TRAINING OF TEACHERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22373, 21 September 1934, Page 4

TRAINING OF TEACHERS

PROPOSED TRANSFER TO UNIVERSITY SCHEME NOT PRACTICABLE IFko.m Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 20. , A proposal to transfer the training of teachers from the education boards to the university colleges has been rejected by the Minister of Education, In ‘ an interview to-day, the Minister said a scheme had been put forward by representatives of the four university colleges that teacher training > should be Undertaken in conjunction with the work of the university colleges. “I have given the scheme very careful consideration,” Mr Masters said, “and .am of the opinion that it does not make as satisfactory provision for the teaching of all subjects as does the present system. There is now in the training colleges a carefully selected expert for each subject. Degree students already attend the , university colleges for lectures in university subjects, • I cannot see, therefore, that if the training of teachers were placed under the control of the university-colleges the efficiency of tlic teaching staff would he any greater than it is under the present conditions. “'The scheme is somewhat indefinite in its financial aspect,” continued the Minister, “and even when the most favourable interpretation is placed on the proposals submitted by the professors, it seems certain that the cost of the scheme' would be greater than the cost of the two training colleges under' the control of the education boards.'. As time goes on, it would probably Jbe found that the cost would increase rather than decrease. The professors recognised that for some of the technical and practical work—for example, art, nature study and science —additional accommodation would bo required. They agreed that art needlework and handicraft work could not .lie carried out in the ordinary lecture room and that special suitable accommodation would have to be provided for physical education.‘ V " The proposal that two-year students should be required to pursue during tjveir first year a coqrse of study in fonr.B.A. subjects is a weakness in the scheme. Only exceptionally robust and able students are capable of takiifg four subjects in a year. Further, all students do not wish to take university work, and T do not think they should be compelled, to do so. As the main object of , the training college is. 'to train teachers to teach, it is desirable that' as much as possible of the two years should be spent with this end very definitely in view.

“ A point that apparently had not previously been considered by the professors was the fact that the university year opens in March and ends about the middle of October, whereas the training college year begins early in February and ends: in December. I anticipate that difficulties, would arise in using the periods available in February and at the end of the year to the best advantage for the training df students. ' “ The proposals submitted,” Mr Masters proceeded, “ would require four staffs to do the work that can be done very efficiently by the two staffs that have already been, built up in Auckland and Christchurch. Even if at the commencement of'the scheme the staffs were not as complete as those already in Auckland and Christchurch, there would be a tendency to increase them, especially if the department urged the necessity for more instruction in this or that subject.

“ It was urged by the professors that student teachers should not be trained apart from the rest of the professional community. I would point out, however,that under the conditions existing at present student teachers are by no moans segregated in their training. They liave spent three, four or five years in the secondary departments with pupils who will enter other professions, and when they enter the training college more than half of them attend the university colleges for' tlieir degree studies, and may—and often do—become members of various university societies. This is a very different state of affairs from that existing a generation ago. “After very full and careful consideration,” added Mr Masters, “I am unable to agree.to the proposal to transfer the , training of teachers from the education boards to the university colleges.”

Thfe young painter to-day expressed his thought in a beautiful manner and with bright, joyous, colour J schemes which contributed a great..deal of pleasure, but they must realise what they owed to the artists who had gone before and they must inspect the works of those artists with a spirit of reverence. The girls were then divided into groups and shown over the gallery by Mrs E. C. Reynolds, Miss D, Theomin and Miss E. Davies, who explained the various pictures in an interesting and entertaining manner. At the conclusion of the visit, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to those who had offered their services and. helped to make the visit such a success. AT THE FACTORIES In the afternoon'the girls were ( shown over the factories of Cadbury Fry Hudsort, Ltd., the Pbqcnix, Ltd., and the clothing establishment of Messrs Sargood, Son and Ewen, Ltd. Much interest was evinced at all the places visited and the groups were given a thorough explanation of the various processes they witnessed. Mr P.' R. Sargood, welcoming the girls at the clothing factory, said it gave him great pleasure to see them there that day. He was sure they were glad of the opportunity to visit Dunedin and see something of the life of a city. The people of the town, he said, would te equally pleased to welcome their sisters from the country. The country people supplied the raw material and the town people made it up. so that it was right that the one section should be able to see what the other was doing. “ You feed us and we clothe you,” 1 ' concluded Mr Sargood. At the conclusion of the tours of tinvarious establishments appreciation and thanks were expressed by Miss Dolly Marshall (Taieri Mouth), Miss Carruthers (Berwick). Mrs Potts (Crookston), Miss Bessie May and Miss Lottie Jolly (Tarras).