TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 184, 21 December 1912, Page 8

TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

PRESENTATION OP PRIZES,

OUTSPOKEN COMMENT. In bis opening remarks at the annual presentation of prizes in connection with the New Plymouth Technical College! yesterday afternoon, Mr-. F. P. Corkill, chairman of the Technical College Advisory Committee, made a frank statement regarding the position of the school. The small attendance there that afternoon might be regarded, he said, as typical of the position of the Technical College among the educational establishments of the town. Exactly why the college was a struggling institution he was not prepared to say. There was an excellent building, well-equipped, and apparently admirably staffed, but somehow or the other the success that one might reasonably expect had not attended its operations. However, the school was making a fresh start now. Within the last few months changes had taken place, the management bad been reorganised, and the school now had as its head, Mr. A. Gray, who came with a vast fund of energy and considerable! experience as a successful teacher in primary schools, and it was his belief,' from what he had seen of him so far, that he was going to make it a success. The committee (of which the speaker was chairman) had laid itself out to help the director as far as lay in its power, and twelve months hence, as the result of an increased number of students and the new management, he hoped that it would be found that things had really looked up. Mr. Corkill concluded by intimating that the prizes won by students attending the evening classes would be piesented at the beginning of the next term.

In the course of a short address, the Hon. T. Kelly dwelt on the Importance of technical education, and instanced how the instruction he had received in what was known in the old days as mechanics' institutes had stood him in better stead in a business sense than any othf>r department of education in which he had received instruction. The great bulk of the people of the country would have to engage in industrial pursuits, and the more knowledge they required of the science of things industrial the better they would be suited for the battle of life. Incidentally, he exexpressed pleasure at the attention paid to instruction in cookery at the school. Plenty of young people had great capacity as "cooks," but they lacked the training. (Laughter.) Mr. H. Okey, M.P., said that he was sorry to gather from the remarks of Mr. Corkill that the Technical College

WAS NOT BEING SUPPORTED

in New Plymouth to the same extent as in other parts of the Dominion. Pro- j ceeding, he emphasised the increased j efficiency of boys engaged in industrial pursuits, when backed with instruction, at a technical school. Giving evidence. before Parliament on the Plumbers Bill, | master plumbers had declared that they invariably gave preference, all things being equal, to boys who bad been through the school. He added a word of praise V in appreciation of Mr. Gray. Touching upon the intention to teach agriculture [ in the school, Mr. Okey said that instruc-' tion in this subject provided a splendid' opening for the institution. It was going' to be of immense benefit to our boys, who were going to be the future farmers of the Dominion. Old farmers had in earlier years eyed the Government experts askance, for they only had to scratch the then virgin soil <to secure a good return. But the soil was being worked out, and this was where they were going to bring science to bear. The speaker then went on to deprecate the APPARENT OVERLAPPING

in the town in regard to instruction in certain technical subjects. He failed to sec why these should be taught in both institutions—the Technical College and the High School. There must be a certain amount of waste of public money in two schools in the vicinity of one another teaching the same subjects. Would it not be better to have an expert at the Technical College, and for the pupils at the High School to come to the College and receive instruction there in agriculture, instead of having one man here and' one man there! The powers that be would have to look into the matter. They could'not afford the waste caused by double-banking. The Mayor (Mr.G. \\ T . Browne) also spoke in the same strain as the previous speakers in urging the cardinal importance of technical education in relation tn the industrial pursuits of the Dominion. As a practical builder, he cited many instances that had come under his notice of the value of such training, and the handicap to those to whom it was denied.

I DIRECTORS' REPORT. Tn his report, the director (Mr. A. ft ray) stated that it was necessarily somewhat meagre as regards successes gained, inasmuch as this was the first year in which these classes had been conducted. Notwithstanding this, however, a very satisfactory measure of success had attended the'efforts of the several instructors, and he felt confident that they wore, on the right track towards their goal as a specialising edu-' cational institution. The necessity for specialised secondary education is' just now receiving its duo recognition inj Xew Zealand. Parents should reeog-i nise that in allowing their children to he educated along the lines of the work to be done during their future life, they were doing a wise thing. Continuing, he said that the evening classes held at technical colleges enabled students whoi had completed the junior course to pursue a senior course of study, even when it had been found necessary that they should be earning their own living. Also, this arrangement enabled instructors who invariably took an interest in their pupils to keep an eye on them] until their characters were well developed. Frequently the youth was turned adrift just when he required the most careful supervision. During the year the students had been engaged in work along three distinct lines—domestic, commercial and industrial. The director added: Next year I hope that mechanical engineering will be added. The art of division iias been in the hands of Mr. D. E. Tlutton. In all branches I feel thatconsiderable progress has been made. In fact, although the classes have been in existence only one year, there are several cases where students have been snapped

up by employers. In this connection I should he glad to give advice to anyone in need of'the services of our students. Willi regard to sports, we hiive been able to do little. However, in future, this important branch of a sound education will not he overlooked. The proximity of the college to the Park enables the Sports Ground to be utilised as a playground, of course under suitable supervision. A proficiency certificate entitles pupils to take any of these courses free, and even if the certificate is not forthcoming the total fee for the whole year is only £1 45."

PRIZE LTST. DAY CLASS. Essay Writing: Norman Taylor 1, Olive Taylor 2. Practical Arithmetic: Gwendolyn Rowlinson 1, Norman Taylor and Vincent Arthur (equal) 2. Commercial Arithmetic: L. Lovcridge 1, 11. Taylor 2. Commercial English: 11. Taylor 1, W. Wilkie 2.

Commercial Geography: Vincent Arthur 1, Monna Eraser 2. Physiology and Hygiene: Monna Eraser 1, Joyce Chapman 2. Drawing from Cast and from Nature: Gwendolyn Rawlinsou 1, Eva Haskell 2, Ivy Marshall 3. Building Construction: Vincent Arthur 1. Machine Construction: W. Wilkie 1. Shorthand: Ellen OTJorke 1, Edith Busby 2. Nellie Hawker special. Typewriting: Eva Haskell 1, Ellen O'Rorke 2. Cookery: Olive Fanll I, Ethel Hoskin 2. Dressmaking: Ellen Oltorke 1, Gwendolyn Bawlinson 2. Millinery: Olive Fanll 1. Ivy Marshall 2. Woodwork: 11. Taylor 1, W. Wilkie 2, V. Arthur Mr. Sandford's special. Book-keeping: 1 Monna Fraser 1, Norman Taylor 2. SCHOOL PUPILS. Cooking.—Central A, Joan Cook; Central B, Nora Corkill; West End A, Doreen Moore; West End B, Rita Martin; Fitzroy, P. Whitcombe and L. Outfield; Bell' Block, E. Orchard and R. Cocker; Convent, Sigred Lindstrom and H. Wright; Waitara, M. Merron and G. Weston; High School A, Nellie White; High School B, Ada Stoddart; Chetwode (School. D. Klingender and Irene Death.

Woodwork. —Central A, N. Fookes; Central B, P. Sheppeard; West End A. John Fordyce; West End B, Andrew Fordyce; Waitara, A. Oliver; Fitzroy, F. Kelly- Bell Block, Pai Karena. '