DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18942, 5 March 1927, Page 14

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION.

1 MR T. B, STRONG APPOINTED. [THE PRESS Speclil Service.] WELLINGTON, March 1. Tlie appointment was announced today by the Public Servico Commissioner of Mr T. B. Strong to bo Director for Education. The appointment is strongly approved by the Minister for Education (the Hon. Mr Wright), who states that be is satisfied Mr Strong will prove to be an efficient and capable director. . Born in London in 18/1, Mr Strong came to New Zealand with his parents as a child, and the family settled at Waimate, where Mr Strong received his early oducntion at the District H igh School. He then attended Otago University. Like many other teachers ho secured the university degree of B.A. by studying while teaching at a public school, and he continued at the university for the M.A. and B.Sc. degrees. His first appointment in the service of education was as a pupil teacher at the Waimate District High Sohool, and ho senved in several capacities as a teacher under tho South Canterbury Education Board. Subsequently he was removed iu 1901 to Gisborne as first assistant. In 1902 he took charge of the newly-established secondary department of the Wangonui District High School, and from that liosition he was appointed ii\ 1901 Inspector of Schools under the Wanganui Education Board. At thnt time he waa tho youngest' man who bad. been appointed to the Inspectorate. His experience was broadened while ho was at the Wanganui High School by the fact that he was also in charge of the scienco and commercial department of the Technical School... Tn 1915 Mr Strong was appointed senior in chargo of ib© Wnnganui Education District, nnd in 1920, when the new position of Chief Inspector Primary Schools for New Zealand was created he was selected to fill it. Last October Mr Strong was appointed Assistant Director for Education. As inspector and organiser in tho Wanganui district he was tho first'to introduce the Montessori system of instruction, and was.instrumental, in having education officers sent abroad for experience in that new phase of teaching work. He was also responsible for the organising teacher system. Mr Strong was associated with the initiation and development of vocational training in agriculture. Since he entered the Department's service he has introduced and organised the system of instruction by correspondence and other reforms with which Mr Strong has been directly concerned tire the organisation of the system of exchange of teachers, the introduction and organisation of the 6ystem of special classes for sub-normal children, tho introduction of the systom of supplementary model schools for the training of country teachers, the organisation of the present method of dealing with teachers' appeals against classification or grading, and the introduction of more modern methods of inspection and examination in primary schools. He also set on foot the "Education Gazette."