NOVEL LESSONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10459, 14 December 1927, Page 5

NOVEL LESSONS.

TEACHING BY WIRELESS

SCHEME TESTED YESTERDAY

HARDLY S UCCESSE UL L’O CA LL \

Something entirely novel m the way of “lessons'' was provided for pupils at a number of , local schools yesterday, when the first official broadcast to New Zealand schools was wirelessed throughout the couritry from station 2YA Wellington on a wave-lengah of 420.metres. . .... Y T esterday’s demonstration was simply a test of the feasibility of trie scheme and on the measure of, success obtained throughout- tlie Dominion will depend whether this wireless instruction is introduced as a regular feature of .the schools’ curriculum. The Education Department had arranged with the Radio Broadcasting Company that, starting at 2 p.m., a suitable programme should be. broadcast from Wellington. Certain schools had been chosen throughout the Dominion and arrangements made' for wireless sets to be installed . in these for the test.' Te Ha-para. was the local school chosen, but several other, district- schools “listened-in’' unofficially. The Swan Radio Co. installed the. set -at Te Hapara, which included two loud speakers,, and Mr N. Bull was the operator. Headmasters of practically all local schools attended and children from all classes were gathered in the room where the test, was made.

The programme broadcast included speeches by the Director of Education, Mr T. B. Strong, the Chief Inspector, Mr Bird, and Director of Musical Education, Mr. Tayler. There wera also several vocal selections by the choir of,the Wellington Girls College and Mr Tayler lectured on the technique of pianoforte playing. Unfortunately for the test, so far as Te Hapara was concerned, statics, due to tho rain, interfered considerably and tho proximity of electrical transformers also hud a nullifying clfect. At times reception was good, bull then again it faded atvay almost completely. Mr Taylor’s lecture snl--1 creel considerably and it was practically impossible to follow him wum any’ clarity. Locally, the test could be [described- as hardly a success. Discussing the matter last evening, Mr W. A. Curteis, headmaster of Te Hapara, slated that the programme broadcast was ’an ideal one for trie purpose. Had it not been for the unusual conditions, there was little doubt that the experiment would have been a complete success. The idea ot the Department had been to test out tho'-scheme under ordinary school, conditions, and, if successful generally, it would-afford a splendid modinm'whereby instruction in specialised subjects could be given by experts in the particular directions.

, DOMINION-WIDE TEST’S. TEACHERS TO 'RETORT TO DEPARTMENT. WELLINGTON, Dec, 13. To test, the possibilities of impartinf instruction to school childicri. bj wireless, the Education Department hy arrangement with the Radio Broadcasting Company, broadcast a special programme from the Wellington station 2YA, between 2 p.m. and p.m. to-day to selected schools, ranging from Wliangarei to InvercnigilL Head teachers will report the nature of tlie reception; The selected schools were at Auckland. New Plymouth, Wliangarei, le Ivuiti, Tauranga, Rotorua, Stratford, Waimanui, Palmerston North, iaihape“ Gisborne, Napier, Danncyirke, Reikorangi, Masterton, Rat v al.ey, Denniston, Westport, Nelson, l'a.irlic Hokitika. Akaroa, Htnani, Christchurch, Dunedin, Oamaru ' Bal,'lutha, • Alexandra, Utautau;- Invercargill. Jn these schools receiving sets were installed, but it was expected that -i laroe number of teachers scattered throughout the Dominion •--• uld oc able also to assist tlie Department by arranging to have sets temporal ip instalfed°in their schools.. If the experiment proves successful the Department will consider tlie development of the scheme, .chut among the advantages ot which would he tho assistance that could bo iej. clerorl to schoolsm isolated aria., I’. A. ■