EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15101, 25 March 1911, Page 8

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

REPRESENTATIONS BY THE HON. T,

FERGUS.

During tho course of an interview with tho Hon. the Minister of Education yesterday the Hon. T. Fergus, chairman o r tho Otago Education Board, made reference to the need for cookery and woodwork rooms at tho Tokomairiro, Balclutha, and Lawrenco District- High Schools, and la.id spccial emphasis on tho unsuitability of the accommodation at. tho first-named locality. Tho Minister suggested that if tho present building at Tokomairiro were ss altered as to make it suitable for woodwork alone, and a new cookery rcom capable of extension in the future we.ro erected, tho caso at, Tokomairiro might, te met for tho present. Both this and tho at. the other, placcs would rcecivo the fullest consideration when the applications camo before the department in tho usual way.

Other matters brought forward by Mr Fergus wore tho do-irabuity of correspondence classM for uncertificated 1 teachers being inaugurated by the department, and tho advisability of enabling candidate for Class D to lake, the examination .in sections. Tho training of uncertificated teachers should be part' of tho general «,-hemo for tho training of teachers (said Mr Fergus), and should bo undertaken by tho department. This courso had boen recently adopted in. Victoria, where a special skiff of tutors had boon appointed to cany on correspondence c!n®cs 'or t.!io tuition of those teachers who wore beyond t-h-e reach of personal tuition. Cculd not (ho Education asked Mr Fergus, adopt a somewhat, similar courso for cur touchers in remote districts—at. least, so far as candidates for Class D were concerned? With regard to the division of the examinations, it was folt. that tsasbers were unablo to do full justice to their pupils or to themselves if. after teaching all day, the.y lrad to prepare themselves to tako the full examination at one sittinrr.

'Tho Minister, in reply, said that tho matter of dividing tho examination for I) had been fully considered, aixl that, when tho new regulations were isswed, . it, would be found that adequate relief had been afforded. So far M tho correspondence classes were concerned, he would have the matter looked into and so? what cculd bor done. The conveyance of Iho Wastapcol children was brought, under the Minister's notice, and after ho had boon supplied with details in conn-cetkm therewith, tlie Minister efiicl that .he would havo the matter fully gono into on his return to Wellington

Tho overcrowding of the city and suburban schools was ako referred to, ami tho Minister said that matter also would receive his fullest consideration on bis return to Wellington. Mr Fergus then expressed his appreciation of the courtesy of the Minister in affording him an opportunity for bringing these matters before him, and- for the sympathetic interest he liad shown in connection with them.