High School was opened in 1871, Mr. Hutton's services were also secured for that institution. For a number of years Mr. Hutton and his assistants gave lessons in the District Schools of Dunedin and suburbs, and in some of the District High Schools, but this has been discontinued owing to so many schools being now in operation, and the consequent inability of the staff to overtake the work, except at a rate of expenditure beyond the means of the Education Board. In 1876, the School of Art was provided with an excellent suite of rooms on the upper floor of the Normal School building, consisting of a very large general drawing-class room, a painting room, a cast room, a modelling room, master's room, store room, lavatories, &c. In all these arrangements Mr. Hutton's views and wishes were consulted.
The original scheme of instruction has been adhered to almost without a change. From the very outset Mr. Hutton has devoted himself to his work with rare enthusiasm, ability, and diligence, and with distinguished success. The benefit conferred by Mr. Hutton's labours on the large numbers who have successively attended his classes is really incalculable. Probably no class of students has profited to a larger extent than that of the apprentices and other youths, who in considerable numbers have attended the evening classes. Not a few of them, owing to the taste and skill developed by such attendance, are now occupying positions of usefulness and responsibility, for which they would not otherwise have been qualified. Employers of skilled labour in Dunedin and elswhere have borne testimony to this result. Many of the High School pupils, and the students of the ladies' afternoon classes have attained very considerable proficiency in drawing and painting, and a number of them have gained no small distinction. Probably the most distinguished ex-students of the school are Miss Mary Park, Miss Sperrey (now Mrs. Mair), and Miss M. Hartley.
The evening classes meet from seven till nine o'clock. Mondays and Wednesdays are given to freehand and model drawing, shading and painting in monochrome from the antique, modelling in clay and casting, painting in oil and water colours. Tuesdays and Thursdays are devoted to the study of practical plane and solid geometry, and mechanical and architectural
