TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 773, 23 March 1910, Page 4

TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

MR.: GRAY'S REPORT. -IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS. ' ' The total number of students enrolled ■' at' the;,' Wellington Training College , -' during 1909-was 93—from Wellington ? 34, .Wanganui 29, .■•Hawke's Bay . 13, Nelson 5, Taranaki 3; 'Marlborough'.3, : ' Grey. ■4;"so;were ••; of'the first, and.43.!of "the second !ye'a^; '■■' 60 of Division A, 30 of Division B,; 2 ■■"• of Division C, and 1 admitted under . Clause 11; 20 were men, , and 73 women, ■ The Education Board, in its annual report,, states that-the increase in the ' number of students has greatly taxed tho already insufficient accommodation. • Application has been made for grants . for increased accommodation,'and, if the efficiency, of the instruction is to be'. , maintained, the question 'of.'.accommodation, and of site also, must soon rei : ceive effective consideration.■"■ : •■■ ■■'

The principal ■ (Mr. W. Gray). in hie .report notes with gratification an .;n----crease; in tho number of men students, and he remarks that, from the applica-' tions that have come tp.hand this year it, would, appear that the ■ increase . is likely to be maintained. .'..■ ' •'■

■ Mr Gray further states:—"Educationis now a subject in the course for the B.A. degree It is also/a compulsory subject for the teacher's C certificate!. The institution, by. the: Senate of the University of a. diploma 'of similar to that of the Melbourne TJnivorsityj would be., a step further 'in the, way of attracting teachers —more l especially graduate teachers—to a study of. those, subjects that bear ; most in- , timately upon their profession. ' In connection with the training 'college, there have', always been a : few.; .graduatesgiving their time \ exclusively to ths study of-education in its various phases, and. for such special .work'si' diploma of education would furnish' a suitable goal.' "Two years ago I pointed out that it. would bo much better alike forthem-: selves and for their efficiency, as teachers, if the women students had some.alternative to. the C examination to aim at. Such.an alternative would be provided by the establishment of an. infant teacher's certificate. Special training for. such a certificate furnishes an alternative second year's course in.connection with the Teacher's College at Sydney. Tho subjects studied bear directly on the work that tho majority of women teachers hare to doj uud would, I believe, be .much'more congenial*to them than the courso for th« C certificate." ' . ■-.-".