TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20412, 5 December 1931, Page 9

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

- —« AN ANNIVERSARY. TWENTY-FIVE years OF GROWTH. HISTORY OF CIIRISTCHURCH TECHNICAL COLLEGE. (SPBCIALLT WRITTEN FOR THE THESS.)

[By Dr. D. E. Hansen, M.A., M.So , Director.]

I To an educational institution in the OJd World, twenty-tive years may seem a brief period, but to ono in our Dominion it is a suitable timo to contemplate its growth, both in retrospect and prospect. It was on June 7th. 1901, that the matter of lorming technical classes in Christchureh Was tirst mooted. On that date tlio Industrial Association of Canterbury (now known as tho Manufacturers' Association) set up a sub-com-mittee to consider tlie question, and at a subsequent meeting papers were read by five members, who wero asked to formulate a schemo. At a conference held in February, 1902, it was argued that a technical school was required' for boys between their passing standard six and their catering more advanced classes at Canterbury College. Two who 6trongly favoured tho establishing of such a school were Mr T. Hughes, then of Waltham, and Mr G. T. Booth of the well-known firm ot engineers. Owing largely to the persistence ol Mr Minsun, a Technical Education Board Was formed in November, 11)02. The Education Board offered the use of tho South Belt site, but the gi"' was not accepted. Eventually two rooms were engaged, one at the Richmond School and the other at the old . Sydenham Borough Council Chambers. The first advertisement ran, '.'Evening Continuation Classes will be commenced on Thursday, April lGth; 1903, .at Richmond School, and tlio old Borough Council Chambers, Sydenham. Subjects:—Mensuration, Algebra, Geometry. Arithmetic; Fees: 3s Gd each class." The first instructors wore Messrs S. C. Owen. I. E. Newton, G. Lancaster, and A. S. Taylor. ' j

; A Beginning in Victoria Hall. Meanwhile the Technical Association rented Victoria Hall, where partitions wore erected and five rooms prepared for classes. The response was gratifying, bo much so that some classes had to be taught in corridor?. For the next two years difficulties arose over the questions o"f finance, site for a'school, and the control of the classes. Regarding the site, it is on record that the managers wanted accommodation near Cathedral squarel The managers resigned in August, 1904, as ( a protest against building the new school on the South Belt site. For a time the classes languished, numbers fell off, and nobody seemed willing 1o assume control of technical education, The. Education Board, the City Conn-, cil, and the Canterbury College Board of Govcrriofs all in turn declined the honour and responsibility. ' A . Site on the Belt. ! i When things arc at their worst they began, to mend. The outcome of a conference held in. October, 1905, was j that the/half-acre site on the Belt was accepted, a Board of Managers was elecled, £IOOO was accepted from the Government for buildings, and shortly after, (in January, 1906) the first Director, Mr J. H. Howell, was appointed. Fresh life was infused into thq movement. The foundation stone of the

new building was laid by the lion, George Few Ids on November 2nd, .1900, in the presence of a distinguished group, and in July of the following year the day school was opened with a roil number of 60! The Board, lee!* iug that half an acre was not sufficient lor future needs, asked lor, and was granted, an additional acre from the South belt seliool ground. Again, :n 1923, the "old" school (one oi tlio oldest in Canterbury) was taken over; later still, in 1927, thr(jo-quarters of an acre between the old school and Fyfo . street were added. Even with these additions the term "playground" -is a misnomer when 1000 .pupils seek space to move about. A Modest Forecast. At the opening of the 'technical High School, Mr Howell told tho assembled gathering that be looked forward to the time-when there would be -■" A) pupils in attendance. On the lirst day (.July, ,1907) there were 50, on tho second BY, and at the end of tho year 100 Since "that date the roll number hfs grown steadily and for several years it has been above 1000. It certainly appears that the school satisfied a definite need in the educational life of our City. Of the instructors of 1907 Mr W. Bridge and Miss Berk are still teaching boy and girls to make "things useful." In 1907 tho Assembly Hall was added to the building as a memorial to Hjchard .John Seddon, during whose regime free secondary education was granted to tho youth of New Zealand. On tho wall a tablet is placed setting out some, of tlie services rendered by the Dominion's famous Premier. This hall is now inadequate for the numbers of students' in attendance; .juniors assemble in it and (ill it three mornings per week and seniors do tho same on the remaining two mornings. This lack of workshops was felt acutely, and to supply tho deficiency the engineering' iliop was added in 1908,' the plumbers' and blacksmiths' shops in 1910, tho top storey was added in 1911, and tho northern wing of the, main building was built in tho same year. In tho following year the southern wing was built facing Moorhou.se avenue. This was extended recently (1929) by tho addition of two rooms—the lower one for science, tho upper for typewriting.

Domestic Science. Vor uiaiiy years tlic School of Domestic Instruction opened by -Mrs K. Gard'ner in 1895. was carried on in a schoolroom in Manchester street, but in lull tfio control of this school was transferred to the Board of Governors of the Technical College, rho classes in domestic subjects were ■removed to the northern wing of our building.in 1912. ft is here tlint the "Home Science" girls learn to cook unci sew. and ■to do tho many other 'operations that _ tend to render lifo easier and happier for all concerned. It is hero that mothers (and others) congregate- on parents' days to see how things arc done, and to pick up ,:i tew iiinta with a view to experiments'on "reaching''home. Mfss Heck, the head of tho Homo Scfehco Department, hii.s been ono of the staff since 1907, and served her aj!)preniiceship under Mrs ' Gard'ner.-.■ Her advice and judgment are often in demand''for -functions, both within and without tho college. , Mrs Gard'ner camo as head of the I Home Science Department, and did noble work until June, 1916, when failing health compelled her to resign. She, "tho'power behind the throne." was chiefly instrumental in the establishment of the Giris' Hostel, where girls receivo training in all branches ot housecraft. It was fitting that in 1927 a tablet was erected in the hall of t|ie Girls' Hostel to the memory of Mrs Gard'nw, tho first principal, and the Mrs Gnrd'ner Memorial Scholarships were also established from a fund contributed by friends and old students.

