FEWER STUDENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 96, 23 April 1940, Page 6

FEWER STUDENTS

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

REPORT OF DIRECTOR

j A reduction in the number of students attending the Wellington Technical College this year, as compared with last year, was noted by the director (Mr. R. G. Ridling) in his report to the meeting of the Board of Governors .of the college last night, and the chairman, Mr. W. Appleton, expressed the opinion that something" should be done to make public the educational facilities available at the college. Mr. L. McKenzie pointed out that a decrease in roll numbers was not peculiar to the Technical College. Most colleges had lost pupils this year, largely because of the replacement of men on active service. "The board will note/ said Mr. Ridling, "that there is a reduction of 343 individual students in attendance at the college this year.' There is an increase in the Technical High School roll of 14,. but a . decrease of 325 in. j attendance at the evening school and jof 32 in attendance at art classes.' ! "This very considerable reduction is spread over practically all classes, making a total reduction in all classes of 726 students. In the art section it is regrettable to find that there is a very definite reduction in' the enrolment of students taking more advanced work. Indeed this is common in each of the departments. It is only to be expected v because the older students are taking up national service. "Where increases in enrolments are shown these are occasioned by the effort of students to pass public examinations, mainly accountancy and university entrance.. There has : been some increase also in the lower classes of the engineering course Indicating that students wh6; haye £not had postprimary training have taken. up work and : are. making an effort tp, obtain the elementary sections of their engineering training .in the evening school instead of in the day school.. CLASSES CLOSED. "Since the last meeting of the.board it has been found; necessary to close the following classes:—Millinery, salesmanship, economics, and business principles, Part 111. In, all cases, the attendance was insufficient. It may yet be necessary to close further classes where the enrolment is small. ; "Classes in architecture opened:,.'"- on Monday, April 8. Enrolments have been received for every section of the work and a reasonable -enrolment has. been made for first and second year work. Whether, it will be possible.to maintain the classesrfor the later years of. the course ~ will depend upon '■ the support given by architects . under, training: I"have'received considerable assistance from the Wellington Architectural :Students' Club, and particularly from Mr. V. Jebson,! the chairman, both in the enrolling of students and in the finding of instructors."