TECHNICAL SCHOOL FOR HAWERA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9303, 20 March 1907, Page 7

TECHNICAL SCHOOL FOR HAWERA.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. OVER £100 ALREADY SUBSCRIBED. An enthusiastic and influential meeting was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening to consider the question of a technical school for Hawera. About 50 townspeople were present and several apologies for non-attendance were received. Th'? Mayor (Mr J. W. Hirst) who presided, briefly explained the object of the meeting. He said the matter of the .technical school was a mosit important question in the interests of the town. Mr A. A. Hintz, direcitor of technical education in this district then addressed ed the meeting. He said the old idea of the "three R's" had been abandoned andi new ideas introduced. The work at s^hoods in woodwork, mistakenly called technical education, was training the hands and eye. Technical education was the teaching of principles underlying a trade not training such as school children were at presents undergoing. Some people regarded it as a fad, but public authorities fully recognised the value of technical classes. Perhaps people had reason to scoff at some classes because the dosses were not those which the district jiequired. But if taken on proper 'Lines, with suitable rooms and a suitable staff of instructors, no one couJd' deny that the various 1 technical classes were a boon to the •community. (Applawe.) A visit to the chief schools would soon convince anyone of iihds fact. His position in the district was that the Edxicatiioin, Board, being extremely desirous of establishing classes, had guaranteed his salary and 'expenses to organise them ; but mainly to get a technical school on Hawera. And he could not do it without their assisitaaiice. If they would 'Unite with that end in view he wasi sure itihe school would be an .aooamplished fact within 12 months. No doubt a building and) suitable equipments were needed if they were going to carry on the classes properly. He found from enquiry that might classes on the otner sid<e of the South road were not at all convenient. This was shown in -the fact that ■although many circulars had' been sent omt very poor support was accorded in Hawiena, while in other places the support had been good. Fox •instance f 34 had joined the dressmaking dosses in Mangatoki and «nly 4 ia Hawera. At Mamaia the people were attempting to raise £50. This with the subsidy would build a room for dairy science (which thfe Government would equip) and would be ready in 3or 4 months' time. So far as Hawera wais concerned the proposal at ; present was to erect a brick building of 4 rooms and a- workshop, on Robbing' square. Th© building would cost £1550 ; and they wanted to raise £150 locally. \ He mentioned that at T&ihape the other j at a meeting at which only 17 were ' present, it was. decidied to raise £150, and £34 was subscribed) in the room. He had sent in a provisional application, and if the town raised £150 the Government would .give £1400. He did not think there Siiould be the slightest difficulty in raising £150. They already had £25 from the Borough Council, £3 from donations, and £7,pTomi»ed, making £35. Hawera County Council ought to be good for £50 and they could go back to the Borough Council for another £25. He would like to hear the voice of the meeting on Mu6 and any other points. (Applause.) Mr Hutcihens moved, That all present are agreed a© to the advisability of the school, but he thought that the building should be on tne school grounds. They had told that one of tihe items would be the milking of a cow. >.hen Mr Hiaitz suggested veterinary classes, and it would be admitted that they could not provide accommodation for this kind of thing on Robbins' square. Then from 2 to 4 acres of ground would be required fonr experiments in plainting seeds and watching their growth. Then iEhe Government would not provide money for dasses already estabJLsned such, as for art and .science which were now in the school ; so the ■classes would be divided. Them there was a possibility that some of the classes would not be successful, and if that happened the buildings could be used in connection with the High School ; that could not be , done if the building were in the town. It was suggested that the building would be ornamental, but a smithy would not be an ornament in any way. Two classes were now being conducted in connection wfth the school, cookery and woodwork, and if RobbLns' square wore used the cliildren would meed' to be taken away from the school. For these Teasons he thought it best to 'have the new building on the school grounds. Mx Barton asked Mr Hintz to define more explicitly what was meant by technical education as intended for this district. He referaed to the great growth in Germany of industries such as the small arms trade, which resulted entirely from observation of industries in Britain and acquired education. Mot Clarkson (who expressed the desire of the people of Norm'aai'by to help in vims matter) said there was a chasm between primary school life and tihe life work of the pupils. Technical •education was intended to bridge that chasm. He thought the work of the classes could hardly be specified, but technical -education would be required to do- whatever it found to do. It would continue to train the eye .and the hand in the parfccular direction most suitable to individual cases in aiter life. He urg^d that the people^jbould readily render financial asisistaince^as the woxk of the technical classes meanst the completion of the work at the primary schools. Mr Hintz said the requirement of the district would determine the classes. Agricultural science, for instance, shouLdi toe fully encouraged in this district. Chaildxen were busy in the summer anid in the winter they weTe fTee. If these were going to be farmers there was a large amount of technical education they should get and could get from these dasses. Again there were no certificated plumbers in this town, but he hoped there would be by this time next year. As to building, a great many workmen had no more scientific knowledge than they require. The commercial side would piovidie education which would fit youths for office work. He would say that the needs of the district must mould the destinies of the school. Mr Hintz went on to refer to the question of site, when Mr F. W. Wilkie interposed saying that the site question shbuHd not be considered just now; they should deal with the establishment of the school. The Mayor moved, That in the opinion Jbf this meeting it is desirable that a technical school should Ij© established in Ha-Wera, and this meeting will do all in its ppwT to further the project. Mr Hutohens seconded.

Mr Major, M.H.R., said the people should realise that this was a golden opportunity which should be grasped at onqe. 1 He did not think it would be a great hardship if they had to raise all the i money ; if they were only required to raise £150, or £250, it was a wonder to him that they had not a teohnical school erected long ere now. Mr Bates (in reply to a question that four rooms would be required) said if they were going to get a school why not go for a £2000 building as Feilding had done? The Mayor's motion was camied. A long discussion then ensued regarding 1 the site question. Mr Hints said Bobbins' square was quite suitable. Mr Major sfcrougly opposed this site, and urged that the building should be placed on the borough reserve next to the police station, j Princes street. Mr Barton, on the other hand, wanted an effort made to secure the use of the Postail Department's, section opposite the fire brigade station After some motions 1 had been submitted and wdtihdrawn, it was ultimately agreed that an effort should be made to bring about an exchange of Bobbins' square (held by tin© Education Board) and the Borough Council reserve in Princes street, it being . understood that the school should Be built . on the latter section. A subscription list was then opened in the room, and the response was enfcbusiustdc, over £50 being promised in the room. To-day a further canvass -was made by Mir Hintz and Mr Brunette, and the list at present stands as follows: : — Hawera Borough Council, £25; C. E. Major, ( M.H.8., W. A. Parkinson, £10; B. H. ' Nolan, L. Bone, 3. W. Hirst, £5; Dixon and Bates, H. Haffiwell, £3 3s; E. W. Sargent, J. Brunette, H. W. Climie, E. A. Paoey, J. Macklara, Quin Bros., £2 2s; Pratt and Co., E. Barton, J. P. Keen, ( W. H Deem, R. Tait, F. H. Boase, A. J. ' Jury, C. A. Budge, C. S. Smith, James , Foy, J. Boyd, O. R. Bayley, A. C. Harri- ' son, £1 ts; J- E. Roe, J. H. Stevens, H. W. Sutton, H. S Elliott, A. A. Hintz, Teachers' Institute, A. Blair, H. E. Harras, £1. Total, £102 9s.