MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. President: Rev. L. CURTIS, M.A., D D. Vice-Presidents: W. W. BLACKALL, Esq., B.A. Rev. Canon BOLT, M.A. V. P. BURKE, Esq., M.A., LL.D. G. HOUSE, Esq. C. H. HUTCHINGS, Esq. J. M. KENT, Esq., B.A., K.C. W. F. LLOYD, Esq., LL.B., D.C.L. E. LODGE, Esq. Rt. Rev. Monsgr. MCCARTHY, V.G. Rev. P. V. STRAPP. Rev. S. J. WHELAN, D.D. J. W. WITHERS, Esq. All communications to be addressed to ANDREW WILSON, Secretary and Registrar, Colonial Building, EXAMINERS' REPORTS. Primary Grade. ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND SPELLING. The criticism and commendation of last year's report will apply to the papers of this year; with these differences-that the faults and deficiencies are much less general and much less marked, while the excellences are much more so. The standard of work is much higher than last year. There are most pleasing indications of good teaching; on the other hand there is a small number of sets where the want of it is also apparent. For the benefit of the latter, attention must again be drawn to the importance of learning the right use of stops and capital letters, in the Composition, and in Spelling and Grammar papers. Of the work of some candidates I can hardly speak too highly; and I think congratulations and commendation are due, for the high standard exhibited in so large a number of papers and over such a wide range of locality. ENGLISH LITERATURE. There was a distinct improvement in style, and more attention. has evidently been paid to punctuation. The answers were often very neatly written and well arranged. Many candidates wrote so fully on Rip van Winkle that they had little time for anything else, and others wasted time by copying out the questions. The spelling was often very defective, and the word thought was almost always written. taught. A curious use of the word where to introduce a final clause was also common. Greater accuracy is desirable in the passages learnt by heart. HISTORY. The results of this year's Examination show a satisfactory improvement when compared with those of 1913. There was a marked improvement in the spelling and handwriting, and on the whole the general standard attained was higher than it was last year. The experiment of setting the questions on definite textbooks has no doubt made the paper easier, but there is a real improvement in the work. About half the scholars knew something of local Newfoundland History, and some of the answers were exceedingly good. danger of such textbooks as were used is that they give little or no attention to dates, and it is clear from most of the papers that notions of chronology were very hazy in the minds of most of the scholars. GEOGRAPHY, The In last year's report it was stated that "the irrelevancy of some answers was astonishing. Confusion existed between latitude and longitude, east and west, isthmus and strait. Some candidates did not number their answers." All these faults still continue, and to them must be added that about one-third of the candidates answered more questions than the five allowed; in fact, some attempted every question, and in consequence invariably failed. The spelling, grammar, and composition of most suggest that the candidates are at a lower stage of education than children of eleven or twelve years of age in England. Many do not employ capital letters for proper names or even at the beginning of an answer. The letters p and v, 66 66 d and t, the words "has" and "as," "his" and "is," ‘the ” and "they," sea" and "see,' a " and "an," present and past tenses, singulars and plurals, are commonly interchanged. The kind of answers sometimes given is illustrated by the following answers to the question, "Why was St. John's made the capital of Newfoundland ?": "Because discovered on St. John's Day" (frequent); "St. John the Baptist was baptized there"; "St. John first landed there"; "Discovered before n.f.l.d." "Nearest place to N.F.L.D."; "First land sighted"; "Could not get another"; "1st inhabited by good people"; "Centre of |