HIGH SCHOOL AND TECHNICAL CLASSES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 7932, 14 December 1909, Page 4

HIGH SCHOOL AND TECHNICAL CLASSES.

Speaking at the last meeting of the Board of Managers of the Ashburton Technical Classes Association, Mr C. Reid expressed dissatisfaction with the leisurely way in which the _Education Board is moving in the direction of getting a grant for a new Technical School for Ashburton. He found fault with the present educational authority, and said the time had. come when this county should be constituted a separate education district

After Mr Reid had spoken, Mr Joshua Tucker said it was his belief

that before very long there would be a change in the,administration of technical schools which wmild ceaae to exist as separate-institutions, and the instruction now' being given in cookery, dress-making, etc., would form part of the curriculum of High Schools. This would mean the abolition of Technical Associations, and this class of instruction would come under the supervision and controj of High School Boards. ; In speaking to a reporter after the meeting, Mr Tucker said he felt sure that the change would come, and he referred to a passage in the last seport of the Inspector-General, which seemed to bear out his conclusions. It has been known for some time past that educational authorities have advocated a change, but how far it will be possible for secondary or high schools to give what is known as technical instruction is a difficult question to answer, and some, no doubt, would look askance at such a proposal. Nevertheless, there are advantages which ought to be considered. For instance, Mr Tucker points out that comparatively few of the pupils attending primary schools are eligible for technical instruction —merely a percentage of those in the higher standards. He did not add, but he might have done so, that these boys were so young that it is very questionable whether the benefits received from attending; the technical classes compensated for the loss of time from their ordinary schoolwork. Then, again, said Mr Tucker, boys so young cannot leave the day school unless they are accompanied by a teacher, whose presence is necessary merely for the preservation of discippline. A large percentage of the High School pupils attended one or other of the technical classes, and here again a; teacher's time might be sacrificed during their absence. From an economic point of view, it was obvious that it would be a great advantage to combine the two schools into one, which, of course, would be open in any or all of its branches to those who fulfilled the conditions imposed, whatever they might be. Rooms at the High School would have to be fitted up for giving instruction in cookery, wood-work, dressmaking, agricultural science, and so on; but many of the subjects would already be provided for, such as English, commercial arithmetic, shorthand, painting, and others. On the score of economy, the change has much to commend it. Of course there would have to be separate provision made for such classes as could not be dealt with at the High School, and a distinct techni cal school would still be needed, per haps for such subjects as wool-sorting etc