KING EDWARD TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20961, 26 February 1930, Page 16

KING EDWARD TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

MONTHLY MEETING OF MANAGERS.

The monthly meeting of managers of the King Edward Technical College was held yesterday, and was attended by Messrs T. Scott (chairman), G. Clark, C. Conn, E. F. Duthie, F. L, Lawrence, J. J. Marlow, J. T. Paul, L. Sanderson, W. Steele, J. E. Wheeler, J. H. Wilkinson, G. W, C. Macdonald, and Mesdames Gumming and Herbert. Before the business of the meeting was commenced the principal (Mr W. G. Aldridge) referred to the death of the wife of Mr A. E. Selby, one of the teachers, and also to that of the mother of Miss Griffith, a member of the college office staff. Motions of sympathy were passed with their relatives. The principal also mentioned that Mr Gardner, the senior science master, had been awarded the degree of doctor of science. ‘ CORRESPONDENCE. The Education Department wrote acknowledging a letter regarding the proposed purchase of Mr Hesford’s property in Tennyson street, and promised consideration of the proposal.—Received, It was stated, however, that the owner of the property refused to sell it. The Education Department notified its approval of the payment of a subsidy on voluntary contributions for 1929 amounting to £l9l 11s Cd. The department also signified its approval of the maintenance of the building grant for 1929. —Received. A letter was received from the Defence Department stating the number of parades required to be attended by technical college students. The meeting ex-, pressed the opinion that the number of parades was too high, and it was decided to obtain fuller particulars, -with a view to attempting to have the number of parades curtailed. The Painters’ Apprenticeship Committee wrote notifying the principal of the compulsory attendance at the College of Apprentices,—Received. FINANCE. The Finance Committee recommended the payment of accounts amounting to £lOlB 14s Bd.—Adopted. VISITING COMMITTEE. Messrs Clark and Lawrence were elected a Visiting Committee for the ensuing month, TECHNOLOGICAL EXAMINATION. The principal stated that the following pupils had passed _ the technological examination:—Preliminary plumbing— Charles D. F. Bowie, John W. Garbutt, Arthur J, Homer, Huia Walker, James R. Wilson; intermediate carpentry and joinery—Stanley Maher and George H. Stevens; intermediate mechanical engineering—John Cockerill, Christopher ParSons, Charles Wishart; intermediate motor engineering, Arthur E. Sew Hoy; intermediate electrical fitting, Norman S. Macdonald; final mechanical engineering, David H. Fenby; final plumbing, W. 0. Gall. PRINCIPAL'S REPORT. The principal (Mr W. G. Aldridge) submitted the following ’ report on the work of the college during the month:— Technical High School.—The Technical High School opened on Monday, February 3, with 606 pupils present. The roll number rapidly increased until it stood on February 19 at 687. The previous highest number recorded as present on anv one day was 645 on March I, 1029. There were more first-year trades boys than l 8 j t and second-year commercial classes had been restored to their normal numbers on account of the strong enrolment in that course experienced in 1929, but on the boys’ side of'the school there had been considerable loss of senior pupils. There was no doubt that both the high first-year enrolment and the falling off in senior classes were due to the fact that employers and parents were now accepting attendance at some' secondary school’ as part of the normal course of training. It was to be expected that junior classes m evening classes would show a corresponding decrease. For the first time in the Technical High School pupils who intended to stay more than one year had been separated from those who intended to stay one year only. The division wasproving coveuient in practice, and it was hoped to differentiate the work attempted IS °f the courses which had been divided in this manner. If all those pupils who had promised to stay two years did so, there was every reason to anticipate a large senior school next year. The question of increased accommodation was becoming really urgent. Permission had been sought from the department for authority to purchase 60 more tables and chairs in order to bring the last available rooms into constant use, but the board would not be justified in believing that the Technical High School would function properly next year without either some restriction on enrolments or some increased accommodation. Some difficulty would be felt just as keenly in the evening classes from the commencement of the present session.

Full-time Staff.—ln place of Miss E. Gwen, who had resigned from the board’s service at the end of last year, Miss M. Robertson was acting as relieving teacher until Miss Vial takes up her duties next month. Miss Owen had kindly consented t° “fee part-time work during the day, and Miss H. Johnstone had been engaged tor relieving work owing to the increase in numbers, but it was not considered wise for the board to contemplate appointing a full-time teacher. The increase j D I • , num^er °f boys attending an industrial course and the general increase *5: number of girls had made it possible for the board to accede to the Education Board’s request that all manual t, J’ air ) 1 l n g classes from primary schools should be withdrawn and taught in the existing manual centres outside the TeehincalCoJlego. The gaps in teaching time had been filled up by accepting classes in both woodwork and cookery from Catholic primary schools. Evening Classes.—Evening classes will be resumed on Wednesday, February 20. For the first time there would be apprentices attending this year under compulsory regulations from Hillside Workshops and from the electrical trades. Tennyson Street Sections.—The contractor, Mr Abbott, had completed the retainmg wall, but the work of filling in, which was stopped before Christmas, had not been resumed, as the Works Committee had no authority from the hoard. The report was adopted.