TECHNICAL SCHOOL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6963, 1 November 1909, Page 6

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

THE YEAR'S ENROLMENT. FEE E-PLACE HOLDERS. . Some interesting figures have been compiled by the director of the Technical Education Board. The total enrolment during 1909 was as follows :

In addition fifty students joined classes but did not pay fees, but of these only nine attended a whole quarter. It will be seen, therefore (Mr La Trobo points out) that the school has reached some 1700 individual students during the present year. A largo proportion of these students attended regularly throughout the year. Of the others who attended only during part of the year, the great majority attended regularly during the period for which they joined the school. In a large port like Wellington, a considerable floating population, it > is hopeless to expect that all students joining will be able to take a full year s course, and a considerable percentage of out. students are birds of passage, who take advantage of a temporary residence in Wellington to attend classes. Alter allowing for these, however, there remains a residue of students, some ot whom attend for one or two quarters year after year. These ore not satisfactory students, in that they could, make much greater progress if they devoted more energy to their work and attended regularly during the whole session. • . Besides these there ore many who attend for a little while and. them for one reason or another give up school work. Fit>m the nature of the case X cannot give any estimate as to the number of these, ror as to the various reasons which prevent them from continuing in tho school. * In the case of free place holders, newover, it is possible to indicate the main reasons advanced for leaving the school. These are: 1. That the subjects which they must take are not those which they directly require for examination purposes. 2. That change of occupation or night work prevents their attendance. 3. That other calls—to drill, etc.— i take their evening time up. But in most cases evening free students leave on account of removal from Wellington. In presenting th© quarterly report ro bad attenders at trade classes, the director states that tho position, is gradually improving, and that tuo average attendances are now much bitter than they were in former years. r lhe average attendance last quarter in the trade classes for which these -returns of bad attenders are made out, was 8-1.26 per cent, which is not, I think, unsatisfactory in the circumstances. ■ The lo west percentage was 70.5 in practical geometry and mechanical drawing, and the highest 07.3 per cent.,, in practical carpentry.

S •a 1 i „o a jS Day Technical Students £6 153 239 Evening Junior Free Students 83 35 118 Evening Senior Free Students 126 47 173 Paying Students 537 480 1017 Saturday Teachers ... 15 45 W Saturday Class, W.O. Boys 50 — 50 Saturday Class, Girls’ ' H.S. ... — 16 18 Technical Scholars - ~ 11 12 23 Total Enrolment 908 788 1696