SCHOOL NEEDS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19111, 21 September 1927, Page 9

SCHOOL NEEDS.

INVESTIGATIONS BEING MADE. VISIT OF DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION. Th© Director of Education, Mr T. B. Strong, accompanied by tho Department's architects, Mr R. Savage, surived in Christchurch yesterday nioining to go into matters placed before the Department of Education bv the Canterbury Education Board, mainly concerning school accommodation in Canterbury.

Yesterday morning, Mr Strong met Messxs \V. A. Banks and W. id. Winsor (Board Members), Mr M. McLcod, t!usenior inspector, and tho principal ollieers of tho Education Board in an informal conference, which was held in committee. The main questions ditcussed were the provision of additional accommodation in overcrowded school* iu tho City, and the necessity for improvement in the alder buildings.

Yesterday afternoon Mr Strong made an inspection of several of the City schools where improvements or enlargements aro required, and also ©t sites for now schools.

A question to l>e discussed between Air Strong and tho principal of tho Teachers' Training College is that of providing improved facilities for the training of teachers in the management of country schools. Bearing this in view ( a model country school may be provided at tho Christchurch "West School. The Director will also investigate tho proposal to establish a second post-primary school or a technical high school in the City. The superintendent of Technical Education. Mr W. S. Latrobe, who has arrived from the north, will also enquire into this matter.

"It is quite impossible to meet all the requirements in the way of accommodation with the money at the Minister's disposal," said Mr Strong to a representative of Thh Prkss last evening. "It will be necessary, therefore, to concentrate on the most urgent requirements." Christchurch "West, said Mr Strong, had been made an associated normal school; consequently, the staff was specially selected. It was the intention of the Department to train teachers in the direction of country school work, and it was hoped to extend the soienco instruction in the Training College to include elementary agriculture.

The Syllabus Committee hoped to make a report early next year, said the Director. The Department was aiming to introduce grading; next year and had the new text books prepared for use in primary schools in 1929. Mr Strong will leave for the south to-day. He will return to Christchurch on Tuesday next.