TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 802, 12 February 1909, Page 4

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

ITS POSITION. ANNUAL HOUSEHOLDERS' MEETING. jf y REPORTS AND OTHER MATTER'S 1 The annual meeting of householders 1 for the. election of the representatives to the Technical School Com- * mittee, was held in the Technical Sohool building Oast night. Mr liximund Goodbehere (Chairman ot tue Committee) occupied the chair, and there were also present: Messrs J.. Cobbe, A. R. Mayo, F. Pirani, G. D. Braik (Chief Inspector •Wanganui Education Board), J. C. Hill, W. * : Bramwell, A. Williamson, J. M.K. Lochheadi A. G. Carty and the Roy. r 1 Rnrifl "* • Correspondence was received notifying thi following aPpo"» tmen^ *? tLfjommittee by public bodies Mr H Tolley (Chamber of Commerce), Mr John Reid (Manawatn County Council), Mr A, R. Mayo (Fedding A. and P. Association), Mr J. Bruce (Kiwitea County Council), Mr Joseph Trim (Pohangina School Committee), Mr W. Reid (Oroua County Council), Mr W. F. Bramwell (District High School Committee). ANNUAL REPORT. Building.— The building was opened on March 11th b- Hon. Goo. Fowlds, Minister of Education and Health, but on account of lack tt fittings and the building itself being incomplete, classes were not opened till April 16. The building contains ihe following rooms:— Main Building: Ground Floor. - Cookery room, Commercial room, GirH's room and lavatory and Director's office. First floor.— Chemical lab. Balance room, Art room, and Mechanical drawing room. Auxiliary building.— Woodwork room and Plumbing workshop. Students.— For the first term the following classes were opened, and very successfully carried on by Mr J. Grant, 8.A., as acting director:— Plumbing, bookkeeping, shorthand, painting, English, arithmetic, metalwork, woodcarving. dressmaking, chemistry, fand mathematics, these classes being attended by li 9 students. On my arrival in June, the following additional classes were commenced!: — Machine drawing, cabinetmaking, geometry and 1 model drawing, cookery, bookkeeping and commercial arithmetic, Maori and a matriculation olass, which classes were" again augmented in September by classes in cabinet-making and type writing, whioh were attended by 100 pupils. The number of pupils actually admitted during tne year were 192 individuals, and (the average attendance for the year was 130. During the month of November, a course <?f lectures on r subjects dealing with Agriculture was arranged for and delivered -by the following gentlemen : — Fruitgrowing, October 30, Mr Boucher; Poultrykeeping November 6, Mr Hyde; Milk, November 13. Dr. Mason; Improvements of Pasture Lands, November 20, Mr Gillanders; Bee Culture, February 5, Mr Gibb. These lectures were attended by an average of 30 persons, and were very greatly appreciated. Attendance. — Tlie attendance of students at all the classes except cookery, which class fell off altogether at the end of the first term, was very satisfactory, the average attendance tor the last month of the term being 132, as compared with 138 for the month of August, which was the 'highest average for the year. Woodwork and Cookery Classes. — Five classes ot boys and girls attended this school for tbis subject: — Distiict High School, tbree classes, Lytton Street, one class, and one class from the Feilding Catholic School. Country Classes. — Classes were commenced at Ashhurst, Apiti, Kirn* bolton, Foxton. Rangiwahia, Pohangina, and Halcombe, whioh continued throughout the year except at Ashburst, whioli finished in October, and Foxton, which did not commence till September, the attendance in all classes being good and maintained right up to the last. Tlie value of the work done is very considerable, and is also keenly appreciated by the people in these remote districts, and reflects very great credit on all the teachers concerned. Addition to equipment and building during the year are as follows: — 14 tool Tacks and 5 carving benches in woodwork room; 1 muffle furnace for enamelling in copper work room ; 12 folding desks and 12 stools, in Art room; chairs, table, etc., in girl's sitting room; 5 Barlock typewriters (latest pattern) ; 1 expanding dress form (dressmaking ■class). With these additions the school is now well equipped to oarry on a most eltective system of technical and commercial education, but the work has been hampered during the past season by the small number of students attending each class — which campares (unfavourably with most of the country classes. If a technical school is to carry out its proper functions as an educational factor, all the work should be arranged in courses, i.e., all subjects bearing on a distinct course should! be correlated, and whilst I freely admit that a pupil who attends the school for one subject only, say cabinet making, Should derive considerable benefit from it, if he attended a course of classes all dealing with the subject, as arithmetic, drawing, mathematics would derive the maximum benefit, as it is of little tuse a pupil being .proficient in the uso of tools if he is unacquainted with the principles of the work and the drawing which guides the production of the work. The work for the coming season, which begins on Monday, March ), is arranged in courses as outlined previously, and I trust that alll pupils will endeavour to arrange to take the full course bearing on the subject they propose, to study. An exhibition of work done during tho year was held iv the school in December, being open to the public for two days, and was visited by about 300 people. The work was very well done, indeed, and reflected great credit on both pupils and teachers alike, and as an evidence of what can be done, even in small classes, was exceedingly instructive. The closing concert in ..December was a great success, both, socially and financially, the pupils working with a great deal of enthusiasm and energy, and the publio supported this, the first venture of the school, very (liberally, making it the success it was. The following is a list of the classes held and the roll number for the year: — Apiti School.