TEACHERS' CONFERENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 14

TEACHERS' CONFERENCES.

CULTURAL EDUCATION. SCOPE OF TECHNICAL COLLEGES. [by telegraph.—press association.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The fourteenth annual meeting of the New Zealand Technical Schools Teachers' Association opened this morning. Mr. L. T. Wild presided. In his address Mr. Wild laid stress on education in the cultural aspect as against the mere conveying of facts. In spite of their technical character, he said technical colleges were cultural, but they had allowed the public to cherish an illusion that some of the teachers were willing to have them cherish—that there was no cultural value in technical education. He believed it was the destiny of their association to be the emancipator from the past, and to bo the builder of the new order in education in New Zealand. It was their work to bring young people face to face with practical problems of the present, and so fit them and their generation to meet problems that lay before them. Proposals for the reorganisation of the educational system in New Zealand were considered, and it was decided to set up a committee to go fully into the question and to report to-morrow.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS PROBLEMS. DIFFICULTIES OF TEACHERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The conference of the Secondary Schools Assistants' Association opened to-day. The presidential address was given by Mr. H. E. Smith, who dealt with the training of secondary school teachers to mako them more fit for the many difficulties with which they were beset. Ho emphasised that it was necessary to regain parental confidence, without which success was almost impossible, and also, what was by no means less important, to present a united front in attempting to combat the spirit of materialism and irresponsibility which at present seemed to pervade tho whole world. The following officers were elected President, Mr. G. V. Morris; vice-presi-dent, Mis 3K. V. Edgerley; executive. Messrs. J. A. Colquhoun, C. R. Jones, 0 J. Begg, W. M. Stewart,' P. Martin Smith and G. J. McNaught; secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. S. Farquharj auditor. Mr. W. Alexander Mr. Morice was elected a vice-president of tho Secondary Schools' Association, and Miss Edgerley and Messrs. Colquhoun and J. G. Mackay were elected members of the council.