MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12409, 23 October 1903, Page 7

MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

ADDRESS BY MR. G. GEORGE,

Mr.. George George, inspector of manual and technical education for the Auckland Board of Education, addressed a public meeting in Hamilton on Thursday evening. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. W. Dev) took the chair, and introduced the speaker. There Iras only a moderate attendance. Mr. George , defined technical education as being education in the scientific conditions underlying any trade or industry. In America technical education was almost entirely confined to men destined to be industrial leaders. In '.the Old Country it, was most applied to the s artisan. Apprentices under the terms of their Indentures are compelled to attend a ■technical school, and in certain parts one day ft week was allowed for this. In Germany and Switzerland they had the highest form of education as applied to the artisan. To show the result in Germany, 10 years ago. that country imported a large quantity of chemicals, but Ispt year the returns of the chemical department showed an export of £2.000,000. In Ireland £50,000 a year is set ! aside by the State for technical education. , The Danes are the finest butter-makers in the world. There was no rule of thumb with them, everything was done scientifically, and all their experts had technical know-, ledge ; they were not merely practical men. Technical education and manual training were often confused. . The latter was a system by which the hand and the eye were brought intimately iato co-operation. Children were trained to do certain work accurately; there was no .vrt'h thing as " near enough," an expression too often heard in the colony. He condemned the present public school syllabus, which he said was overcrowded. His object was to promote a technical and manual school in Hamilton; the population was small, so that they could not expect a large school, but they could start some classes, Which would benefit those growing up. Carpentry and joinery are fit subjects for training, with the addition of mensuration, arithmetic, and drawing. If New Zealand is to hold her own as a produce-yielding country, those engaged in farming must have careful training. He would like to see attached to every school an experimental plot of ground. After boys had gone through the primary school they might be trained in a higher school; for those over 16 lie would like to see a system of scholarships introduced, whereby they could attend an agricultural School in connection with an experimental, farm. He advised the public to ta.ke this matter up, as public opinion must favour the scheme, or they would not get the money from the Government. The Government had passed an Act to enable them to find money for this purpose, but did not appear anxious to go much further. He suggested that a committee should be formed to bring pressure upon the Government. By Act,! any local authority whatever has power to allocate any sum for the purpose out of ordinary funds. No power was given to levy a special rate, as in other countries, but whatever sum was given, either by a local body or a private individual, the" Government were bound to give £ for £. He was not in favour of asking the Government to do everything; they must help themselves. After a lengthy discussion,' Mr, Hatrick moved, "That the two school committees and the members of the Borough Council be a, committee to endeavour to amalgamate the two schools, and make provision for a . technical school. ' This was carried unanimously. [Hi' TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Camubidge, Thursday. Mr. George George, accompanied by Mr. Mitchell, architect, held a conference with the Cambridge School Committee this morning, both gentlemen giving lucid explanations of the manual training classes in Auckland, which quite impressed the members of the committee. It was decided to bold a public meeting with the object of arousing the interest of parents and others, Messrs. Wells, Jas. Hally, Dickinson, and Brooks being appointed a committee # to work up the matter. The Education Board will be asked to send Mr. George up to address the public meeting. , An application is already betore the ■Board asking that a high schoolroom be erected, and it is proposed to ask that it be detached from the present school building and made_ sufficiently large to .allow of manual training classes being held as well.