TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 23352, 23 August 1939, Page 10

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

OPENING SESSION OF CONFERENCE BOOKKEEPING AND SHORTHAND - The commercial teachers’ conference, conducted hy the New Zealand Technical School Teachers’ Association; was commenced this morning with discussions on shorthand and bookkeeping. These subjects are an important part of the school curriculum, and their treatment by the speakers Miss J. M'Millan (shorthand) and Mr G. W. C. Drake (bookkeeping)—was followed with close interest by the delegates. SHORTHAND. , The history of shorthand was traced by Miss M'Millan, who spoke about its antiquity, and said shorthand dated hack to A.n. 337, when it was in use in Egypt. In 1837 Isaac Pitman published a system called stenographic sound hand, which was revived .in 1840 and published as phonography. Enormous classes were organised, but the general use of shorthand did not become general. Simplifications were necessary, and they were evolved within the last 25 years. Pitman, said the speaker, must now he regarded as the apostle of the new teaching, and it must be recognised that he presented his case in a convincing manner.. The lecturer spoke about difficulties in teaching, speed practice, and overcoming the plateau problem. The new approach to the subject was discussed fully by the speaker who paid particular attention to the experimental work being carried' out by Miss E. Anderson, of the Dunedin College. Discussion of the subject generally revolved on whether it should be reserved for selected pupils of technical colleges. BOOKKEEPING.

Mr Drake, in Iris paper ou bookkeeping, stressed the value of the subject from the cultural as well as the occupational point of view. He contended -that in a State where social security returns and 1 returns of income must be supplied by practically every citizen, it was becoming increasingly important that every citizen should understand the principles of correct accounting, if not a detailed knowledge of bookkeeping. The subject, therefore, took its place as an essential subject of a broad education.