Tho late Mrs Gard'ner and ber colleague and successor, Miss Beck, must be regarded as having done outstanding work in bringing homo science to the .important position that it holds in the curriculum for the education of girls in this country, Mr W. Bridge, another of the original instructors., at the opening of the College, is still regarded in tho cabinetinaking trade as one of tho best craftsmen in tho Dominion, and the work done by his senior students «gives pleasure every year to those who are privileged to see the work of his classes. Girls' Hoste'l. In 1910 it was proposed to erect the Girls' Hostel on a field of 12 acres in Ensor's road, part of which is now in lawn, part in kitchen garden, and tho largest portion of which is used as playing fields for boys and girls, both during school years and in ,the years that follow. When Lieutenant Shackletony afterwards Sir 'Ernest Shacklcton, returned from his Farthest South Expedition earljr in, 1909 ho donated onehalf of tho proceeds of his lecture irt the Canterbury Hall as a nucleus to the fund for tho erection of the hostel. The ladios organised n bazaar, which brought in nearly £4OO, others gave' generously, and the Government subsidised pound for. pound. The building was finished and opened in 1913 by the Hon. J?, il.' Rhodes, Postmaster-' General. The first athletic spo.rts meeting of the College was hold at Lancaster Park, in 1011; since Ensor's-road was acquired tho annual sports are held there, and among outstanding performances may be,noted the ,half-mile won by A. A. Smith in 2min ,4 2-ssec at tho interschool sports in 1925, and the • school mile of 1931 (400 starters') won by C. 11. Matthews from scratch in 4min 37scc. In tho sports of the College boys are allowed to choose the game they like best; This policy has become traditional; may it, long continue 1 That famous philosopher, Mark Twain, argues in his story of the white-washed fence that an operation may be sport when we are free to take it up or drop it, but that it becomes work when compulsion is resorted to. In winter our boys may play hockey, Rugby or Association football; .in the summer tqpinis or cricket.. Our Rugby teams haVe as a rule more than their share of success. On the wall of our Assembly Hall there is the photograph pf a team that played 28 matches without draw or defeat. Loss of Mr Howell. In 3919 Mr Howell accepted the position of Principal of the Wellington Technical College and severed his official connexion with the Christchurch College. Only those ivbo worked with him during the early years of technical .education in Christchurcirknow of the zfeal and patience shown in a trying time. It was the spirit of Unwearying devotion and self-sacrifice which directly and indirectly influenced both hjs .staff and students. V But Mr Howell hag had the satisfaction of seeing the results of his arduous twelve years'spent in pioneer work. He.- came ' to TJew-" Zealanif at a time; when .the term "technical'' education" was" little more,, tbiji a term. He- saw the Cdllege grow surprisingly, and hasf

tlio satisfaction ot! knowing that most of the largo technical colleges of the 31>oiiiiition have been and are presided over by men trained by him. The year will be remembered lor the extended Now Year vacation, owing to ail outbreak of infantilo paralysis. The closing of tho schools probably prevented the spread of the epidemic, and to avoid too great a break in the students' work a correspondence system was initiated, which served in lieu of something better. Undoubtedly it taught many students the vaino of self-reliance, the practice of which is often discounted when the teacher is present to do most .of tho thinking. On November 4th of the sanie year tlie College wa,s visited by their Excellencies Sir Charles Ferguson, Gover-nor-General of our Dominion, and Lady Ferguson. The visitors wero much interested in a survey of the claw-rooms and workshops, and his Excellency, speaking to the assembled school, gave one of the most thoughtful addresses that the writer has had tlio pleasure of listening to. A War Memorial. At Ihe close of the Great War in 19 J 8 it was felt that a hall would be fitting memorial to the old boys who fell in the cause of King and Country. A committee was set up to consider ways and means; money was collected and raised by means of bazaars, etc.; plans were got out, framed copies of Ii it'll rail he seen in Room 11. Besides the Assembly Hall itself, the plans provide for cloak-rooms, supperrooms, and cl,uhrrooins for the various sports' bodies among the old students. In 1923 the fund stood at £5220, but as AT 2,000 was aimed at it was thought best to "hasten slowly." It & intended that the. hall be built on part el the site of the "old school," and until a second school is provided for those desiring technical education tho Governors cannot see how to do without the four rooms numbered 21 to 24. 'lho fund now totals £13,000. Reference has been made to the plots on which the agriculture classes receive practical work in the cultivation of plant life. Several years ago a Section of 16 acres was acquired at Papanui for the erection of a school building that would ease tho pressure on the main school in Barbadoes street. Plans and specifications have been prepared more than once, but so far the building has not materialised. The ground acquired gives more scope for agricultural boys in their practical work, as it is now worked as a model small-holding. In 1927, tho Board of Governors appointed to the staff Mr G. M. Keys, .whose time is divided nearly equally between teaching and the work of vocational guidance. This is popularly understood as the placing of boys in positions at tho close of their school days, but among experts the emphasis is placed upon , the testing of boys to find their potentialities, and upon t.hci* training on lines to develop th<j same. (To be continued on . Monday.).