PARENTS' DAY

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20997, 27 October 1933, Page 18

PARENTS' DAY

I INSPECTION of technical ! COLLEGE DISPLAY OP PUPILS' WORK The opportunity of visiting Christchurch Technical College inspecting the classrooms and saW*. of the handwork taught there taken by a large number of parent! of pupils and friends of the colW yesterday. ® On entering the main door, the visi tor was at once taken in charge bv a ~ cheerful, smiling pupil and escorted round the various buildings. The hall was the chief attraction, for there had been assembled examples of the work done in the college. First in order was the produce of the gardening class. Choice appfc and vegetables were on view and samples 'of lucerne, seeds, etc., testified to the excellent work that was be! ing done. Engineering: and Woodwork. The woodwork and carpentering die plays were interesting. Carved wood in intricate designs, easy chairs tta common kitchen chair, and various other articles of furniture were on show and a close examination showed that the workmanship was of an ex tremely high order. The ironwork, plumbing, and eneineering section was exceptionally strong, both numerically and in the quality of the work. All of the articles were of fine finish and some of "the machinery would have compared very favourably with that made by a qualf. fled tradesman. The work books of the commercial students were open for examination—not at a page. Drawing-books and posters also showed the range of the ' work taught. A case containing model I aeroplanes and parts was a centre ol attraction, and the care displayed in ! the making of the five sections of the i models called for praise from the visitors. Work of the Girls. A large stall on one side of the hall was used for the display of needlework—dresses, table centres, dressing table sets all had a prominent place, and the quality of the work was generally praised. On the other side was shown a very tempting array of goods I that came from the cafeteria and this I department was closely inspected by j the womenfolk, who classed the goods :as excellent. At intervals during the j | afternoon and again at night, mannequin parades were held, pupils of the ' i dressmaking classes displaying dresses and coats which they had made for ! themselves. Gymnastic displays outside and physical drill in the hall showed that the health of the pupils was not overlooked. The precision with which the squads carried out their work received general praise. Director's Welcome. The Director of the College (Dr. D. E. Hansen) briefly welcomed the visitors. The examples of the work which were on show had not been specially selected, he said, but were fair samples of the work which was being done in the classrooms. Doubt was sometimes expressed whether the work was that of pupils, but the practice of the col- * lege was that trades should be taught by tradesmen and that commercial subjects should be taught in accord- | ance with commercial practice. He in- L vited the visitors to visit the class. | rooms to see for themselves the con- | ditions under which their children | were taught and he expressed the hope | that the women would visit the engi- f neering shops and that the men wbuld inspect the domestic science rooms. He also mentioned that the day pupils numbered between 1100 and 1200, and that there were upwards of 2000 pupils \ j attending the evening classes. i| The director's invitation was freely I f accepted and the members of ,the staff L and the pupils did all in their_power j ; to make the visitor acquantea wta the work of the college.