TECHNICAL COLLEGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3992, 16 September 1930, Page 33

TECHNICAL COLLEGES.

THE EDUCATION REPORT. SHARP DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. WELLINGTON, September 9. In his presidential address to the conference, Mr J. H. Reed, chairman of the board of managers of the Southland Technical College, dealt mainly with the education report, confining his remarks to part 1. He accepted the report as of great value, and in dealing with certain aspects of it said it would, of course, be impossible to secure the unanimous approval of interested parties for any of the recommendations. If reorganisation had to be postponed until all opposition had been silenced, then advance would become impossible. They must assume that the recommendations, which had received practically unanimous support, should be accepted as settled, and should become the basis of further discussion of details. It must be recognised that the committee had made a most earnest attempt to deal fully with all aspects of the educational system, and to meet all outstanding problems. It might be confidently expected that the members of local boards would loyally co-operate to secure the greatest possible efficiency regardless of personal prestige. The first remit proposed found acceptance from by no means all the delegates. It proposed that the Minister of Educa tion and the Recess Committee be congratulated upon the complete and comprehensive nature of the report submitted to Parliament.

It was submitted by Mr J. Hutton (Greymouth), who said they would recognise the excellent intentions in the report and they might congratulate the Minister and the committee upon the definite proposals put before Parliament. Mr G. J. Park (Auckland) seconded the motion. Mr W. F. Durward (Palmerston North) expressed the hope that the report would not go through,. adding, “ Tne voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hand is the hand of Esau.” Mr E. H. Andrews suggested that the remit should say “ thoughtful.” It would mislead the public, said Mr H. S. W. King (Auckland), if the conference were to congratulate the committee upon the report before it had been considered by the conference. Mr Andrews suggests saying “ thoughtful,” but I would rather say “ laborious.” That does not convey any compliment. Mr J. Horn (Otago) said he thought the conference should wait until it had heard the Minister, when it might have clearer ideas on the report. Other delegates thought they should be content with expressing thanks for the report.

Mrs-King moved as an amendment that the Minister and committee be thanked for the comprehensive nature of the report submitted to the conference, with some parts of which the conference would probably find itself in agreement. “ I won’t mince my words,” he said. “We have quite enough camouflage in the report. We do not wan' camouflage 1 re, but we want to be courteous. We can’t accept the recommendations as a whole, although there are many v/e can accept.” Finally a non-committal remit was passed expressing thanks for the report. The conference passed a remit expressing the fear that an extension of the intermediate school system would threaten the existence of the technical schools, the discussion indicating that it was thought undesirable to have another break in the school life.

CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS. VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. WELLINGTON, September 10. The value of agricultural instruction in the schools was emphasised by dele.gates attending the Technical Educational Conference to-day. Air G. J. Park (Auckland) moved—- “ That in view of the great importance to the Dominion of our primary industries the curricula of our schools should include proper provision to meet any demand arising for adequate instruction in agriculture or allied subjects.” Air J. Hutton (Greymouth) moved as an amendment —“ That while this conference recognises the importance of agriculture as a subject, it is of opinion that the curriculum of a post-primary school should be based entirely on the special needs of the pupils and the environment of the district.” MrW. N. Luxford (Wanganui) said that if the Government made land available to enable pupils to earn their own live--lijiood after they had gone through their agricultural course they would get the agricultural bias all right. The trouble in the past had been that there was no provision for the students after they had finished their courses. He did not think that farms were a necessity. The courses could be taken at the technical schools. Mr H. S. W. King (Auckland) said he thought that the choice of the system of education should be left to the people who provided the money. He believed that the economic conditions were such that boys who were walking the streets looking for jobs would be forced to make use of the land. Mr L. J. Wild (Feilding) did not think all schools should be compelled to take the courses. The amendment was carried.

Mr Park moved—“ That it is the view of this conference that alterations in the regulations governing the post-primary school examinations of the Education Department and the New Zealand University -would greatly promote the objects the committee has in mind. Particularly is it desirable that agriculture and dairy science be accepted as alternative subjects to Latin, Greek, or modern foreign languages with equal importance in marks value.” The motion was carried. The following other motions were also carried:— “ That the benefits now conferred on pupils by technical high schools are too valuable to be lost.” “ That the Minister of Education and the Recess Education Committee be thanked for the comprehensive nature of the report submitted to Parliament.” “ That the general adoption of separate intermediate schools of the Kowhai type will not provide courses for pupils equivalent to what are now given in the technical high schools, with a resultant educational loss on the technical side to the communitv.”

“ This conference is of opinion that the principle of consolidation is in the best interests of education and will be of assistance to technical education where the district high schools have definite technical courses.” “ The conference approves proposal No. 5 in the Recess Committee’s report in so far as it recommends the abolition of the existing system of scholarships and the substitution of a system of bursaries to assist deserving pupils to procure a post-primary education.” “ This conference is not in favour of the proposal that the bursary awards be based upon consideration of the individual cases recommended .by the senior inspector or superintendent of each education district only.”

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL. DISTRICT BOARDS STRONGLY FAVOURED. WELLINGTON, September 10. — “ I believe a strong case could be made out for the reform of local administration on account of its defectiveness, wastefulness, and its narrowing effect on the outlook of the administrators,” said Mr W. G. Aldridge (Dunedin), in his report to the Technical Association’s conference to-day on the proposals of the Recess Committee on the reorganisation of educational administration. “It is defective,” said Mr Aldridge, “ because it loses touch with pupils leaving a junior school, and does not concern itself with them again unless they turn up at a senior school later. It registers their success or failure at certain examinations, but never applies any other test to the results of its own working. If we look on our education system as a national factory for making citizens we must admit that the general layout of the works has not been planned to suit a continuous handling of the material. I hold fast to the conviction that technical schools will persist as such in towns of 10,000 or over, and -will continue to flourish. It is true that we have few friends in high places. Not long ago the department sought to restrain us by amalgamating us with high schools. Mr Wright’s committee disapproved of us, too, and hoped to merge us in a uniform system of composite secondary schools. Now, Mr Atmore’s committee gives us many fair words, but proposes to sap our strength by removing the work we think we do best, and handing over to us a medley of disconnected activities. Obviously technical schools will not easily earn support in places where their work is not well known, but in the districts they serve they are given their due. It is to local interest and to that alone that I urge the conference to turn for understanding and support, and that is wby I pin my faith to the new district boards.” Mr J. H. Howell (Wellington) had three or four motions to submit, but it was decided first to dispose of the principal “ that the proposal to place primary and post-primary schools under education boards is not in the best interests of secondary education,” which was moved by Mr W. F. Durward (Greymouth). Mr Howell moved as an amendment the addition of the words to the remit, “ Unless the present powers of boards are conserved and they are given much greater financial responsibility and control than that suggested in the report.” The remit with the addition was carried.

•ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, September 11. Ihe election of officers of the Technical Educational Association resulted as follows:—President, Mr J. H. Reed (Invercargill), re-elected;. vice-president, Mr M Gregor Wright (Christchurch); executive—Messrs H. S. W. King (Auckland). W. M. Luxford (Wanganui), and H. Trimble (Stratford) ; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr C. A. Stewart (Invercargill). Many remits were passed by the association to-day, including the following:— “ That medical men and women be employed to supervise the health work being done among students of the school.” “ That a school leaving certificate take the place of the university entrance examination.” “ That the British text books and equipment be used in preference to foreign.” “ That the superintendent of technical education periodically travel through Great Britain, Europe, and America.” A deputation will put the remits before the Minister of Education to-mor-row.