GREY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1928, Page 5

GREY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING

Th© ordinary meeting of the? Greymouth Technical High School Board of Governors was held last evening, there beirig present: Messrs T. E. Coates (Chairman), J. B. Kent, J. Goodall, A. J. Fairinaid, W. T. Kyle, C. K. Miller, arid J. Hutton (Principal). Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Rose and Messrs Kilgour, Kettle and Lawn. . As the meeting was the first held after the election of new.members, an election to fill the position of chairman was held, Mr Coates being reelected, Mr Fairmaid declining nomination. ■ .Mr Coates, on resuming the* chair, extended a welcome to the new members of the Board, Messrs J. B. Kent and C. K. Miller, who briefly responded. . _ v The. Finance Committee recommended ,accounts? for payment totalling £562 9/-, and reported the general account £l6O in credit. The Education Department advised the availability of an art teacher for the school. —Decided to advise that the school already had an art teacher. The Canterbury Education Board advised that Mr F. H. Kilgour had been re-elected as its representative on the Board of Governors. The North British and Mercantile Insurance wrote pointing out the liability of the Board to pupils injured during studies and giving particulars of their covering policies. The Education Department advised that an adjustment was being considered in the minimum number of pupils allowed for the running of certain evening classes. Mr Hutton explained the regulations which would govern » the alteration, and pointed out that were they enforced the evening classes in certain branches (mainly matri-

culation and general) would have to be abandoned at the school. Special ' trade classes would not suffer in the smaller centres to the same extent. It was decided that a protest against the proposed alterations be forwarded to the Education Department, and also communicated to the different school Boards affected. The Ashburton Technical School Board'wrote asking for support of their protest against the action taken by the Syllabus lievision Committee in riiaking an uncalled for attack on the Technical schools, and that the Minority Committee’s suggestion, to submit the matter to a conference of all bodies concerned, be adopted. Mr Hutton pointed out that the Syllabus Revision report had not yet come to hand. The Board decided to hold the matter over? Tenders for supplies for the Hostel for the next six months were received, the Board deciding op. the following: — Grocery.—Parfitt arid Co. Meat. —Mawhera Meat Co. ' Bread.—E. V. Arthur. Milk —H. R. Cooper. The Visiting Coinmittee reported everything satisfactory about the , school. Mr Kent enquired whether anything was being done in connection with the overcrowding of rooms. Mr Hutton said that the matter was receiving the attention of the Department. The Principal reported as follows for the epriod ending October 5: — The Technical High School and all evening and manual classes commenced the third term on September 10. The Technical High School roll stands at 243. One of our evening classes in-English and Arithmetic has

been so badly attended that it has been discontinued. Arrangements have been made to hold the annual exhibition and fete ,on Wednesday 17th., and given fine weather, a successful issu,e should be assured. On September 22 a visit was paid to us by teams representing the Christchurch Tech- / nical College, and contests took place in football, h'ockey, and basket-ball. Such visits are extremely beneficial to - the schools concerned and particularly $ $ acceptable to us as an isolated school. I attended the Technical Education •Conference in Wellington as a representative of this Board on August 21, and following days. A separate report is furnished of the proceedings. It may be noted that an increase in fees payable by evening class students not holding Free Places is contemplated by the Department, and in addition that the minimum number of pupils in an evening class in general subjects is being so adjusted that it is exceedingly doubtful whether sufficient enrolments can be obtained to make it possible to carry on evening classes • of Matriculation, Accountants’ Preliminary Examination, and Solicitors’ 1 General Knowledge at this school this year. Full particulars of the Department’s proposals are being circulated for the information of all Boards. After discussion on the advisability of insuring pupils against accidents occurring at school during studies it was decided that the secretary procure fur- • ther information on the matter. Mr Kyle mov.ed that the school be congratulated on winning the fourth grade and Newman Shield Rugby competitions, with a tie for top place in the fifth grade competition. The motion was carried.

Messrs Kent and Fairmaid were appointed a Visiting Committee for the ensuing month.

INSPECTION REPORT.

An inspection report concerning the Greymouth Technical School, presented at the meeting of the Board, disclosed that the roll totalled 247 —145 boys and 102 girls. Domestic class pupils totalled 15, commercial 69, trades 55, general 108. There were 141 boys and 82 girls attending evening classes. The report reads as follows: — j Buildings, and Equipment.—The Technical High School buildings are in a good state of repair and are in general adequate for the purposes for which they are used. They are well ventilated, heated and lighted and are kept in a satisfactory state of neatness and cleanliness. It is noted, however, that the physical laboratory has to be used as a general classroom for large classes for many weekly periods and this necessitates the placing in it of so much furniture that its efficiency as a laboratory for practical work is seriously impaired. It is also found impossible to set aside any one room for art work so that the difficulties of the drawing teacher are cor'-idcrably increased by his inability to group the pupils in correct relation to the objects when object drawing is being attempted, and to have sufficient control over the lighting. It is also noted with regret that dressmaking has still to be taught in the girls’ cloakroom, which is cold and draughty and not suitable for the purpose. The grounds continue to improve in appearance and in usefulness and great credit is due to the Board for the transformation which has been effected in the school environment. It is a matter for regret that it has noti yet been found possible to clean up)

the road margin contiguous to the boundary of the school, for its present rough qnd, blackberry-ridden appearance does nothing to improve the setting of the school. It is hoped that a determined effort may be made to remove this blot upon the school environment. The Hostel is now completed and some eighteen pupils are in residence. The arrangements made for the health and comfort of the residents seem to be admirable.

