees are W. G. Dickie, J. C. Fraser, Henry Anderson,
T. W. Jefferson (Sec. -Treas.)

prepare their own lunch, a sense of responsibility is established, and the problem of noon-hour discipline is simplified if not completely solved." "Every school should have a kitchen and a workable supply of cooking utensils."

SCHOOL
GARDENS

While the best and most effective garden activities are connected with village and town schools, some attempts are made in nearly all schools to develop the pupils through the medium of self-made environments. Among the suburban schools particularly a keen rivalry exists with creditable material results. Win-the-war gardens are the order of this year, the proceeds to be given for patriotic purposes. Last year the honours in gardening were won by the Kitchener School, East Kildonan (Miss Daisy Jackson, Teacher.) It may be added that this school has the honour of being the best kept and most attractive schoolroom in the division.

SCHOOL
FAIRS

As a generator of enthusiasm and school current, the School Fair and Boys' and Girls' Clubs lead all the rest. Our final fairs held at St. Louis, Selkirk, St. Vital, Gunton, and Kildonan were well attended and the exhibits much admired. The exercises in composition and book-keeping in this connection were of unusual excellence.

The appointment of directors for municipal field days is a stride toward efficiency. Our larger schools and not a few of the smaller ones are being equipped with suitable apparatus. Teachers are discovering that school play as well as school work should be educative. To this end play is being organized and supervised by the teacher. And thus:

FIELD DAYS

"Our little lives are kept in equipoise

By opposite attractions and desires;
The struggle of the instinct that enjoys

BUILDINGS,
NEW AND OLD

And the more noble instinct that aspires."

Through the good offices of the Special School Organizer new buildings have been supplied at Rosedale, Prout, and Plum Ridge. A fine two-room stone building, with basement, etc., has gone up at Clandeboye. Norris has projected a kitchen and community extension and furnished it with cook-stove and full set of utensils. The village of Teulon has just completed a new building at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars. Two-room schools are a great convenience in rural districts. There are seventy-five school buildings in the division, forty-two single-room schools and thirtythree others with from two to eight rooms. The total number of class rooms is one hundred and fifty-seven. Of the singleroom schools three-fourths are in fairly serviceable condition. A forward movement in this department is much to be desired and a more opportune time could hardly be expected. School

accommodation and equipment should in a measure keep pace with the prosperity of the community.

Ill fares the land to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates and schools decay.

Although the demand for home help has been exceptional this year, there has been no falling off in attendance. In fact, the attendance far exceeds the capacity of the schools and the staff employed, except in a very few instances.

ATTENDANCE

The too frequent change of teacher is still a great drawback to the work. The offer of more generous salaries and inducements in other provinces lures away many of our brightest teachers. The moral is

FREQUENT
CHANGE OF
TEACHERS
obvious.

School management is on the whole fairly efficient. In some cases the trustees visit their school regularly in turns, have frequent conferences with their teachers, and give the teachers a

reception occasionally. Some of the ablest and THE TRUSTEES most practical talks I have heard at teachers' conventions this year were given by trustees. Without any intention of reflecting on the management of the schools, I am persuaded that it is highly advisable that the mothers should be represented on the school board. A little plain housekeeping in the schools would not be out of order.

The sympathy and assistance extended by the various sections of your Department have been very greatly appreciated.

Respectfully submitted,

E. E. BEST.