LOPSIDED SCIENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 12

LOPSIDED SCIENCE

TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY SECONDARY SCHOOLS' FAULTS EDUCATION OF STUDENTS VIEWS OF PROFESSOR LAMB "The time has arrived for the abandonment of the idea that New Zealand is purely an agricultural country whose one aim should be to grow produce for export, and to import manufactured goods," said Professor S. E. Lamb in an address on "Education For Our Industries," delivered at the Auckland University College School of Engineering last night. Every country had certain natural products which should form the basis of manufactured goods, he declared. In fact, it might be possible advantageously to import raw materials for conversion into products required for local consumption. Trained engineers were required for the management and operation of these secondary industries. A scientificallytrained man could save a big firm a great deal of money. "I should like to point out," Professor Lamb stated, "that I believe our New Zealand secondary school training is seriously hindering scientific education at the universities for industrial purposes. Science is taught in the secondary schools of the Auckland province, but only in a lopsided manner." "Modem" School Auckland had three grammar schools for boys, the speaker continued. He considered far better service would be obtained if one of the schools were changed to teach as a "modern" school and be given the same standing as a classical school. "Industrialists in England and America have been alive to the value of a combined college and workshop course, and because such courses have involved a slice of theory followed by a slice of works practice, they have sometimes been called 'sandwich courses'," Professor Lamb said. "In addition to an engineering sandwich course, the School of Engineering, in collaboration with the School of Commerce and the chemistry department of the Auckland College, has arranged an 'industrial sandwich course.' " These sandwich courses would involve six years' training, in which alternate years would be spent at college and in the works—three years as full-time college students and three years full employment at the works. All students would take the fundamentals of a commerce and an engineering course. The science training would depend on what science was most essential at the works to which the student was going. A small number of hours' attendance would be required in the evenings at college classes during the years when the student was employed at the works. Special Provision for Classes "An effort will be made to give special provision for evening classes for students finding employment in the larger centres in the Auckland province," continued the professor. "The scheme is a national one and does not pertain to Auckland city only. , "It has been admitted by employers in England and America that students trained in this manner quickly become of more value to any firm than by any other method, and that their increased value more than offsets _the dislocation caused by their absence from the works."

Of course, the scheme was not one for every young employee, he said, but only for selected youths who have matriculated and had given promise of being capable of rising to higher positions. Is either was it designed for engineer employees only, but for any suitable employee who might rise to executive rank.