MANUAL INSTRUCTION
WORK IN THE SCHOOLS
SUPERVISOR'S REPORT
j Commenting on manual instruction work in schools during 1929, Mr. A. A. Brown, supervisor, in reporting to the Wellington Education Board yesterday, said that the course of instruction for [the year in woodwork and domestic science was carried out with very few interruptions, except in the Wairarapa and Hutt districts, where the domestic science classes, owing to sick leave and transfer of teachers, had their programme slightly upset through the appointment of relieving teachers. This unavoidable lack of stability in the staff made a break in the cdntiniiity of the programme of work inevitable. Light woodwork had been established in 22 schools throughout the Wellington district, the entire cost of. £198 6s 9d being defrayed by the board.
During the year a new manual training centre (woodwork and domestic science rooms) was erected at Featherton, and would be in use in February, 1930. The centre, which was up to date in every way, would be a distinct advantage to the district high school pupils, who, in the past, bad to travel to Greytown for a whole day, fortnightly, in order to receive manual instruction.
Pealing with special classes, ho said that pupils from the Classes had received instruction at various woodwork and domestic science centres so far as accommodation would allow. The work done had in many cases been equal to normal standards, and disproved the old and still prevalent belief that mental capacity could, be measured only by ability to learn through literary or mathematical studies. "I am strongly of the opinion," he Said, "however, that special manual instruction rooms are required for those pupils of these | classes who show special aptitude in j manual dexterity, so that they can [be given a more intensive course of instruction week by Week in keeping jwith their ability and progress, than is at present possible, where ia some cases they have to work in with other pupils who are intellectually their superiors. The size of the classes does not allow the teacher to give them always the individual attention which they require." : The number of pupils who received instruction in woodwork and domestic science was 5220 (2615 boys, 2605 girls), drawn from 69 ichools.
MANUAL INSTRUCTION
Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 25, 30 January 1930, Page 15
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