NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY With which is incorporated the NORTHERN MAIL DAILY. SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1919. HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS FORECASTED.

Northern Advocate, 30 August 1919, Page 2

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY With which is incorporated the NORTHERN MAIL DAILY.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1919. HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS FORECASTED.

Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.-

In this issue appear two very important letters regarding , the local Higfa. School, -written by direction, of the chairman since the last meeting of the Board. The readiness with which the members of the Board endorsed the chairman's action and thanked him -for moving so promptly is a fair indication of the mind of that body to prepare for the great changes which are forecasted in the near fixture. In the first of theße letters the new technical school is dealt with, the Board offering a free site on its property for the building. The necessity for setting aside more time for technical instruction has not came too soon and it is quite probable that in the near future considerable changes in the syllabus will be made allowing for increased time for technical work. A study of the lives and work of the masses readily shows the necessity of this and great numbers of skilled workmen are more to be desired than increased numbers of brain workers though the vaJne of the latter is not in flhls statement underestimated or discount cd. At least seventy per cent, of the units of population take to manual work a-s a means of 'livelihood and it is principally for these seventy per cent, that educative legislation must be enacted. Tills is where technical schools are to play their part, hence it is but little wonder that some of

the high schools of the Dominion are disestablishing' in order to become Technical High Schools. Two questions of importance will have to be considered i?i Whang-arei before the proposal takes shape; firstty, the site for the building, and, secondly, I the qtiality of the structure. As far as the site is concerned the High School Board has offered the land free in wftich case it .must be remembered that if this offer is accepted there is likely to be an Immediate request for boarding , accommodation for a very large" number of country pupils who will be likely to offer themselves as students. It is possible that others may think the High School site unsuitable and we would say that if it were only required for evening , classes we would be of tftic same opinion, but there is Tiot the slightest doubt that it will be more in use during , the clay than at night. Therefore the wisdom of having it associated with an existing school, from wfairih the bulk of its day pupils will be drawn, can be readily seen. However, nothing , definite so far has been done except the Board's o#er £q

give ihe site; but it is very gratifying indeed to know that a good deal of attention and thought are already being devoted to this important question, in the second letter the chairman asked the Department to 'have placed on the (Estimates a gTant for £1287 to be used as follows: To pay off the balance of purchase price of hunt bought from the late Mr Thos. iMcClintoek, £500; the erection land equipment of the new recreation room, £651; electric light installation, £100; and .subdivisional survey of endowment, £130. The chairman is to be congratulated upon his foresight in getting in early with these requests and it is at least encouraging , to learn that the Minister in his reply stated that he will cause a report to be made. The chairman, however, pointed out to the Minister Wiat it was probable that a grant on the Supplementary Estimates would probably be asked for extensions to the present school building. To meet the Board's obligations for land purchase £500 must be found next year; the recreation room, which is nearing completion, has become an absolute necessity and the expenditure in this direction, namely, £55", has been wise; the installation of the electric light, at a cost of £100, should prove an economical investment, and unquestionably the endowment subdivisiomal survey, at a cost op £130, was not only justified but should have been done earlier in the history of the Board. The requests of the Board, therefore, for a grant are tempered by moderation .and it is to be hoped that the report asiked for by the Minister will feature this point and that the Minister will see the advisability of acceding to the Board's temperate and justified requests.