MANY STUDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 7

MANY STUDENTS.

DOMESTIC SCIENCE. SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS. REPI/r TO AUCKLAND BOARD. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDDv, this day. Difficulty has been experienced by the Auckland Education Board in obtaining teachers of domestic science, and recently it was decided to make representations to the Education Department with a view to having the position remedied. At present the only training centre for these teachers is at Otago University and it was considered that this was largely the reason for the shortage. The Auckland board proposed that teachers sliould be trained at the Seddon Memorial Technical College or imported from Melbourne, where there was a surplus. Both proposals were scouted by I*rofessor Strong, of the domestic science faculty at Otago University, who said the shortage of home science teachers in Auckland was such that within the last fortnight letters had been received calling for not less than a dozen of the Otago graduates. During the past three years bursaries had been increased and each entering class had numbered not less than 50. Therefore there would shortly be plenty of home science graduates.

The number who come from the North Island is 59 out of the total of 136, or over 43 per cent. There are 10 North Island students ill the final year out of a total of 16. Further than that, South Island girls, contrary to the Auckland theory, have proved very eager to go to the North Island to take positions.

A proposition has been made to the Director of Education that students who arc within one year of graduation be allowed to go out and teach for a year before completing their course. Twentysix students had expressed their willingness to do this, and by the following year there would be a larger number coming on to take their places. If the Education Board were willing to appoint these young women next year there need be no fear of a shortage of teachers in the future. Already there were more than 50 applications from young women who wished to enter the school next year.