TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9153, 27 July 1906, Page 5

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

THE CLASSES IN HAWERA.

Technical education is becoming more and, more popular day by day, and during tine last few years it has taken a firm hold in the Wanganui education district— the district with which we in Hawera are connected. In the winter months of last year technical classes were established in Hawera^ and the success attained was highly satisfactory. In the summer months the classes wera suspended till the following winter, at the beginning of which season they were re-established and, it is satisfactory to state, patronised by an increased number of students. Without including' those attending the ambulance classes there are about 70 students on the roll, while the inclusion of these first-aid students would increase the number to exceed 100. There were enrolled, of course, a certain number whose enthusiasm has not been sustained, but on the average there is an attendance of 80 per cent. The numbers of pupifs in the respective - classes are as follows: — Commercial arithmetic 18, bookkeeping 15, dressmaking 15, shorthand 11, English 12, chemistry v 3, Latin 5, woodwork 8, drawing and painting 16, woodcarving 8, gymnasium 10, ladies' first-aid class 30; and gentlemen's first-aid class 12. In addition to the foregoing the agricultural class will be opened this evening under the directorship of Mr Grant. The science laboratory at the High School will be thrown open v to this class, and here most of the practical work will be done, and young farmers will be afforded an excellent opportunity to advance in their calling by. attending this class. With all the classes, except the first-aid classes, the 1 first term is just concluding, there being about two more weeks to run. . The terms upon which this valuable education is obtained are exceptionally reasonable: for one subject, 7s 6d per term-, for two subjects. 12s 6d; and for three or more subjects, 15s. Apart from these , liberal terms those having passed Standard 1 VI. are entitled 1 to free admission to the technical classes. There are only two conditions imposed upon those wiho decide to take advantage of these scholarships, and they are that the student takes English and arithmetic with hia or her technical subject and attends 20 hours during the 1 term. As most of the classes receive two hours' instruction a week (one night a week) this means ten attendances a term. What was last year a very popular class has not been re-established this year owing to the difficulty in obtaining a suitable instructor. We refer to the "Maori" daw which was so successfully conducted last winter with 16 regular pupils With, the conclusion of tihe present term it is to be sincerely hoped that the roll number, or at least the number of regular attendants, will not diminish, bat that with the advent of the new term there will be a substantial increase.