TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Southland Times, Issue 21331, 27 February 1931, Page 5

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MEETING OF. BOARD THE PRINCIPAL’S REPORT. The first meeting for the present year of the Southland Technical College Board was held last evening when Mr J. H. Reed presided over the following: Miss C. McLeod, Messrs W. G. Tait, W. C. Denham, A. W. Jones, W. Grieve, A. J. Service, D. Galbraith and W. Carswell.

Gratification was expressed at the receipt of advice from rhe Director of Education that a grant up to £3Bl 4/4 had been approved to enable the board to purchase apparatus for the home science block. Mr Kennedy Black forwarded an application for appointment as singing master to the boys of the college. After members had voiced their sympathy with the suggestion that singing should be introduced, it was decided that the president and the principal should confer with Mr Black on the question and report to the next meeting of the board.

In reply to an application by the board that Sidney King Carswell should be appointed a student-teacher to train in the Agricultural Course, the department advised that owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the Dominion’s finances the proposal must be declined.

Members regretted that students were not encouraged in the direction sought, and in view of the particular circumstances of the application in question, it was decided to again seek the department’s consent to the appointment. It was resolved to communicate with the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. Atmore) asking him to visit Invercargill to open the new extensions.

Messrs Tait and Carswell were appointed a visiting committee for the ensuing month. Principal’s Report.

The February report of the principal (Mr C. A. Stewart) was (inter alia) as follows :

“The Technical High School opened for the year on February 3. Pupils have continued to enrol since that date and after a lapse of three weeks the roll number now stands at 550. This is some 40 in advance of last year's total at the some date. Second year classes show a slight decrease from last year; but both new pupils and seniors show an increase. The happy balance of boys and girls is well maintained. Approximately one quarter of the new pupils are children of farmers, a remarkable fact in these hard times. In view of the difficult financial position, our increased enrolment is very gratifying; and I cannot refrain from expressing my admiration for the cheerful spirit in which very many parents are facing real hardships to give their children all

possible educational advantages. At a time when it is hard to show that secondary education has a genuine cash value, the faith that still survives . among parents should be an inspiration and a challenge to the teaching profession. As the contractor’s workmen should be out of our new block this week, and as our apparatus and material are due to arrive any day now,

we expect to have the new rooms in full use next week. The conditions for the teaching of all homecraft and science subjects should now be really excellent; and in a short time (probably next year) the expansion of work on this side will necessitate the appointment of an additional teacher of domestic science subjects. This department of the school is making a steadily stronger appeal both to girls who will have to earn a livelihood and to those who wish to become useful and artistic workers in the home. As in previous years we have a very large number of countrygirls and all possible consideration is shown to them in our timetable arrangements. “The following successes were gained in

the various public examinations held towards the end of last year: Four secondyear commercial pupils gained good passes in the Public Service Entrance Examination, and three other pupils also passed. Three pupils of the commercial course, and three from evening classes gained partial passes or completed partial passes for Accountants’ Preliminary. One boy of the engineering course passed University Entrance (i.e., matriculation) ; one girl of the domestic science course passed the same examination and gained a home science bursary for Otago University. A thirdyear boy in the agricultural course gained highest place in New Zealand for the Ruakura Scholarship. A senior in the same course passed in Teachers’ D Certificate except one subject, and in Training College

Entrance except one subject. In the accountancy examinations, stage I, evening students gained 3 passes in bookkeeping and accountancy, 2 passes in economics, one in mercantile law. In the Education Department’s technological Examinations, our one candidate for carpentry and joinery (intermediate) was successful, as was our one candidate far cabinet-making, final. (Only two other centres in New Zealand gained any passes in this examination). In this list I have not included sucesses gained in various shorthand and typing exams: these have already been published. For several years now the boys have spent a week in camp early in the esession. This year financial considerations make a camp impossible; but we have arranged for continuous training in “barracks” next week; i.e., the boys will sleep at home but will spend all their normal school hours in cadet work at the Drill Hall and on the Showgrounds. The purely military aspect of cadet training has never been unduly prominent in secondary schools; and the suspension of compulsory military training now makes it possible to concentrate more than ever on the physical training side of the work. I regard the cadet corps as a very valuable part of our school organization, with its emphasis on concerted and mass movements, its training in physical self control, and its development of powers of command. In particular it sets up the ideal of physical fitness not mainly with a view to personal prowess in games but rather as a duty to the community. We might learn much about this aspect of drill from recent developments in certain European countries, such as Czechoslovakia, Denmark and Sweden. In massed drill, more than in any other school activity, pupils come to realize how the success of the whole body depends on the concentrated effort of every individual.

“Classes at the evening school are resuming this week after the long vacation. As in previous years one of our main difficulties is that of securing a prompt enrolment of students. Last year two very useful classes had to be discontinued owing to lack of support; yet immediately after the closing down a few more tardy students wished to join. A new class that should meet a real need is a junior art class under Mr Jenkin. Through the enthusiasm of the local primary school inspectors, backed in some cases by headmasters and in other cases by young teachers fresh from the Training College, there has been in recent years a distinct impetus given to art training in our primary schools. Much real talent has been brought to light, and it is hoped that the most promising pupils will take the opprtunity of receiving expert instruction from Mr Jenkin. The class will be held on Monday afternoons from 4 o’clock to 5.15.” The report was adopted. It was decided to congratulate the students who had attained success in the recent examinations.