KING EDWARD TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23351, 17 November 1937, Page 19

KING EDWARD TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MONTHLY MEETING OF MANAGERS DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS RECEIVED The monthly meeting of the King Edward Technical College Board of Managers was held yesterday afternoon, there being present Messrs J. J. Marlow (chairman), W. G Cocking, C. J. Hayward, H. H. Johnson, J. M. Patrick, J. T. Paul, L. Sanderson, W. D. Sutherland, Dr R. Gardner, Miss L. Sullivan, and Mrs W. Herbert. CORRESPONDENCE The secretary of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce wrote advising that the chamber had given £3 3s for commercial prizes.—Received with thanks. The Education Department advised that permission had been granted the board to convert the garage into a plumbing workshop.— Received. BREAK-UP CEREMONY The annual break-up ceremony was fixed for Thursday. December 16. SCHOOL OF COMMERCE REPORT The report of the School of Commerce, which was presented by Mr L. D. Mclver, stated that the total number of students attending evening classes at the end of the winter term in 1937 was 979, compared with 960 in 1936. The students attending similar classes in the Technical High School as at March 1 were 388 in 1937 and 413 in 1936. Further rapid expansion had taken place in the demand for shorthand and typing instruction, the evening school numbers of those taking this course having nearly doubled in the past two years. Of 34 candidates presented for the junior Government examination last year, 30 were successful. This year 50 junior, 16 senior and 4 intermediate advanced candidates would be presented for the Government examinations. The enthusiasm of students and the healthy growth of classes for shorthand-typists was linked with the ability of the students to secure examination results in these subjects. The typewriting room had been working almost to capacity from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and the indications were that, failing the establishment of a second typewriting room in 1938, it would be necessary to limit admission to senior classes. The instruction given in typewriting follows " touch " methods exclusively, and senior students were reaching speed rates up to 75 words per minute with the prescribed standard of accuracy. There had been a healthy growth in the demand for admission to the junior classes in salesmanship, but it was felt that improvement was possible in the more senior stages of instruction. He was seeking to co-operate with the head of the Art Department in the production of a suggested course of instruction for seniors, with a view to improving the scope and nature of the instruction given. He hoped to be able to submit concrete suggestions to the principal for his consideration in the near future.

Junior classes in the bookkeeping courses had maintained their numbers strongly, but third and fourthyear classes could be improved by the introduction of a syllabus of instruction having a greater practical bias. In order to develop these senior classes, it was proposed to replace the present plan of instruction for third-year pupils with one containing more practical work. To do this, it would be necessary to build up during 1938 a suitable textbook for seniors. If approved, this work would be commenced immediately. During the present year the increased demand for employees has been so strong that many pupils in the Technical High School had accepted employment. In many cases, however, he felt that closer contacts between parents and the school would have resulted in the children remaining to take advantage of the full three years' course. To this end he welcomed the extension of vocational guidance. The third-year course for commercial girls had very definite objectives. The development of typewriting instruction by " touch" methods had been carried a stage further during this year by the introduction of their own first-year course. Where, a few years ago, it was unusual to find third-year pupils reaching 35 words per minute with any degree of accuracy, several of the first-year girls were already typewriting at that rate with accuracy, and the majority of firstyear pupils would reach a speed of 20 words per minute by the end of the year. The fact that the health restriction would not permit of the opening of the senior school at a date prior to March 1, somewhat handicapped the opening stages of the senior school. Private commercial colleges opened as usual in late January. Nevertheless, during the year 35 students enrolled in courses A, B and C, Of the full-time students, 13 had accepted employment to date, most of them transferring to evening classes. The establishment of the senior school had been thoroughly justified and despite the exceedingly strong demand for office workers, he was confident that the school would maintain and probably expand its numbers in 1938. He had already some 15 full-time students in view.

The work of the senior school had proceeded according to the general outline planned for this experimental year, but the establishment of a separate typewriting room of 20 machines would make a much more convenient time table possible. Indeed, such an extra room would become almost imperative should any great increase in numbers be experienced. Mr Mclver acknowledged the helpfulness of the principal and staff generally in dealing with the special needs of the senior students, and. in particular, pajd tribute to the untiring and patient efforts of Miss McMillan, upon whom the bulk of the instructional work has fallen. The report was adopted. ENGLISH AND HISTORY DEPARTMENTS The report on the work of the English and history departments, which was presented by Mr W. Alexander, stated that for these departments there were now available 96 sets comprising 3570 volumes. On a modest computation a first or second year pupil in most post-primary schools was required to buy three class texts per year. A low average cost would be 5s per pupil for each year of any course. The saving to parents was therefore, at the very least £2OO per annum. In addition, classes had a wider choice of reading than under ordinary conditions. During 1937, 17 evening English classes were in operation. A new class in general knowledge designed for students taking professional engineering examinations was in-

stituted, and met with fair support Despite too frequent changes in the part-time staff the standard of work done reached a high level, and the average attendance was very satisfactory. All evening class students enjoyed the benefits of the class-text library, and here again the saving to parents was very marked. Mr Alexander suggested that the time was opportune to inaugurate a general library and reference room for the use of all students in the Technical High School. The equipment of such a department in the school would be a matter of anxious consideration. The literary resources would have to be ample, but not ponderous. The furnishings should be quite different from that of an ordinary classroom; the intention should be to create an atmosphere of comfort—aesthetic and material—which would create a prejudice in favour of the privileges to be found therein. The initial cost would be a weighty factor in instituting such a departure from conservative precedent, but, in these days of humanitarian legislation and social service, he suggested that the resultant advantages would well justify the necessary expenditure. The report was adopted.