TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 181, 27 April 1921, Page 9

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MEETING Ol’ THE BOARD.

Messrs.. W. H. Bennett (chairman), Wallace, G. L. Stewart, J. J. Clark, T. Forsyth, H. Bolton, AV. J. Thompson, and Mr. F. Luckie were present at the monthly meeting of the Technical College Board, held last evening.

It was decided to raise the caretaker’s salary, and to raise the price of meals supplied to students from 7s. 6d. to 9s. per month. The director was authorised to' take steps to issue a school magazine annually in accordance with a price submitted to the committee.

A letter was received from the . City Council notifying that the services of the director of reserves (Mr. J. M'Kenzie) would be available to advrise as to the lay-out of the grounds of the new Technical College. The secretary reported that a conference of technical directors and boards was to be held in the Education Board’s room on May 10 and 11. The preliminary conference of directors- would be held on May 10, and they would report to the general conference the next day. Mr. AV. H. Bennett .will be chairman of the general conference. Messrs. W. J. Thompson, 11. Bolton, and L. R. Partridge were elected delegates to represent the board.

Reporting on behalf of the Visiting Committee, Mr. Bolton commented on the excellent "school spirit” that prevailed throughout the school. He could detect the beginning of that "school” feeling, or spirit, which was so valuable to any educational institution. The director suggested that the board might consider the matter of making a grant to the new college football club. In Christchurch tho college had some acres of playgrounds, which were kept in first-class order. They had also built a pavilion. He thought it was a very good thing to encourage sport of all kinds, especially among the students of the night classes. On the motion of "Mr. Bolton, it was decided to make a grant of £5 to the club, and afterwards to aubscrilje £ for £ any funds subscribed by the boys. After reporting on the results of the recent swimming sports (which have been published) the director (Ai r. ,T. H. Howell) reported as follows "Students’ Association. —The Students’ Association has commenced in earnest with its organisation. A Boys’ Swimming Club has been formed, meeting weekly at the Naval boating shed. A Rugby football team has entered for the competitions a.s well as two basket-ball teams; while fortnightly Meetings are held alternately on Friday and Saturday, the programme consisting of debates, lectures, and social evenings. It is hoped that it will be possible to form also an orchestra in connection with the association. "Plumbers’ Gold Medals.—On Thursday, April 14. the president end representatives of the Master Plumbers’ Union attended the college to make presentation of the gold medals awarded by the union to students in their second, third, and fourth years who had most distinguished themselves in the theory and practice of plumbing during last year. The medals were- awarded to the following:—Fourth year, Herbert Victor Clark; third year, George Douglas Rogers; second year, George Thomas Harris.

“Matriculation Results.—The list of candidates successful in the recent matriculation examination has come to hand, and I am pleased to be able to report that fourteen of our evening students obtained full or partial passes. As last year was the first time that any special provision has been made to prepare students for this examination, these results are gratifying and reflect much credit on the instructors concerned.' "Enrolment Returns—These show an increase, as comparer! with last year, of 18 in the day school and 132 in the evening and art schools. What is especially pleasing is the regularity of tho attend-, ance in the evening school, when the average attendance less than 90 per cent, of the total enrolment as compared with the very satisfactory figure of 82 per cent. Inst year. "New College Plans—l would suggest the following alterations in the plans-.— (1) In the registrar’s office a screen (glassed over) to shut off “inquiries” and '"registration,” sliding windows from tho main office. Without this there will he strong draughts through tho windows when open, and interruptions to work going on. (2) I have consulte-l Mrs. Strong, recently appointed from America to the home science department ot the Uni-' versity of Otago, regarding the arrangements for kitchen and food laboratory, and at her suggestion would recommend cutting out one of the two coal ranges, and one of the two demonstration pintforms, and placing the coal range on the south wall instead of the north. The coal Tange should not be built in. but should show connections with the hot water cylinder. As the foundations will shortly be nut down for tb-’s portion anv instructions should bo g:*en soon. The matter of making minor alterations in the plans of tho new Technical College to conform with the director s ideas was left in tho hands of the chairman nnd director in. consultation with the board’s architect.