TEACHING HOBBIES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31305, 27 February 1967, Page 19

TEACHING HOBBIES

Classes Cut Because of economies within the Education Department, no additional nonvocational or hobby classes will be authorised in the meantime. These classes are conducted usually at secondary schools and sometimes in intermediate schools and manual training centres in a big range of subjects ranging from elementary woodwork, pottery, and photography to hair-dressing, floral art, and physical fitness. Sometimes they are conducted by teachers on the staff and sometimes by outside tutors. The school provides the facilities and receives a capitation grant. The District Senior Inspector of Secondary Schools in Christchurch (Mr F. N. Wylde) said most schools had accepted the department’s ruling without complaint. Most had classes well established and these would not be affected. “The only classes ruled out are those in new subjects for the school concerned,” Mr Wylde said. Asked about complaints in Dunedin, he said it was unfortunate that some schools there had arranged new classes to start this year and the department had ruled that they must be cancelled. Mr Wylde said new schools in particular offered these classes as a service to their community. They were popular in new housing areas. The department knew how many people enjoyed them. However, he said, the number of new classes- which could not at present be authorised was small compared with those in action. The department had also asked that strict control should be made to ensure that all existing classes reached the numbers required to qualify.