TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 109, 11 May 1931, Page 10

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

PROGRESS IN WELLINGTON

The present year marks another epoch in the history of the Technical College, states the report of the New Zealand Technical School Teachers' Association, to be presented at the annual meeting to-morrow.

ITor the first time for about twentyfive years all departments of the college had assembled on the same site and in buildings in keeping with the importance of the work. In May of last year a contract was let for the completion of the west wing and the erection of the A:rt School, thus providing accommodation for the classes that until recently had beeu taken at the old sehoolin Wakefield and Mercer streets. All the commercial classes at the new college were assembled at the opening of session, and the art classes a fortnight later. The number enrolling at the Technical High School was so large that accommodation was taxed to the utmost. Exclusive of a number of pupils from the Napier Technical College, the enrolment on Ist March was 1005—605 boys and 403 girls, distributed as follows:— Engineering, 283; building, 102; commercial, 386; home science, 111; practical special, 34; art, 92. This was an increase of 123 on tho numbers for last year, about two-thirds of the increase being due to the return of pupils who would normally have left to take up positions but for the scarcity of employment.

The increase in tho Technical High School was accompanied by a decrease pf 258 in the evening school, the fall-ing-off "being mainly in the junior trade classes. The enrolment of first-year apprentices in all trades was very small indeed.