ELLESMERE ASSOCIATION MEETS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LIX, Issue 86, 28 October 1938, Page 3

ELLESMERE ASSOCIATION MEETS

LACK OF BUILDING HANDICAPS

WORK

Further stress was laid upon the difficulties under which the work of the association was being carried on, through the lack of a suitable building and equipment, at a meeting of the Ellesmere Technical Association held at Leeston on Tuesday evening. There were present Mr W. Johnston (chairman), Mesdames A. A. Croy and G. Bray, Miss A. M. Parkin, and Messrs R. T. McMillan, J. Lambie, G. Bray, A. A. Croy, W. Restall, H. Wright Johnson, D. J. Ridden, T. Moorhouse, D. M. Mackay, and J. H. McMillan, and the director (Mr W. H. Cartwright).

The director reported the receipt of the following grants:—Ellesmere County Council f 10, Ellesmere A. and P. Association £2/2/-, Southbridge Town Board £2/2/, Leeston Town Board £3/3/-.

Appreciation of the interest of these bodies in the association's work and their practical assistance was ex-

pressed,

The director read a copy of a letter sent to the Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Education, by the chairman, reminding him of the request made by the district schools and the association during his visit to the district several months ago, that a suitable building and equipment should be provided at Leeston for manual and technical training. The letter pointed out that the association had over 120 students and that the work was being heavily handicapped.

A letter had also been sent to Mr H. E. Herring, member for the district, expressing warm appreciation of his past help and asking his support of the request.

A further letter had been sent to the Education Board and a deputation which had waited upon the board some time ago had received an assur- j ance that the association's request would receive the board's unanimous support. Two letters of acknowledgment were received from Mr Herring, who assured the association that he had diligently pressed its claims for many months and that no one would be more pleased than he would be if the Minister decided to accede to the request. He would continue to do Jiis best.

In his second letter, Mr Herring mentioned that £500,000 had been voted to the Education Department for buildings last year but it had not all been spent. This year the vote was £800,000. "It will not be spent unless we can make carpenters and tradesmen out of thin air," he added!

Mr Restall commented that Mr Herring's remark was very much to the point. There was a serious shortage of carpenters and other skilled labour.

In a reply sent through Mr Herring the Minister stated that he would give the request for a building and equipment careful consideration and communicate with Mr Herring

later.

Warm appreciation of Mr Herring's interest and practical assistance was expressed by the chairman and other members. Mr Bray said that Mr Herring had every confidence that a building and equipment would be"provided at Leeston to serve the district schools and the association.

Mr R. T. McMillan said it was disappointing that further progress had not been made. The request for a building and equipment had first been made over two years ago, the association offering to provide cash -and equipment to the value of £250. Its work had been carried on since under great difficulties.

The chairman said that although no further communication had been received from the Canterbury Education Board, there was no doubt that the board was anxious to do all in its power to back up the district's request.

On the motion of Messrs R. T. McMillan and G. Bray it was decided to again write both the Minister and the Education Board. "We will get something yet if we keep on hammering," said Mr Bray.

A letter was received from the St,

John Ambulance Association asking if a class in home nursing could be arranged. The doctors were of the opinion, it was stated, that such a class should meet at' one central place, preferably Leeston, for instruction and examination. This would assist the doctors and save expense. It would be necessary to have a minimum of 20 students for such a class.

Members considered that there would not be sufficient time this year to form a class in home nursing and get in the required number of sessions, and accordingly the letter is to be considered early next year.

The St. John Ambulance Association sent nine certificates for members of the Lakeside first-aid class, nine for the Brookside class and 14 for the class held at Dunsandel.

Correspondence with the Education Board and Director of Technical and Manual Training concerning a health and physical culture class at Leeston was read. Replying to the association's letter asking for recognition of the class the head of the department sought an outline of the syllabus covering both theory and practice, information as to the type of student and the qualifications possessed by the instructor. This information had been supplied by the director and later a letter had been received from the department stating that the class could not be deemed one which could be recognised under the manual and technical regulations.

The director said that the department's reply raised a difficulty in regard to the instructor's salary, the amount available being only £3/4/-, instead of some £8 or £9. There had been 16 students and Mr Stacpoole, who had acted as instructor, had generously offered to accept the amount of £3/4/-.

It was decided on the motion of Messrs Bray and Lambie to pay the instructor the fees he would have been entitled to had the class been recognised by the department.

The chairman remarked that the department's refusal to recognise the class came as a surprise in view of a statement made by the Minister for Education during his recent visit to Leeston, that the department was prepared to grant recognition to classes in any useful subject.

It was agreed to act upon a suggestion made by Mr Restall that the director should write the head of the department again asking in what respect the class did not comply with the regulations. It appeared from the department's earlier Tetter seeking information, said Mr Restall, that health and physical culture classes were not altogether taboo. It was also decided to ask for a list of subjects in which classes could be held.