TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1628, 3 May 1919, Page 10 (Supplement)

TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS.* The Board of Governors of the Christchurch Technical College met last night, there being present:—Messrs C. H. Opit (chairman), J. A. Black, T. I). Boag, W. H. Cooper, G. E. Franklin, \V. R. Gahagan, C Israelson, A. Jeans, W. Jones, H. R. Rusbridge, A. Williams, H. Worrall, McGregor B. Wright and J. A. J. tren.

Mrs H. Smith wrote enclosing a cheque for £5 1/- for the home science department, which was received with thanks. The chairman stated that over £l5O had been raised for the Old Boys* Memorial Fund. In addition to this there would be a £ for £ subsidy. The bazaar on Thursday had been instrumental in raising over £l7O. A rote of thanks to those who had helped to make the bazaar a success was carried. „ The retiring director (Mr J. H. Howell), in the course of his report, paid a tribute to the newly-appointed director (Ur D. E. Hansen), who was an old pupil and riend of his. Mr Howell also expressed his gratitude to the members of the Itoard for the confidence and support they had given him. He felt it a high privilege to have been associated with members in the building up of an institution which was such a power for good in'the community. The report was adopted. The financial statement shoved a batik balance of £628 3/8. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee it was decided to transfer £IOO9 from the General Fund for the purpose of completing the new wing of the college, which is to be known as the Old Boy» Memorial Wing. , It was decided to remunerate part-time instructors for time lost during the influenza epidemic. The Appointments Committee recommended that a bonus, equivalent to two months' salary, be paid to Mr J. H. Howell, the retiring director.—This was agreed to. The Buildings Committee reported that, as the radiators necessary for completing the heating installation at the college could not arrive from England before the winter, arrangements should be made for .procuring them radiators. The committee had been unable to procure suitable rooms for woolclassing, but was making further inquiries. The report was adopted. On the recommendation of the Appointments Committee an ail-round increase of 1/- per hour was granted to the part-time evening instructors. in view of the inadequate attendance at the class in pattern-making it was decided that this class should be discontinued after the end of the present term. The chairman, in his report, referred to the Parliamentary committee which had been set up by the board to induce the Government to carry out some much-needed reforms in technical education. The first of these in importance was provision for an adequate supply of properly-trained teachers in home science, which was now everywhere recognised as being of fundamental importance. L'nder the present system an adequate supply of teachers could not be maintained and reforms must be nude in two directions: (1* Students In training should be placed on the same basis as regards salary and privileges for training as the probationers in the primary schools service; (2) provision should be made for training teachers in other centres as well as in Dunedin, and for a course more definitely directed to produce the skilled teacher and the skilled housewife. Another matter that demanded attention was the increase in the rates of capitation for the evening school and special classes. From these rates tin teachers were paid, and, unless they w;rc increased to meet the increased cost of living, the technical colleges could not do Justice to their teachers or maintain the necessary high standard. It was anticipated that the new Parliament would deal with certain reorganisations in the educational system of the country. Therefore the committee should draft proposals to ensure the adequate representation of the claims of technical education oa the controlling authorities. "Technical education," continued the chairman, "has made snch strides in recent years and now holds such an important place in our system that it can be no longer given the same scant treatment that it has received In the past. If the Council of Education is maintained technical education should receive verv real, and not merely nominal representation on that body. Further, the cumbrous svstem which involves so much waste of time and effort, under which Educatiaa Boards are required to act as controlling authorities or all technical Institutions, Irrespective of their standing, should be forthwith abolished." The committee shoal* also secure the co-operation of the Board of Agriculture in endeavouring to obtala adequate financial assistance for the development of agricultural Instruction.—Tn« report was adopted.