TECHNICAL TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1934, Page 4

TECHNICAL TRAINING

WORK OF THE COLLEGE

BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED

Satisfaction at tho state of affairs in and about the college was expressed last night at a meeting ol: the Wellington Technical College Board of Governors. Mr. \V. JI. Bennett presided.

In his report as director of tin: colli'ge, Mr. 1!. G. liidliny announced the final result; of thu election of representatives to the boanl as follows: — Wellington City Council ;ind Makara County Council, Messrs. W. JI. Bennett and T. Brindle; employers' representative, Mr. -T. Pcarco Luke; employees' representative, Mr. 11. Thompson.

As the meeting was the lust, sessional meeting ol! the board as previously constituted, Mr. Bennett took the opportunity oil expressing his appreciation of tho services of Messrs. J. N- Wallace and W. Taylor, the retiring mcivbers. A vote of thanks -was given to these gentlemen. In reply, Mr. Wallace stated that, while he took his seat on the board with little knowledge of tho running of such institutions, he left it as a missionary for technical colleges. Representatives from twelve technical school boards, two high school boards, one secondary education board, and four education boards were present at tho recent technical education conference held at the college, a report of which was received by the meeting. Matters of importance suggested for discussion by tho Minister and the Director of Education wcro dealt with during the first day and remits from constituent boards were dealt with on tho second day. A sub-committee was afterwards set up to prepare remits concerning the matters inquired into, and these remits were subsecpjcutly approved by the. conference, which added the following:—That the Education. Department be recommended to encourage, tho formation of trade classes in tho day school and that diplomas issued by tho 'Dopartment should be given to students completing in a satisfactory manner a minimum course in such classes; that the provision of suitable equipment and highly-trained instructors is of importance in stimulating attendance at tho technical classes; that payments to part-tinio instructors should bo so arranged that they be enabled to advance to the higher grado of salary at present approved under departmental regulations. A HAKD-WOKKING STAFF. "The staff is ono of the finest I havo ever worked with," said Mr. Bidling, in refcrenco to activities out of school. Although facing moro than tho usual difficulties members of tho ietaff and students co-operated willingly in making tho recent college concert an outstanding success. "It is a labour of lovo on the part of tho teachers," said Mr. A. C. Blake; "they aro accustomed to giving their timo for tho good of their pupils." Several other members of tho board commented on the cxcellonco of tho production. It was stated by several advisory committees that the results of the technological examinations wcro highly satisfactory, and that students should bo encouraged to take them, as thoy were valuable testimonies of tho fitness of tho students for positions in trades. In reply to a question, Mr. Eidling explained that tho examinations were sot on tho advico of experts in industry. They wcro much tho samo as tho examinations of tho London guilds, and were held in practically all trades except electrical engineering. The art advisory committee reported that it considered that thero should^bo on tho committee somo representation of tho various art crafts carried out in Wellington, and that stops are being taken to make it moro comprehensive. It was decided to proceed with a recominondation received from this cmnmittco to the effect that tho board should explore tho position and see whether somo means of affording suitable instruction could bo provided for returned soldiers engaged in artistic craft work. ; In the report on tho electrical classes, it was mentioned that an alteration-in tho courses had been put into operation this year with gratifying results. Of course tho full effect would not be felt for another year or so, but as tho courses were now comploto for all normal branches of tho trade, tho progress of each student could be checked at various intervals and promotion could bo made as the student earns it. According to tho director's report, 20 boys and 19 girls had left tho college between Juno 29 and August 3. Of these, 26 had gone into industry and 12 boys and 7 girls had enrolled in tho evening classes.