TRAINING COLLEGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 50, 29 January 1937, Page 2

TRAINING COLLEGE.

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES. COMMITTEE’S POINTED COMMENT. The selection committee of the Wanganui Education Board, at yesterday’s meeting of the board, expressed alarm at the poor calibre of many of the candidates for entrance to the Teachers’ Training Colleges, and were perturbed by the lack of vigour and clarity in the speech of a large number of the applicants. In all 57 applications were received, one in division C and 56 in division A. Of the 56 in division A, three were under age, four had insufficient qualifications, three did not appeal- before the committee, 11 failed in the examination, five were rejected by the school medical officer or the committee, leaving 30 who were recommended for admission.

The successful candidates were: — Division A.—Geo. L. K. Aker, Geoffrey J. Annear, Ngaire Bennett, Eunice Berry, Nina Botaroff, ’ Mavis Dales, Decima Doinmett, Jean Fergusson, Nellie M. Hannam, Douglas O. Hawkins. Douglas H. Hickman, John Lobb, Rora L. Mete Kingi, Rachel Mawhinney, Myra Newman, Jeannette Niederer, Alfred H. Palmer, Helen M. Parnell, Florence J. Siddells, Reginald AV. Urwin, James A. Ward, Nancy M. Wheeler, Eric G. Whitehead, Janet E. Wilkinson. Ngaire AVilliam son, Shirley AVoodfield. Division C.—Geo. D. T. Hall.

The following report on the candidates has been sent to the Director of Education: — “The committee of selection feels very strongly that the class of candidate coming forward for the teaching profession is, oil the whole, most disappointing. This applies both to the boys and girls. AVhile there were some individual candidates well up to standard, the average lacked character and personality, while the quality and accuracy of speech left much to be desired. We feel that so much of the country’s future depends on the adequate education of our young people, and that the junction of the teacher in character building and developnient of personality along right lines is of such paramount importance that no effort should be spared to raise the standard of those coming forward for entrance to our training colleges, and to attract to the teaching profession outstanding students in our secondary schools. AA’e further feel that heads of secondary schools should be approached with a view to inducing the best possible type of boy and girl to come forward as candidates for the teaching profession.”