TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17293, 17 October 1919, Page 9

TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOLS.

NEW V-lEW OF FUNCTIONS [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Thursday Possible developments of technical edu cation are discussed in the animal report of the Education Department, presented to Parliament yesterday. No increase has | been made, during the year, it state*, in I tlx>. number of technical high schools, but I there are' indications of an advance to aj clearer understanding of the value of this type if secondary school, and time ap pears to prove that it is capable, of filling a not unimportant place in our national system of education. It provides a foundation course of instruction in the. recognised culture sub jccts of general education. At. the same time, not, underestimating the cultural value of a properly directed elementary I vocational training, the conviction is] steadily growing that this dual training | is capable of producini: both trained in ; telligence and technical knowledge of the I I highest value to the State, and to the j individual. Mr. \V. L. Hi.hens. chair i man of one of the largest engineering firms ! in the I'nited Kingdom, when addressing i a company of headmasters of English .secondary schools, said : "The true function of education is to teach young people how to learn and how to live, not how to make a living." Rut if, in our study of educational factors and values we find a method of instruction whii h trains intelligence and discovers aptitude indicating the path in industrial life a youth should take, wo may surely teach both how to live and how to make a living. At any rate the attempt is made in the. technical high schools, and it is contended that so far the attempt has not been without- success.