TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Southland Times, Issue 24756, 29 May 1942, Page 3

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

“During the last two weeks of the first term our attendance was very seriously affected by the prevailing Influenza and some classes lost more than half of their number for brief periods,” stated the principal’s report for May presented to the monthly meeting of the Southland Technical College Board last night. On one day three teachers were absent and it was decided to close one day earlier for the vacation. Evening school [attendances had been less affected’than the day school attendances. Lately there had been an improvement In the percentage of swimmers in the school. The position, however, was not yet nearly l as good as it should be. The work of the full-time physical training teacher for the girls and of Mr Dudley Wills with the boys continued to be satisfactory. “I am sure that the board and the school appreciate the co-operation we have had from the Y.M.C.A. in regard to Mr Wills; any interruption of the present service will be nothing short of a calamity to us,” the report stated. “The calls of the Army authorities are, of course, having the effect of constantly drawing off lads from the evening school when they attain the age of 18 years. As an indirect effect we are having very numerous and insistent calls from employers for boys and still more for girls. For the beginning of this term we are obliged to find no fewer than five new part-time teachers, three of them because of Army calls,” the report stated.