TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 271, 21 August 1925, Page 15

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

, MILITARY TRAINING AND EVENING CLASSES CONFERENCE CONCLUDED . The conference of members of Boards of. Managers of Technical Schools was concluded yesterday. The president (Mr. H. S. W. King) occupied the' chair. A discussion took place on the question of whether it was in the best interest of education that the Public Works Department should prepare plans for technical school buildings. It was generally agreed that work of the Department had given great satisfaction, and that the chief objections lav in the standardisa tion that sa'rily followed. It was decided that was better for the Public W orks Department to carry out this work.

The question as- to whether Junior High Schools were so devised that pupils completing the three _ years’ course would pass on satisfactorily prepared for a second year course in a secondary or technical school, was discussed. Auckland representatives stated that this year’s experience led them to believe that pupils who were taking a three year course at the Junior High Schools were likely to lose a year if they afterwards joined up with Technical High Schools. It was therefore feared that the Junioi High Schools would tend to discourage further education above the Junior High School stage, particularly for boya wishing to take up courses in connection with trades. It was felt that thia tendency was quite opposed to the belief which was advanced when Junior High Schools were first considered, that such schools would be a. fairly strong tendency towards directing boys to trade arid industry rather than to professions. . . It was resolved that the Minister of Education be asked to press the Minister of Defence for definite regulations providing that alj youths attending technical school evening classes for instruction, on at least two evenings per week, should be excused attendance at military drill while classes are in session. It was pointed out that this would not permit evening, students to escape their mi’tary obligations, but that it would prevent evening drills from ‘interfering with the youths’ progress in respect to their school work. A constitution for the association of boards of managers was adopted, and the following officers were elected for the ensuing' year:—President: Mr. H. SAV King (/Auckland) ; vice-president: i\ir.' I. R. Kirk (Gisborne) ; secretary and treasurer: Air. G.-J. Park (Auckland) ; executive: Messrs. McGregor Wright (Christchurch), Trimble (Stratford), W. M. Luxford (AVanganui).