WELLINGTON TRAINING COLLEGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5731, 28 October 1905, Page 5

WELLINGTON TRAINING COLLEGE.

Tim PRINCIPAL APPOINTED,

AIR AV. GRAY', OF WANGANUI. Tho Education Board met yesterday afternoon for tho purpose of selecting a principal for tho Teachers’ Training College, which is about to bo erected at Northland. Tlio position was advertised in New Zoala-u and Australia, and there wero fourteen applicants, ono being from London, threo from Australia, and tho rest from New Zealand. Tlio choice of the Board fell upon Air AVilliam Gray, M.A., B.Sc., Chief Inspector of Schools for the Wanganui district Air Gray’s appointment is formally conditional on tho approval of tho Victoria College Council and the Alinistcr of Education. Tho salary is £OOO, of which tho Victoria College Council pays £IOO. Air Gray will commence ins service with tho Wellington Board in February next. Tho school building has not yet been, commenced, but it is hoped it will bo ready for the college work to commence with the new school year. Air Gray is nephew of Air J. W. Thomson, M.H.R., and also of Air PS. Hay, who is to bo promoted to be Enginecr-in-Chief of the Public AVorks Department. He is thirty-five years of age, a native of Otago, -and received his first education at tho Wairuna School. In 1884, at tho ago of fourteen years, ho was appointed a pupil teacher at tho Arthur street School, Dunedin, and on finishing his course in 1887 ho gained a Training College bursary, matriculating aiu\ gaining a teacher’s certificate in tho same year. In 1888 he attended tho training college classes, and commenced his University course. At tho end of 1888 he was appointed assistant at the Mornington School, and thence on to 1897 held assistantships in Morningtou and George street. In 1895 ho graduated 8.A., in 1897 M.A., and in 1901 B.Sc. In 1897 Air Gray was appointed vice-principal of tho Training College and Normal School, a position ho hold until 1-901. He also assisted in the management of the Normal School, supervising tho model school, and taking a part in the general oversight of tho studenti. Out of thirty-seven students in New Zealand who gained dis-. traction in science during that period nineteen belonged to the Otago Training College: and out of fifteen prizes competed for by candidates from the whole colony seven wero gained by the Otago students. About fifty students wero presented for matriculation, and not more than six failed. While viceprincipal, Air Gray gained the B.Sc. degree, and undertook a post-graduate course in zoology. At the end of 1901 ho was appointed headmaster of the Palmerston North District High School, and while there he was lecturer on science at tho Wanganui Summer School for teachers in January, 1902. Ho had only been eight months in tlio service ot the Wanganui Board when Dr Smyth, tho Chief Inspector, left to take up the position of principal of the Training College in Melbourne, and Air Gray was then offered the position of Chief Inspectorship. AVhile holding that position, Air Gray organised two winter schools for tho training of teachers, and also conducted a special class in the work of tho country School. Those schools wero attended by three hundred teachers. During the last holidays Air Gray paid a visit to. America to study educational methods of Canada and the United States. His capers on “ Some Aspects of Education in America” wete published in tho “New Zealand Times” in May and Juno. Since graduating Air Gray has given special attention to zoology and mental science.