FIFTH TRAINING COLLEGE:- SUGGESTED SITE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1948, Page 8

FIFTH TRAINING COLLEGE:SUGGESTED SITE

(P.A.) PALMERSTON N., Oct, 18. “It seems as though we may have to have a fifth teachers’ training college (to replace Ardmore) completed together with hostels by 1953,” said the Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs) to members of the Palmerston North High Schools Board today when discussing plans for the erection of educational buildings. He visited Palmerston North to inspect suggested building sites, and in the course of his tour made a brief inspection of the suggested site for a training college. He was accompanied by Mr W. B. Tennent, chairman of the Wanganui Education Board. A site has been selected by the Wanganui Education Board and the Director of Education (Dr C. E. Beeby) at Fitzherbert on part of the Massey Agricultural College property. Massey College has offered the site. The Minister said that, while he was not committing the Government to any undertaking, the site was considered by his department to be very suitable for the purpose. The department would be prepared to accept, it. The department had an agreement with the Air Force for the use of Ardmore until 1953, but that depended on the future requirements of the Air Force and the department might have to leave it earlier. Mr McCombs said the co-operation of the university would be necessary to have lectures in university subjects in Palmerston North, but there was no reason why lecturers of sufficient standing could not be provided. At first it would not be necessary to cover higher subjects, because teachers in training would take only the first and second stages. It was possible arrangements would have to be made for Victoria University College lecturers to be seconded to Palmers- i ton North.