EDUCATION

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1927, Page 10

EDUCATION

THE NEW DIRECTOR

MR. T. B. STRONG APPOINTED

The appointment was announced to-day by the Public Service Commissioner of Mr. T. B. Strong to be Director of Education. The appointment is strongly approved by the Minister of - Education (the Hon. E. A. Wright), who states that he is satisfied Mr. Strong will prove to be an efficient and capable Director.

Born in London iii 1871, Mr. Strong came to New Zealand with his parents as a child, and the family settled at Waimate, where Mr. Strong received his early education at the District High School. He then attended Otago University. Like many other teachers, he secured the university degree of ,B.A. by studying while teaching at a public school, and he' continued at the university for the M.A. and B.Se. degrees. His first appointment in the service of education was as a pupil teacher at the Waimate District High School, and he served in several capacities as a teacher under the South Canterbury Education Board. Subsequently he was removed in 1901 to Gisborno as first assistant. In 1902 ho took charge of the newly-established secondary department of the Wanganui District High School, and from that position he was appointed in 1004 inspector of schools under the Wanganui Education Boartl. At that time he was the youngest man who had been appointed to the inspectorate. His experience was broadened while he was at tlio Wang mii High School by -he fact that he was also in charge of the science anil commercial department of the Technical School. In 1915 Mr. Strong was appointed senior inspector in chargo of the AVanganui Education District, and in 1920, when t - new position of Chief Inspector of Primary Schools for New Zealand was created, he w.-.s selected to fill it. Last October, Mr. Strong was appointed . Assistant Director of Education following Dr. Marsden's selection as first secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Mr. Strong has had wide experience in administrative work in education, aiid ho has worked as n, teacher and organiser in all three branches of tiic service. As inspector aud organiser in the Wanganui district lie was the first to introduce the now well known Montossori system of instruction, and was instrumental in having education officers sent abroad for experience in that now phase, of teaching work. Ho was also responsible for the organising teacher system, which met with the approval of farmers all over the Dominion, and has been adopted by the Department. Mr. Strong was associated with the initiation and development of vocational training in agriculture, one of the reforms introduced in recent years. Since ho entered the Department's service he has introduced and organised the system of instruction by correspondence, the success of which in New Zealand hasj so impressed the education authorities in Toronto, that they, too have adopted it. Other reforms with which Mr. Strong has been directly concerned aro the organisation of the system of exchange of teachers, which has received flattering comments abroad; the introduction and organisation of the system of special classes for sub-normal children; the introducton of the system of supplementary model school for the training of country teachers; the organisation of the present method of dealing with teachers' appeals against classification or grading, a move which did n,\vay with much of the dissatisfaction amongst teachers; and the introduction of more modern methods of inspection and examination in primary schools. He also set on foot the "Education Gazette." For years past Mr. Strong has associated himself with the leading educational movements.