IMPACT OF WAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 December 1940, Page 6

IMPACT OF WAR

ON DUNEDIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE PRINCIPAL’S COMMENT [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright | DUNEDIN, This Day. The impact of the war on the Technical College was referred to by Mr Aldridge, Principal, in his annual report. “In July and August the galling up of men and youths began to leave i gaps in the evening classes at once 1 and boys and girls from day school answered the equally insistent call to ; take their places. By the end of the session the evening school had lost 481 students out of 1583. The senior School of Commerce fvith a loss of 49 out of 55 was practically wiped out: the Techincal High School lost 336 out of 808.” Mr Aldridge proceeds that it was in the latter school thfff really dis- ; quieting evidence appears. “The ' cupidity of parents linked to the extra demand of employers for juniors ' from whatever source, has closed once . more the old vicious chain of events that follow when youth is decoyed away from training with the thought- j less consent of age.” The Principal stated that all but 69 of the 163 girls who went to work were placed without the advice of the school or youth centre; while of the J 38 who left from the second year! commercial classes it was already ob-! j vious that many would not be able to : \ do senior work when due to receive senior pay. On the boys’ side the position was j that two months ago the employers J would have accepted any personable , lad, and only the Vocation Officer’s 1 insistence on a minimum age saved many boys from schooling loss. Of the 169 who left 43 were under 15 and all but 31 were under 16.