— Subject, painting, roll number, 21; dressmaking, 23; shorthand, 8; arithmetic, 12: English 11. Kimbolton.— Painting, 6; dressmaking 10. Halcombe.— Dressmaking, 12; commercial (arithmetic and bookkeeping), 14 ; commercial (correspondence, precis writing, and. shorthand), 14. Ashhurst.— Dressmaking, 12: bookkeeping, 11; shorthand, 11; English, 12 ; arithmetic. 12. Foxton.— Mifllinery, 5; dressmaking, 6; arithmetic, 2. - ' Pohangilna. —Dressmaking, 14; singing, 8; commercial (correspondence, etc.), 8 ; commercial (arithmetic and bookkeeping), 8. Feilding.— Arithmetic, 13; English. 13; bookkeeping and commercial arithmetic, 24; dressmaking, 34; woodcarving, . 16 ; metal work, . 7 ; chemistry, 7; shorthand and typQ- j. writing, /6; shorthand, 14; mathe- I matios, 10; Latin. 10; plumbing, 10; I 11 ; painting. 11 ; plumbing, 10 ; cookery, 6; Maori, 12; trade drawing, 7; cabinet making (clem.), 17; machine drawing, 4. Reviewing the work done during the year,' l can only say that it was of a very satisfactory character, being attacked in a very earnest and < creditable manner by all the students, and the results attained, although. " not mjeasujred by the examination' tape measure, must, in the ordinary ■< course of things, be exceedingly '■•■ gratifying ito those students who were i fortunate enough, Ax) use the words of a very earnest member of one of the ■< classes, "to stick to the school." As i an evidence of the natural growth ] oi come of tho classes, the woodwork < •lass eommeneee' with one pupil and j

at the end of the term the attendance was twelve; the work at the commencement consisted oi sawing to a straight line and at tbe end one pupil bad almost completed a bedstead. This is worthy of mention, as every member of the class was in every sense an "amateur. lhe plumbing class also did most exceU lent work, the pupils and instructor attending extra lessons and putting in a considerable amount of work m order to prepare for the examinations, and the work produced could safely be placed alongside any work done' by a similar class in the dominion and would show to advantage with any that could ->c produced, and this result is fraught with benefits not only to the students themselves, but in a greater sense to the whole of the community. The painting class also calls for somewhat similar comment, tbe roll at tbe commencement of tbe term being four and at the end increased to twelve, the work done being of a very commendable character, reflecting great credit on both pupils and teacher alike. These results, although perhaps not very apparent on tbe surface, cannot fail to have a most beneficial and lasting effect on all concerned, and I confidently trust that many more students will be led' to "stick to the school" when they realise tbe infinite possibilities that may be attained by attendance at the sohool. The statement of receipts and expenditure showed the expenditure for the year to.be £599, and the loss on the year's work was £175 12s 2d. The Halcombe centre balance-sheet showed a loss of £5 8s Bd, and the Apiti centre balance-sheet showed a loss of £15 17s lOd. The balance-sheet referring to the Building Account showed the sum of £283 los still owing. REPORT OF COMMITTEE. lhe Committee's report read: — since last annual meeting the hue new Technical school "has heen completed, and was openei by tbe rtoii. the Minister for J_ducation iv March last. The inhabitants of the town and district are to be congratulated upon possessing such a 'lino, well equipped building, which provides splendid facilities lor carrying on the work of technical education. Thanks are due both to the Wanganui Education Board and the Government for .assistance given in establishing the school here, and it now rests with the people themselves to do their part to prove that such expenditure is' justified. Our Director, Mr Fossey, has only been in charge a little over seven months and during thatperiod he has worked hard in the interest of the school, and his report on tlie work done is before you this evening. Whilst most of the classes have been fairly satisfactory as regards number of pupils and quality of work, we must confess that we are dlLsappointeH wjith the result of others, which have not been supported as we consider tbey should have been. There seems to be a want of interest shown by the young people of the town, who have such splendid advantages offered to them by means of these classes. Every effort has been made by your Committee to increase the number of pupils, by advertising, issue of prospectuses and circulars, but the result has not been what we hoped it would be. Perhaps a personal canvass would be more effective. In moving the adoption of the reports, the Chairman said the financial aspect was not touched in the Committee's report because the Committee had no opportunity to see the balance-sheets. It looked like a serious position to have a loss of £175, but it was not so bad as it appeared. In. the 'first place, things were rather upside down when Mr Fossey arrived, and there were many difficulties te contend with. The first term did not pay its way, but ih the second term most of the classes did pay their way, and he was confident the third term would show still better results. He explained how large expenditure had been' incurred in travelling expenses. During • the next term the salaries of instructors would be considerably reduced. During last year about £75 had been donated by different bodies, individuals, and raised by concerts, and had that amount been credited to the school, and subsidy received, the accounts would have nearly balanced. But the sum had been credited to the building account, which was considerably in arrears. Since the building was first proposed, the sum of £397 had been raised toward the cost. The balance on the building now stood at £283, and £140, with Government subsidy, would liquidate the debt. He considered the balance should be wiped out as soon as