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Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 110, 3 February 1931, Page 8

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Boys Without Jobs

BETTER THAN LOOSE END

Accommodation Question

There Is no diversity of opinion on the part of principals of secondary schools and technical colleges as to the desirability of boys who have matriculated, or have arrived at leaving age, returning to college until they find work.

Ample room is available at Wellington College for boarders or nonboarders, but the same position does not exist at Rongotai College where, owing to the large number of new boys to be admitted, the question of accommodation and facilities is a serious one. If the number of boys returning to Rongotai College because they have not been able to find employment is very large, then the position will be accentuated, and the problem will be how to accommodate them all. In two or three different quarters when, the question was discussed yesterday, it was suggested that parents residents in Hataitai should have the option of sending their boys to Wellington College, which would have the effect of relieving the stress on the resources of -Rongotai. With the new accommodation at Wellington College there! is room for fully 100 boarders, and for 750 boys in the school. Last year the school started with about 720, which gradually dwindled to about 700’. It will not be possible to say until this afternoon how many old boys have returned to college who would not have done so in normal circumstances, but it is certain that many will go back until “something turns up.” As Wellington College is in a position to take more boys than ever, those interested say it would certainly ease the position if the boundaries for Wellington and Rongotai colleges were revised. The opening of the new tunnel will also make access from the eastern suburbs to Wellington College easier.Enrolments of new pupils were proceeding apace yesterday at all colleges, and the rolls when complete are likely to be larger than ever. The principal of Wellington College agreed that it would be better for boys to go, back to college until such time as they can get work rather than be at a loose end. There was no enrolment of old boys, he said, so. that it would not be possible until the registers were made up to-day to say how. many had gone back owing to economic circumstances. With the additional accommodation at Wellington College, he did not think there would be any difficulty in taking all the boys available. It would be easier to find postions for boys while at college. The principal of Rongotai College said that it looked as if the college would be crowded out with new pupils, and if a great number of the old boys, who would have left in the ordinary course of things, returned to school, it would make things very difficult. He agreed that it was better these boys should remain at college until they found something to do, but if the staff had to work with over : crowded class-rooms and without proper facilities their education generally would suffer.

In the event of boys returning to the Technical College while waiting for jobs, it is hoped to find room for all. No boy has yet been turned away from the Technical College. DECREASE UNLIKELY Technical College Enrolments In the course of his report, which he presented at a meeting of the Wellington College Board of Governors held last night, Mr. J. H. Howell, director, said that it was too early to say how their enrolments would compare with those for last year, but present indications were that the numbers would not be less. There had been considerable change in the enrolments for the different courses. The enrolment in the building trades, for example, was much smaller than for a number of years past. That was no doubt accounted for by the fact. that, at present the building trade was suffering severely from 'the depression, but it should be borne in mind that by the time boys, who were entering on their course now, had completed their training, conditons would ’irobably be very different and the demand for qualified boys much greater. ___________