NOTES ON EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 13

NOTES ON EDUCATION.

CBi "Socbates/O

A (sidelight on the recent decision of tho Minister for Education (Hon. Q. Fowlds) to restrict ihe issue of railway concession tickets previously allowed to teachers travelling to classes of instruction, is the following circular letter, which has been eddressed by the Wellington Education Board to head teachers of schools: — "I beg to 'inform you that, in reply to representation made, the board has been informed that free tickets will not be provided for the purpose of attendance at instruction classes, except those week-end classes approved by the Department. This decision, therefore, excludes from the privilege those who desire to travel from suburban' schools to Wellington for attendance at Victoria College. Kindly inform teachers on your staff who have recently made application for the privilege.",' '• . •

Really, one finds it exceedingly difficult at times to understand the motives which inspire the honourable gentleman in some of his decisions. When Mr. Fowlds decided to restrict the issue of railway concession, tiokets, he tempered .the severity of his economy by stating that freo passes would be provided to teachers attending such week-end classes of instruction as met with the approval of hie Departmental advisers. His position so far is perfectly fair, for teachers, in Wellington at least, know very well that the privileges of free passes on the railways, granted as an encouragement to teachere to' attend instruction classes were in some cases grossly abused. Certain teachers used to make a practice of placing their names on the'attendance rolls/at the' Saturday classes in drawing and singing in Wellington, and attending in the most desultory fashion. Of course, these teachers did not [appreciate the privileges extended to them, and certainly did not deserve them. -The case o'f .teachers employed out of Wellington, but-situated by rail'sufficiently near to. tho city to take advantage of the evening and Saturday lectures at Victoria College, seemß-to stand on a different footing, however. Does the Minister wish it to be -understood that Ihe University, lectures- do not come within the category of such classes of instruc- : tion as meet with his approval? Surely not. If it is a worthy thing to encourage teachers to attend week-end classes of instruction in, say, drawing and singing, involving one railway return trip per week, is it not infinitely more worthy to encourage young teachers, omployed, say, at Petono, Hutt, or any other easily accessible suburb, to come into town after school houre to attend lectures? Young teachors who at prepent pay their railway fares on' six days of the week, in order to improve thoir professional fitness at the college, are surely entitled, if not to free passes, at least, to a substantial reduction in their railway expenses. They have quite enough to do to pay their college and examination fees. It is to be hoped, that .this aspect of the Minister's recent decision will not be overlooked. . ■'■''■'

Like certain other universities, tho University of London has officially recognised .that a'need existed for the correlation of the industrial and academic activities of the country,-and for some timo past, ah, appointments Board, under tho. control of tho central authority of the university, has been in active operation. Its origin was due partly to the. reconstitution of the university, but chiefly to, tho general ex,.WeKbnj.,9^!ttp.inj(>n>jJse^inga,both' from the more progressive business firms and from the universities as to the need for introducing men 'trained by the universities into business life.- :■ '

~ The policy is one that hits been thrust upon the university,'for in past years it has been a common practice for business firms to apply to tlw heads of collegos for men suitable to fill certain'of their vacancies, and tho schools of the university have done their best to meet the need. But with the closer relations between tho university and its graduates, brought about by the reconstruction of the ■ university, it has become an obvious function of the tral body create a common meeting ground for its graduates' and for the business world. Germany, the United States, and Canada have abundantly demonstrated that success in business, especially in' businesses su'ch : as engineering and manufacturing, depends on firms having in'their employ men who have been trained not only to a textbook knowledge of science, but to the' .principles of.research; and the lesson is being taken to heart in this country: But there is a danger.that tho supply of such men will rnn short; The training of a chemist or an engineer or a man of. science generally is costly and laborious, and .the. best men will only come forward in considerable numbers if suitablo vacancies are- offered to thoso who are properly qualified. It is urgently desirable that a greater number of business firms', should take the universities into .their confidence, should notify to the universities the sort o[ work which they require to be' done, and should arrange with the universities to have' their needs supplied, this is one of &e directions in which university appointments boards can expect to do useful work. Officially the object of the Board of the University of London is "to assist graduates and. students of the university in obtaining appointments, and to co-ordinate and supplement the work dono by the schools and institutions or the university with this .object." The board includes as members the Chancellor, the Vice-chancellor, the chairman of Convocation, the chairmen of various university councils and committees, tho principal officers of the incorporated colleges, the-'Warden of tho Goldsmiths' College, the Principal, four members of tho Senat-e, and six other members who for'the most part represent important outside iutorests. i ' ■

Since the board started operations in July last it has been able to give notico to nearly all thoso on its books of suitablo vacancies, and for. theso application has been mado. The board does not personally recommend its candidates, as the University of London inoludes so many graduates that jt is not possiblo for tho board to be personally acquainted with all those on its books. It contents itself at prosen/b by Bending.notices of vacancies to those whom it considers suitable. The secretary finds that tho candidates who have greatest .difficulty in obtaining appointments are thoso who liarq taken honours in chemistry at the B.Sc. examination, and who have taken the B.Sc. jn engineering, and the board is making special efforts and inquiries jn directions where employment for such'candidates is most likely to bo found. .

Any inquiries relating to the . Appointmonts Board should bo made to the. secretary of the Appointments Board, who will be glad to supply information.