BOARD OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14391, 9 June 1910, Page 7

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

CARAVAN TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.' SCHEME FOR COUNTRY DISTRICTS. Thk /Auckland Education Board met yesterday. " Present : Messrs. 0. J. Parr (chairman), H. J. Greehslade, J. D. McKenaie, G. J. Garland, C. T. Barriball, G. Edgecumbe, A. Farmer, arid A. R. Harris. • The director of technical education (Mr. George . George) ' submitted 'a. report on a comprehensive ; scheme for extending the benefits of manual training "i and domestio soience to the ' country districts. In the course of the report Mr. George said the difficulties of providing technical instruction at country schools by class teachers are twofold, ; namely—(l) Qualifications of the teacher;*" ,; (2) the cost of equipments These difficulties may she; overcome by . having travellin? teachers and travelling equipment. A specially-constructed caravan, somewhat similar to those used by tourists and gypsies in the Old Country, could be built, and : in these the whole of the equipmont required for teaching cookery i could bo transported from school to school. A special itinerant teacher for each branch would bo appointed. The caravans would then be conveyed to & certain school, the equipment taken out and placed either in the schoolroom ', or in some local hall hired : for the purpose, or, in case of a last extremity, in a tent which would bo carried in the caravan. The instructors would conduct their classes at the school for three weeks to the whole of the pupils in Standard IV. and upwards. The pupils would devote the whole of their school . time for three weeks to this instruction, and would thus receive about as many hours', teaching as is given in a year in the ordinary r way. By this method, the report proceeded, a maximum benefit would be received by countryi pupils : at a minimum expense ;to the' country, and if the Board approved of the suggestion,' it would be desirable that the Department be at once approached for the necessary funds. to pro- j vide two caravans (one /for woodwork and one for cookery) and equipment. /,;•,-'■'-..//., The ."Chairman said the report opened up a large subject. v Personally he was in favour of , giving country children all the ; benefits town children 'obtained. That, however, was an • ideal, and : there were undoubtedly practical difficulties to be overcome. = Mr. George's scheme seemed to him a feasible one, and he proposed members should carefully. consider the report, "so that it may.' be discussed in detail at the next meeting of the Board. This was agred to. c * THE BAYFIELD SCHOOL. ; MORE SPACE WANTED. ;/ A deputation•':' from the Ponsonby : Schools ; Committee" waited lon > the Board, and drew attention to the congested state of the Bayfield ; : school, .and the ;;'.' almost total absence of -space for a playground. :It was suggested bv the deputation that the present school site be, sold arid-a larger • area.; purchased not far distant, and the school; building moved. The chairman said the Board .was keenly \ alive *to % the \ desirability iof providing ; more space, and the present site was undoubtedly a bad I one; W but the difficulty that had to be confronted was that the Board could not look for any assistance from' the Government, and whatever was done would have, to be done out of revenue. If, as the deputation stated/ the financial 1 troubles could be - overcome fby realising sufficient money, from the old site to purchase the new, and pay for the .removal of i the buildings, no doubt something might be done. The deputation was asked to nut 5 into writing its scheme,.';and \ the Board promised/to/give/the; matter im- ; mediate consideration. - _ , ...;-,