possible, and then school matters could be run far more satisfactorily, and the school would pay its Avay. The thanks of the meeting were due to the people and local bodies who had rendered such valu- [ able assistance to the Committee in regard to the school. Regarding classes which had not paid, Mr Good- | behere said the Commercial class was j held on an unsuitable night, and the plumbing class, though a good one for the town, did not pay owing partly to the heavy cost of material. The weak spot in the working of the school was the paucit" of students in the Feilding classes. In some of"-the country places, the num. ■bers attending the different classes were as large as those in Feilding. He recommended a personal, canvass for pupils. i Mr A. G. Carty said the sooner the\ balance on the building account was j found the better. It occurred to' him that if something like a 'reasonable, effort wece^made, with the help of the local bodies, amd £50 raised, with, added subsidy, the Board would probably meet them. The Board had a good asset in the school building. The school could not be expected to pay its way for some time. Mr Fossey had come when the order was chaotic, but now they were gradually getting order out of chaos. It would be unjust to penalise the classes by making them pay for the material used in the clasfeV. He referred to the plumbfflg slsse, which he considered was a '

direct benefit to tlie town. 'Hie local bodies, it occurred to bun. would treat tbem generously. Tbe Oroua and Manawatu County Councils would assist them in the matter. He suggested that representations be ' made to the Board. He was certain that a canvass would have to be made to help forward tho school. Families, employers, and others should be approached. There were several spheres in which the advantages of the school could bo applied, and lie bad no doubt the school would increase in usefulness this year. (Hear, hear.) Mr Fred Pirani (Chairman ol the "Wanganui Education Board) said be could not see how the indebtedness on th© building need affect the wonting of the school. There was not a single Technical School in the Board's district, with the exception of Feilding, which was not paying its way. The Apiti and Halcombe classes were paying tbeir way, leaving out tho contribution to tho supervisor's salary. If Apiti could pay its way, with the heavy travelling expenses it bad to meet, tbey ought to expect the Feilding School to pay its way, and to do better than it bad. It was impossible to judge Feilding by the re- ' suits of last year. They bad a broken year, with several acting supervisors as stop-gaps. Since the conclusion of last season, Mr Fossey had had ample time, and would have am- | pie time yet to prepare for the technical work of the coming year, and if this year's work was not successful 1 — if tbe receipts did not meet the ' j expenditure — the blame "would rest 1; on Mr Fossey's own shoulder::. It j was to Mr Fossey that the ComniitI tee, the Board, and the community ', j must look to make it pay by ensuring .a sufficient attendance of pupils. In Feilding they should be able to get their instructors as cheap as anywhero else, except, perhaps, tbo Commercial instructor. He did not think that the fact tbat the Board had not received the balance of the cost of tbo building need militate against tbo success of the school this year. The llev. G. Budd said tho whole success of the school depended upon interest taken and influence of those connected with tbo school. Ho regretted the teachers of the school:; in Feilding were uot better represented at the meeting, as they could materially assist the use of the school. The Chairman said he was relieved to hear the Chairman of the Board tell them not to worry about the finances. He had worried a great deal about it lately. However, ho could not agree that the amount owing on the building <lid not affect the working of the school, as when donors, knew their money given to the school went to work off a dead horse, tbey would not be so enthusiastic about making donations. The reports w<jj-e then adopted. The Chairman then read the names of those gentlemen who had been appointe-li by the different bodies, stating he, as Chairman! represented the Lytton-street School Committee. It was decided to have four representatives of the householders on the now Committee, and Messrs J. G. Cobbe, D. M. Montgomery. J. M. R. Lochhoad, and Rev. G. Budd were elected. Mr A. G Carty was elected to represent' the private subscribers Mr G. D. Braik (Chief Inspector) spoke of tbe difficulty of gett'ng pupils. He recommended the keeping of a register showing the numbers ru the families in the town, vud the time wben they would be available for the classes, and showing tbe employers and employed. Then subcommittees, such as the Art Coinjn'ttee, the Artisan Committee, the Commercial Committee, etc., could be set up. He mentioned that in Wanganui the employers gave scholarships, and the amounts donated carried subsidies, besides bringing pupils and capitation fees. He suggested the forming of a Nursing Class and a Literature Class, and threw out the suggestion that the Chamber ot Commerce might give certificates tor proficiency in the commercial classes He thought the District High School Committee should contribute to the funds of the school. He had liad a look at the programme tor the year, and thought it was an excellent one. He congratulated the school on the personnel of the Committee, and was sure the year would have good results. The Chairman said tbey were very pleased to have heard Mr Braik, and there was no doubt the outlook was more hopeful. Mr Lochhead proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the outgoing Committee for the excellent work they had done during the past year. Seconded by Mr A. Williamson, and carried. ' Mr A. R. Mayo proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Feilding Stab tor the great assistance they had rendered during the year. The motion was seconded by the Chairman, and carried by acclama- '