TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18542, 1 May 1922, Page 6

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MANAGER'S ANNUAL REPORT.

The thirty-third annual report of the Board of Managers of the King Edward Technical College open* with a reference to the new constitution of the board: * “In the altered constitution, no provision was made for representation on behalf of subscribers, and ae a result of this tier a disappeared from the board the Hon. G. 1L Thomson, M.L.C., the leading spirit in initiating, a quarter of a century ago, the evening classes which, under his guidance and with his assistance, have ultimately developed into the present Technical High School and the technical evening clashes. Throughout the period of 33 years Mr Thorneon, in the successive .capacities of hon. secretary. superintendent, and chairman, and also as a member of the board, was always in the closest connection with the school, and it. is to his ability, energy, and enthusiasm that much of the auocese of the Dunedin Technical School as it at present exists is due. Dr Colquhoun, being about to visit Europe, declined re-election at the annual meeting, and thus the services of another experienced member of ability were lost to the community. “ The School of Art, which had been closed throughout the whole i of the ywr 1920. was reopened under the auspices of the Technical School Board at the beginning of 1921, but in view of the determination to 'appoint a new principal before any reorganisation was undertaken, pnigision was made for only a limited number classes, which v,-ere continued by two members of the previous staff, ut first employed ae full-time temporary teachers, and afterwards ae parttime instructors. An art master and a crafts master,, both of .the Royal College of Art, London, have been appointed, and the Dunedin Technical School Board is now in a- position to reopen and reorganise the School of Art with some assurance of its becoming a serviceable and efficient educational institution. , • ■‘Some years ago Kempthorne Farm, Wakan, was purchased for the purpose of carrying out field experiments and giving he boys oi the Technical High 'School practical training in agriculture. After improvements had been effected and the house mude habitable, the nianagers began to realise that, taking account of the size of this small farm, the situation, and the working expenses, the results likely to be achieved ware not sufficient to justify the belief that the scheme would be a success, and it was theref'^ re decided not to continue. The consent cf the department to the disposal of the property having been obtained, it was sold in October for £460 more than waa paid tor it, but it has to be noted that this difference represented an expenditure for improvement*. Under the .arrangement with -the I-duoation Department the money obtained from tlx© solo of th© Wctkuri property vm expended in purchasing the remainder of tho 'eoction lit Balmacowieji, increasing “iho size of the board’s block from 10 acres to 17J acres, and so affording sufficient ground for plot work in agriculture. The hutmecte, which had been erected on Kemprthome Farm v»ere without difficulty removed in their <»- tirety to the Balmaoewen property, and vdll now be used for the accommodation of boys, thus forming the nucleus' of a hostel. ‘ The appointment of a special instructor for agriculture has lead to mens care and attention being given to this branch. The ooursp of instruction in practical agrciulturo entered upon ie indicated in the following outline of the scheme:’—Rotation of crops, four years’ course, area two acres in halfacre plots—Autumn-sown wheat, root crops (soft turnips, swedes, mangels), spring-sown oats, leguminous crops- (red clover and cow grass). Rotation of crops, three years’ course, area one and a-half acres in halfacre plots—Cereal (wheat under two manarial tests), roots (potatoes of two varieties, each under two manorial teste), leguminous (three varieties of peasi with manorial tests). Lucerne plot, area half-acre of the Hurl, borough variety, under inoculated and nonPeculated conditions, in different width of , 1 l Lme dressing. Supplementary fodders, area on© acre, in plots each oaethiPd of an acre, showing chou mollier, thousand headed kale, kohl rabj under phosphatio and nitrogenous treatment. Selection of grasses in an area of half-acre. Green manuring experiments in an area of halfacre plot.

“Owing to the nature of the aoil and it* raw state, os well as to the unusually wet and cold season, the work was carried on at a disadvantage,' and the resulting crops cannot be eaid to have been prolific, but there I'L , u “k that these experiments formed the boms of sound training, and that the boys taking part derived considerable benefit therefrom. Toe manager* are hopeful that a considerable advance will result during the current year. Milk-teeting, for which we nave now four good machines, has become 'an important feature of the course, and i:he training now jpven in this branch is regarded as sufficient ror a specialist, ..,“ Th{ , re submitted by the director of toe ecboM deals with the attendance, sad states that tho number of pupils who entered tire Technical High School during the year I J2l was 421, an increase of 86 on the eorrw spcnding figures for the year 1920. The number of individual students enrolled for ;ha nscmucal classes, exclusive of close ee in the school of Art, totalled 1188, being 164 less than, the enrolment of the preceding year. A comparison of the details lor the two yeans* however, shows that tho decrease comes almost entirely under one or other of the two headings, ‘free plane holders* and ‘soldiers receiving free tuition,’ and cannot therefore be attributed to'the financial stress of the times. As a matter of fact, the amount of fees collected for the year under review wah almost the same as that received in 1920. “Owing to the foresight and liberality of the late John,-'Callander and Alexander Hurt to the thoughtfulness and consideration ot members of the ptago Caledonian Society, and to the generosity of an anonymous donor ' of bursaries for girls taking domestic science, tho students of the Dunedin Technical School are provided with a large number of scholarships and bursaries. Many instances con bo 1 given of students who, were it not for i:he money thus disbursed, would find difficulty in paying fees and providing school equipment, and it may therefore be affirmed that tlie £2OO paid out annually under this heading is of direct benefit to many deserving student!. “In the Dunedin Technical High School direful attention is given to*the exercise and physical development of the body. It haa been usual to make provision during lha regular school hours for physical exercises, cadet drill, swimming, singing, and the various athletic games. To these the construction of two courts has enabled vs recently to add tennis. Thus it hae coma about that inroads have been made upon tile time available for actual study. It laa now been found necessary to lengthen the school afternoon by 40 minutes on the days &a which swimming, sports, singing, and the ■ extra subject, French, are taken. This additional time being for the meet part in tho form of relaxation, enables valuable tmining to .be given without imposing any further strain upon the pupils.’’ Hie report acknowledges indebtedness to bon. examiners, and to societies, firms, citizens. and tho staff for oontributionß, and concludes; “The managers desire to acknowledge and at the same time emphasise the fact that tho sucoeee of the Dunedin Technical School is largely due to the energy and enthusiasm of the members of the teaching staff, and especially to that of our director, whoso whole-hearted service deserves our highest commendation.” '