REFRESHER COURSE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 22, 5 November 1938, Page 4

REFRESHER COURSE.

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS. « TRAINING AT ASHBURTON. #. A comprehensive refrqsher course of training for primary school teachers in the Ashburton County was commenced at the Borough School yesterday. About 70 men and women teachers attended the course, which concluded this morning. Five educationists from Christchurch were present to give lectures. The visiting tutors were welcomed by Mr S. G. Macfarlane (chairman of the Refresher Course Committee) and Mr Stanley Smith (local member of the Education Board) gave a short address, in which he stressed the value of this kind of training. The teachers divided into five groups and were addressed in rotation by the lecturers. Miss R. Macalister (adviser to infant and kindergarten departments) spoke on infant school methods; Mr T. B. J. Donnelly (Christchurch Normal School) on reading, concentrating on the treatment of backward children; Mr R. K. King (East Christchurch Schoool), after introducing the subject of hand-work, gave a lecture on arts and crafts; Mr H. J. Mackio (Spreydon) outlined the method of teaching cane-work, and Mr E. J. Davison (Woolston) discoursed on the instruction of weaving.

A social was held last evening, when 54 teachers were present. Mr Macfarlane presided, and made a presentation to each of the. visiting lecturers. Items were given as follow: Vocal solos, Mrs H. A. Barnett and Mir A. T. Zeigler; violin solo, Mr T. McLauchlan; humorour monologue, Miss L. J. Robinson; play reading, Misses Gardner and Cookson and Messrs Gower, Zeigler and Cadwallader. Miss Parson was the producer of the play and Miss Olive Beck was the accompanist. A most enjayable function concluded with supper.

The lectures were continued this morning, when the second stages of the various subjects were treated.