EVENING CLASSES

Southland Times, Issue 19772, 21 February 1923, Page 6

EVENING CLASSES

TECHNICAL COLLEGE REPORT. A SATISFACTORY POSITION. The following is the Director’s report of the Southland Technical College evening classes. The report will be submitted to to-morrow evening’s meeting of the Technical College Board. During the year 1922, the demand for instruction in evening and day adult classes increased greatly, as is shown by the following table:—

In each of the particulars tabulated, the classes rose to the highest numbers yet recorded, in spite of special restrictions imposed by the Education Depart nbent. Ap- [ proval was refused to classes in amateurs’ woodwork and photography which had been held for some years, and a rigid attendance minimum was imposed upon all other classes. In consequence, some few of the classes had to be grouped inconveniently half way through the year, but otherwise the restrictions were without effect. I understand that in many other centres, evening classes received a serious setback; it is gratifying to know that our own classes were more strongly supported than ever before. A number of new arrangements which came into force last year contributed, I think, towards a successful year’s work. The time-table was recast, leaving Friday evening almost entirely free of classes; as a result, more lessons had to be arranged for on the other evenings of the week in trades, commercial and examination subjects. The time table permitted serious students, whatever their needs might be, to i take a reasonably full course of instruc- I tion on three evenings weekly. In the • examinations department, the school offer- | ed, for the first time, a complete series of I Jpssons suitable for matriculation and i teachers’ “D” examinations. Messrs Alex- ' ander, Anderson and Mawson of the Boys’ | High School, were added to the staff for I teaching mathematics, English and arith- , metic, Latin and science in these classes, i and for the first time, junior classes in I mathematics and physical science were able I to be formed as well. History, hygiene and { teachers’ needlework were other additions. I An analysis of the occupations of stu- I dents shows that, with one exception, every | class of young workers in attendance in- i creased in number; these increases made it necessary to divide machine drawing, plumbing and trades mathematics into senior and junior classes. Electrical engineering was taught for the first time. Further expansion of the engineering work is out of the question until suitable part-time teach- I ing in machine drawing can be arranged for. Curiously enough, the number of .students engaged in clerical pursuits has decreased in number from 146 (1919) to 73 (1922). It is true that there have been a number of instances of incompletely trained pupils giving up commercial instruction on the ground that their employers did not require them to possess any further knowledge, but I believe that the greater number of defections have been those of students taking commercial lessons without the intention of completing a course. The classes can be carried out more satisfactorily to all concerned without the presence of such casual students; for instance, last year, while the number in clerical employment fell from 90 to 73. the hour attendances in the commercial classes incr-ased from 8000 to 9000. On the whole, the work in the commercial

department was more satisfactory than ii previous years, but it has been rather disap pointing to notice the small demanfl for higher instruction. A course in accountancy, commercial law and economics for the commercial accountants examination wn* opened last year, and the average yearly attendance was barely above the minimum permitted by the Department. In a town of this size, there are surely many young people employed in accountancy work who are anxious to rise in their profession. At the end of the year the Education Department decided that local teachers’ training classes should, in future, lx* controlled by the Southland Technical College Board. This will not involve a great deal of extra work as a number of pupil teachers in the town schools have already been receiving instruction with us, and a decrease in the number of Saturday morning classes is to be looked for, as country schools become more completely supplied with certificated teachers.

Free Students. Students. Classes. 1920 . . 539 236 62 1921 . . 477 247 63 1922 . . 583 301 75