COLLEGE GOVERNORS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11252, 3 July 1922, Page 4

COLLEGE GOVERNORS

QUESTION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION. DOES IT INCLUDE COMMERCIAL CLASSES? At the monthly meeting of the Wellington College Board of Governors there were present:—Messrs W. F. Wand (dhairman), W. H. Denton, W. H. P. Barber, R. Darrock, T. Forsyth. MUST ADVERTISE. A circular was received from the Education Department re the appointment of teachers and advertising appointments. The chairman said the effect was while the promotion oould be done without advertising, they must advertise, the. vacancy created by the promotion, and notify the Secondary School Teachers’ Association. This circular was the result of an application that advertising foe omitted in the case of promotion. COMMERCIAL TRAINING IN COLLEGE. A letter had been received from the Otago High Schools’ Board of Governors stating that the board had had under consideration the matter of commercial teaching in the Otago Boys’ High School. A sharp difference of opinion existed regarding the extent to Which purely vocational subjects should be included in the scheme of secondary education. Opinions also differed as to how closely such a vocational subject as commercial teaching, if included in a school syllabus, should approximate to actual office practice. The following questions weTe, therefore, asked: —(1) Is commercial work taught in your school? (2) If so, is it taught by a regular assistant master or by a part-time assistant master? If by the latter, what special qualifications has he ? (3) What is the nature and extent of the commercial work taught? (4) What is your opinion as to whether a vocational subject such as commercial work should be taught in a secondary sohool. THE REPLIES. Copies of the letter were sent to the principals of the hoys’ and girls’ colleges respectively, with a request for the information desired. The headmaster of Wellington College (Mr T. R. Gresswell) wrote that book-keeping was taught to seven forms. Two full-time assistants with no special qualifications take three classes; the other four classes are under a part-time assistant (F.1.A.N.Z.). Book-keeping is the only special subject, shorthand and typewriting not finding favour as secondary school subjects, but shorthand was taken by about 25 boys as an extra (out of regular school hours), the fee being 10s per term. There are possibilities in book-keeping, combined with preciswriting and possibly filing ar.d indexing, but shorthand and typing had little educational value. Miss McLean, principal of the Girls’ College, wrote that commercial work was taught by a full-timo assistant mistress and also | a part-time mistress. The former has ! the diploma of commercial accountancy of New Zealand University, to-’ I gether with practical experience in office. The second had shorthand certificate with office experience. The | course of study taken in the Commer- j cial Department is arranged, to meet j ,the requirements of examinations for Public Service, Accountants’ Prelimin- I ary, N.Z. University Book-keeping Certificate. The latter concluded that there, was a distinct demand for stu dents from colleges and high schools which this course moots. Mr Darrock slid the Government were not desirous that shorthand and typewriting should lie taught to men, as this work was being done by girls. The chairman said there had been a big demand for girls’ services during "the war, and there would ho a bigger demand in tlie future. Mr Forsyth said ho was of opinion that the board should not teach tliom. although they were in the course. It wns decided to forward the information ns requested.