VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 89, 9 January 1919, Page 6

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

ii ;iOEraE;S6jLDIEHS " i PROGRESS OF'THE SCHEME rriVe.pffiper' iit ! chtirge 'of. educational ■'•■" anfl..yqcationat training ;for returned sol-diersj-has, completed his investigations in the Auckland district,' and is now in the South. Island,' accompanied by Colonel. Christie. His preliminary report upon the" prospects in Auckland'is of an encouraginß rfature, showing- a keen dcsirp oh the part of the medical and educational authorities to facilitate an urgent and valuable work for the men wlio have done so much for the Dominion and the Empire. • . ■ . ■ : v . Occupational, and vocational training for th,e men in hospital iethoroughly , approved by the medical officers at the hospitals. They .consider such a. scheme urgently required to prevent the mental ■ and.physical apathy which is so marked a characteristic of the soldiers in hospital. They are of opinion- that .regular j occupation for tho mind and body will :'■'. be an important factor, in ensuring the "•■■ speedy recovery of the soldiers, ,who ■■; suffer not only from bodily disabilities, but from the' inevitable reaction after the.excitement,and strain of active ser-' , vice. ' ,a good deal of practical :'. 'work is'already,'being done, tlio general , : lines "of the are , still behig ■ shaped or modified as conditions require. For instance, the methods of selecting a ■'■-'■■• soldier's new occupation were fully dis-. .! .cussed with the medical and educational' . authorities in Auckland. It was' considered desiiaWe that the soldier, short-, ly'- after': .his' aiirival in hospital, .ehould r;. if he "is fit, be again interviewed by a medical officer and a vocational officer, ' supplementing similar inquiries made in ; England, and 'that the question of his future, occupation should-be considered both from a medical and a practicable '■'-'■ point of view. '-..'•■ It is essential that a soldiers mind should be turned towards his "\ future career as soon as. possible, and that once : his occupation has been every ■'■"■ facility should be given, both in providing technical books, and ,by vocational training, to. arouse his interest in his ' : future work, laying a foundation of .; : knowledge which might ■ be ■ completed after discharge. :.,..:,... /.. * ', ■■■■,vV-.. ; Subjects for Instruction. ■ Occupational subjects come first in the "■ list, and arrangements have been made to 'give; instruction to the soldiers \in . 'Auckland Hospital, in ' basket-making, carving, leaffier-work, repousee-work, arid ,also,'if.-need, arises,' for needle-work, knitting, ami embroidery work. Gardening is considered a very suitable oc- '■'•" cupation for the men, and it is hoped ; that Mr.'.Pearson, the City Cduncil's gardener,- who is an enthusiast" on the ■:■ subject, will be able .to take classes and' instil-into the invalided soldiers an interest in flowers and tree's. . Photography: is also a subject which can be taught with advantage, aiM -arrangements to do this- in Auckland are in train. -. '■'.'.: A", limited amount of' carpentry has ' beendone in'the Auckland Hospital annexe under the aegis of the Bod Cross Society. A ..'.permanent- instructor has ■been engaged." An instructor in bootrepairing is to be provided, and other subjects which will probably be .taken up '. are , .architecture and building, signwriting, and'levelling and surveying:. •' ■ ■There is a.great scope for the soldier '; in : farming, d and it has been arranged that Colonel Lyons, District Superintendent of thd Department of Agriculture, shall organise and compile instructions for the courses. He considers, that the : molt suitable subjects in tuis course '■:.-. would be as follow :—-..' - v '-,1. Dairying. .' . 2. Agricultural Farming. ". _> . 3. Bee' Farming. ,-■''. '-..■. \ . 4.-Poultry Farming.-. , ■':.-. 5. Fruit. Fanning; '.. "■ ■ 6. Sheep and Cattle (breeds and maD- .-.-'• ••■' agement). • . . ■■■'. .'7. Stud Stock. ' ' ... ■■" x -' ; ■:■.■,• B.'Pigs..:v ■' ;•• ' : ..-■ V . -.: "., ,9'Horses. ' . . .■'■•■. .■. '10.: Diseases., , -.'-:•.;, ..' ';.,-- . 11. Soldiers'; Settlements'.'"'. '• ■ -.' • -~ Major' Grant, deputy superintendent o* Auckland Hospital, has undertaken to .leotureon horsemaiisliip. and stable management. If .a class is.required for wooleorting, Miv George George,' director of ' ; the' Technical School, who is giving .very - valuable aid to.ihe scheme, will arrange ■ it.'•'■'./'■-"■' ■;■<• ..■•;■•"• ■.-.■/.■ - Among the "returned, men .'there is a- : great demandjfor instruction in typewriting and shorthand, which at the mo--ment it is found .difficult to meet-owing .to a shortage of instructors. To show tho demand for this class of instruction, the officer in charge of vocational 'training Mentions that some months ago forty sol- . ■' diere at the Auckland annexe signed a petition_ asking that 'hey-should-, receive -... instruction in book-keeping and ; 'similar .-. subjects., . '' ..:.".. Then "there is the important aspect of improving the/ general knowledge of sol'die.rs;»inJ hospital., !A- number have • al-, '. . ready-;-asked..;for"-opp6rtunities' of doing •th.is.;'during ; <the enforced idleness of convalescence. iSome are in the position of ■.■"■ requiring -'a-, certain 'amount of study ■to '.- qualify -for theV matriculation of Civil -' Service examinations. It has' therefore i.heen'decided to'engage for'the Auckland ; men'a tutor who will'give his.whole time to this' important work.' -Arrangements ■'■- haye been made foi' organising classes in ■university-subjects.' -In the. \vork' in .Auckland, the.Returned Soldiers' Association has been consulted ;>nd atked to assist, and the has been tror- ; dighly satisfactory. The-'officer in charge of ;educational and vocational training is .-'• carrying on his work throughout New Zealand organising the scheme on the lines indicated in this summary cf his /preliminary report. ' - ■■'... ■