TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 2, 30 November 1944, Page 7

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

DISPLAY OF WORK

The many parents and friends who took advantage of the opportunity afforded them last evening of viewing the practical work accomplished by the students of tho Palmerston ISorth Technical High School doubtless gained a valuable insight into the activities of the school. A display' is held annually, and the exhibits this year, which were attractively set out in each department, maintain the high standard set previously. A highlight of the evening was a. mannequin parade by girls of the dressmaking class, showing many of the garments they had made.

Mr H. M. Scott (principal) took this opportunity of extending a welcome to the visitors, who were invited to wander through the rooms freely. In the cooking rooms the visitors found a tempting array of cakes, puddings, savouries, etc., the of them having been made without butter. On the centre table were disployed many large Christmas cakes which had : been baked by the senior girls, and surrounding these were preserves of a professional standard. Appetising and novel vegetable dishes showed a number of ways of serving this valuable part of the diet, the preservation of their nutritional value having been considered in each case. Peeipe books, which had been compiled and made by the girls, were on sale for patriotic purposes, and most of the food on display had been made from the recipes contained' in them. One bench displayed examples of the cafeteria meals that are cooked and served daily by the domestic classes at the school. The dressmaking; sectiion showed the valuable tuition tho pupils are receiving, not only in making frocks, coals, costumes, underwear, and soft .furnishings, but in the practical accomplishment of remodelling old garments. There were also some excellent examples of smocking. In the arts and crafts room a feature of tho display was the attractive and original jewellery of filigree silver. Articles made from beaten copper, and fretwork, stencilling, weaving, embroidery, leather, felt, and metal work were also exhibited. In the art studios tho walls were lined with numerous examples, including water-colours, oils, pencil sketches, posters, lino-cuts, and etchings, many of them depicting well-known views about the city. 'J he work contained evi- 1 denco of much creative ability and in I

many instances originality. Further evidences of the high standard of tuition in technical subjects were seen in tho carpentry room, where practical Furniture with a professional finish Mas displayed, and plumbing work was also set out. In the electrical and motor workshop the attention of the visitors was attracted by motor-car and aeroplane engines, and a Diesel engine which had been in use in the Army to work a

searchlight. There were also parts of a tank .engine. In a special room demontsrations were given of the working of three machines which are of great practical use in _ teaching. It was explained that the epidiascope projector is used for showing pictures direct from a book and also fot ordinary slides, while there was also a machine for showing film strips. A talkie machine created a great deal of interest, it being pointed out that suitable films were obtained from a central depot in I Wellington and also from the Army. The engineering workshop showed a great vuriety o.f tools and'machines, used by tht boys, and in the electrical testing room experiments were set out, these being designed to show the general experimental work carried on in the school. A display of laboratory apparatus in tho science section revealed (he wide variety of subjects covered, including heat, electricity, mechanics, dairy science, chemistry, physics and magnetism, different sciences being treated in different years, with an emphasis on engineering and technical work.