TRUE ECONOMY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 131, 7 June 1927, Page 10

TRUE ECONOMY

PLACE OF EDUCATION

"TIME TO TAKE STOCK"

THE TECHNICAL STANDPOINT

The Director of the Wellington Technical College, Mr. J. H. Howell, made a statement to-day in reply to au article in "The Post" last evening, headed "Time to Take Stock." The article stated that there is a tendency to carry cultural education in the technical schools "so far as to make the technical college almost a reproduction of the grammar school." "There is really no justification for a statement of this kind," said Mr. Howell. "A comparison of the staffs' the curriculum, and the distribution of time devoted to the various subjects will show that the distinction is very great. In the case of the Wellington Technical College for example, there are three full-time workshop instructors two instructors for the principles of trade and trade drawing, two for mechanics, electrical engineering, and chemistry, four for mathematics and science four part-time (equivalent to two fulltime) for art, two for bookkeeping, two for shorthand and typing, two fulltime and two part-time for cookery dressmaking, and needlework; ' while for the special cultural subjects, there are two for English, French, and arithmetic, and one for economics, geography, and singing. With regard to the specialist qualifications of the staff four have served years at the trade as apprentices and journeymen, five have had years of experience in engineering works or chemical industry, and one is a qualified architect. "Is thr;e any secondary school in New Zealand that has a staff similarly composed? The answer is Obvious. "The curriculum is, of course, equally distinct. An examination of the textbooks will show that where tlie subjects are the same as may be taken in the grammar school, such as mathematics and drawing, the treatment is, in genoral, entirely different. Even in English, which is an important technical as well as cultural subject, the treatment is to some extent different from that adopted in the grammar school, because the school life is shorter, and the main aim is to enable the student to use his own language readily and accurately. The inclusion of French in the curriculum of a technical college is justified by the fact that only those who join the school young and show an aptitude for language are encouraged to take it; and as this subject is compulsory for those who wish to qualify for professional careers later on, it is only just that they should oe given an opportunity to master, the rudiments of the language at an age when they are best able to do so. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. "Further, it must be borne in mind that the Technical College has for some j'ears had the advantage of. the guidance of expert advisory, committees in drawing up the syllabuses of instruction—committees composed of those who are recognised in the community as eminently qualified to give assistance from the point of view of those who are engaged in industry and commerce. The subjects, their method of treatment, and the distribution of time havo been approved by the committees as meeting practical requirements. "There seems a general misconception on the subject of overlapping. It is,' oC course, impossible to have two post-p_rimary schools doing entirely different work, but if school buildings in the same town are made full use of such overlapping as may exist in the teaching of English or cookery or simil:u- subjects is not wasteful, and no economy would bo effected by an endeavour to' eliminate it. "Some alarm seems to be felt in certain quarters at the expenditure by ' Xew Zealand of four millions on education. It must, however, be remembered that our standard of living is high; and while we can spend eight and a half millions on drink, eight and a half millions on the totalisator, three millions on tobacco and cigarettes, two millions on confectionery, it should be worth while spending four millions on education—assuming that the influence of the school makes for tho uplift of the country. Professor Shelley has stated that the most potent influence in New Zealand is the' cinema, and next tho drapery establishment, with the school a long way down tho list. INFLUENCE OF THE SCHOOL. "In view of the above facts, will it not be worth while to increase rather than decrease tho influence of the school? The prosperous American States are strongly of this opinion, and spend a much larger proportion of their revenue on education; end, considering tho difference in the standard of living, the immense war debts, the million and a half unemployed that are paid tho dole, thero is little question that even the Mother Country, struggling under tho after burden of the war, is doing more for education than New Zealand. "Reference is made in the 'Post' nrticle to tho report of Mr. Frank Tatc. ] Mr. Tate, who was asked by Sir James Parr to report on post-primary nduca- j tion in New Zealand, gave it as his I opinion 'that the weak spot in postprimary education in the Dominion is that more emphasis has not been laid upon tho necessity of building up an efficient system of technical aud industiial training on the superstructure of a liberal but dofinitel}- planned provocational course of preparatory training in post-primary schools.' This is tho considered judgment of an experienced and successful educator."