General. —There is a distinctly good tone in this school and the discipline is easy and effective. The pupils respond readily even to a stranger and seem to be on the best of terms with their teachers. • A spirit of earnestness "prevails, and the children are trained to responsibility. The schemes of work are in iriost cases satisfactory and records of work are duly kept. The Principal takes a considerable share in the teaching yet he is able to supervise the class teaching in a very definite way and to give helpful criticism and advice to the more inexperienced members of the staff. Drill is carried out each morning in a systematic way and many of the exercises carried out are to be commended no less for'their ingenuity than for their effectiyeness. The inspectors note with pleasure that the school, as a whole —teachers not excepted—obviously enjoys its drill periods, and much good must result therefrom. Adequate arrangements are made for sports ..and organised games and the social side of school life is not neglected. The routine work of the school office is very capably performed by the registrar, Miss T. Anderson. The Chairman remarking upon the report, said that the Board knew of the good work the school was accomplishing, and it was very pleasing to know that the Inspectors appreciated it. *

RECENT CONFERENCE Mr. Hutton, who attended the recent Technical Education Conference at Wellington, submitted his report. He stated: —

“The first and probably the most important matter discussed was the problem of the reorganisation of the postprimary system of education in New Zealand on the lines recommended in the Hadow report. The report was furnished to the Board of Education in England by»a consultative committee and set up to consider and report upon the organisation objective and curriculum of courses of study suitable for children who will remain in full time attendance.at, school up to the age of fifteen qr over, having due’regard to the requirements of a good general education, the desirability of a variety of curriculum for children of varying tastes and abilities, and the probable occupations of the pupils in commerce and industry. The following resolution was carried after full discussion: “The Conference affirms that the following fundamental conditions should be satisfied in any scheme for the reorganisation of the post-primary system, (a) Wherever possible, pupils should be transferred to a post-primary school two years earlier than at present as recommended in the Hadow report and by the New Zealand Syllabus Revision Committee, (b) That there should be more than one type of post-primary school where the numbre of pupils necessitates more than one school, (c) The proposed introduction of secondary subjects into the primary schools syllabus should not be allowed to work in the direction of a revival of Standard VII. in areas served by postprimary schools, (d) That the Council for Education should be asked to report upon any new departure previous to its being put into operation with regard especially to the matter of control.”

In regard to the question of control the Conference also after discussion asked the executive of the Association to bring down a report at next Conference on the possibility and suitability of one Education Board in each district, with a suitable constitution, being made responsible for all primary, post-primary and Technical education.

The need was urged for a definite statement by the Department as to the relative positions of High Schools and Technical Schools in the Education system since djiring the last five years no new Technical High Schools have been established though several new High Schools have been constituted. The Conference expressed itself against any suggestion to make Free Places tenable only at Post-Primary school nearest the pupil’s home and urged that the Department should not impose any undue restrictions on the issue of free season tickets.

The undue dominance of the Matriculation examination in post-primary education was noted and the Department urged to institute a Leaving Certificate of an equally high standard suitable for all types of schools. This would tend to check the rush of all pupils along the same channel. Where compulsory classes are instituted under the Apprenticeship Act it was considered that no fees should be chargeable to pupils.

The Department’s suggestion that part of the allowance for incidentals be allocated to the maintenance and depreciation of equipment was considered and the conference decided to agree on condition that 5 per cent, be hdded to the incidental allowance to cover these items.

The Conference took the view in reference to the suggested increased scale of fees for evening classes, that voluntary efforts at self-improvement should be encouraged, and to that end, that fees should be abolished.

Objection was made to the Gazetting of regulations affecting Boards without consulting the Boards. Conference recommended. that salaries of Principals of Technical High Schools should be equivalent to those of Secondary Schools of equal size, and that married allowance of assistant teachers in Technical Schools should be made equal to the married allowance of assistants in Primary Schools.

In reference to the Technological training the Minister wa's urged to provide better facilities for advanced Technological training. It was further decided that if the passing of the Dominion Technological Examinations by a candidate entitles him to a certificate of competency as a - craftsman, it should replace the present examinations such as Wiremen’s Registration, and Plumbers’ Registration. At the same time the Conference affirmed the desirability of maintaining good continuation classes in the Evening Schools of Technical Colleges with a view to helping those persons who have not been able to remain at a day school long enough to obtain a good general education. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was requested to consider the possibility of establishing a Technological Museum of Scientific and Industrial Research. The Conference approved the need

for teaching dietetics and Home Science in post-primary schools as well as the more practical subject of cookery. It was pointed out that the smaller the income the greater the necessity of spending money to advantage.

'rhe Plumbers’ Board of N.Z. was asked to permit Plumbing apprentices to enter for the Theory Examination after serving three years in the trade and attending Technical Classes for at least three years.

The Conference urged that town boys should be encouraged to qualify for rural occupations by providing Agricultural courses in post-primary schools in or near the centres.

'flic Department was asked to consider some form of travelling subsidy for the pupils living away from the Railway to enable them to travel to school by motor service.