TEACHERS' TRAINING COLLEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12774, 26 January 1905, Page 6

TEACHERS' TRAINING COLLEGE.

—— «a» ■■■-.. - DISCUSSION BY THE EDUCATION BOARD. REFERRED TO A . SUB-COMMITTEE. For some time past the Auckland Education Board has been endeavouring to obtain from the Government a grant for the purpose of erecting a suitable building for a training college for teachers, but so far without success. The latest communication from the secretary of the Education Department, read at yesterday's meeting of the Board, stated that in the absence of an appropriation for the purpose, the Minister for Education- regretted that the matter would have to be postponed for the present. ; The Chairman (Mr. S. Luke) characterised the communication as extremely unsatisfactory in view of the recent statement of the Minister for Education (Mr. Seddon) that the necessary money for two buildings, one at Wellington, the other at Auckland, would be voted. He suggested that no further action should bo taken in the matter of establishing a training college for teachers, pending receipt of the funds for electing a suitable building. Mr. R. Hobbs did not agree that it, was desirable that they should delay the establishment of tho school because' they could not proceed with a new building. The Board could utilise a portion of the Wel-lesley-street School, and should proceed with the matter and appoint teachers. They were better acquainted with the requirements than the Department, and should go on with the establishment of the school. Mr. C. J. Parr held that if they were to look for the best results from teachers; nothing should be left undone in the matter of the systematic training of young teachers. He agreed with Mr. Hobbs that a portion of the Wellesley-street school could be used as a training college, pending receipt of funds to erect a special building for the purpose. Tho chief inspector (Mr. D. Petrie, M.A.), reporting on the matter, suggested that steps should be taken for the immediate establishment of a training collego for, teachers. There was no need to wait for the erection of a new building for the college, as temporary quarters could be made available at the Wellesleystreet school. He was of opinion that the Board should take action in the following directions: —" (1) Making-Welles-ley-street school the normal school that will form the integral part of the training college; (2) placing Wellesley-street school under the direct control of the Board; (3) advertising in New Zealand and tho Australian colonies for a director of the training college; (4) giving the present'staff of Wellesley-street school three months', notice of +he termination of their engagements as members of that staff." Continuing, Mr. Petri© said that the permanent staff of the normal school should bo selected after the director had been appointed, and as far as possible his wishes should be regarded in making a selection. The Secretary (Mr. Rice) intimated that a sum of £5400 had last year been appropriated for the purpose of maintaining training colleges for teachers, and of this seme £2887 had been expended by the two centres in which colleges had been established. On the motion of Mr. Parr, a sub-com-mittee, consisting of the chairman (Mr. S.Luke), Messrs'. R. Hobbs, and L. J. Bagnail, the chief inspector (Mr. D. Petrie), and the mover (Mr. Pan-), was appointed to go into the matter of the establishment of a training college for teachers in Auckland forthwith.