RAISING WAGES

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 6

RAISING WAGES

HOW THE CONTINENT DOES IT. Mr. W. Gray, M.A., B.Sc, principal of the Wellington Training Collegs, delivered a lecture at Newtown recently, on "Compulsory Continuation Schools," particularly with reference to what had- been done in this way in Wurtemburg and Bavaria. The lecture• was free, but .the attendance numbered exactly twenty-six, including three small boys. The lack of interest in the important subject dealt with by Mr. Gray, moved Mr. G. Hogben, InspectorGeneral ' of' Education (who presided): to observe that no -doubt the title of the lecture was wrong. Be suggested that it might have attracted a large audience, had it been "How to Raise Wages by Increased Efficiency." And that was practically .what compulsory continuation instruction amounted to.

Mr Gray described the growth of technical education in Wurtemburg, where it Had long, been recognised that it was the duty\ of the State not only to impart what might be termed general education,;- but also to make good citizens. New Zealand was doing a good'deal in this direction, but the altered economic conditions had made.it imperative that more should.be done for young people on leaving school, in view of the great difference that had taken place in the relations between masters and apprentices, by the competition not only of trade and trade, but of country and-country. Mr Gray then referred in detail to the Wurtemburg system of continuation schools, which provided a kind of post-graduate course for the primary scholar, and with particular reference to his calling and his requirements in afterlife. It was, he held, Wurtemburg that was doing more than its real share in enabling Germany, as a whole, to take her high place among the industrial countries of the world. DURING WORKING HOURS. Much praise was given by the lecturer to Dr. Kirschensteiner's plan, which had created a new era in industrial education. The new system made provision for instruction to be given in the daytime,, during working hours. The employers, especially the smaller ones, were not at fir.st impressed with the idea of their hands between 14 and 18 years of age devoting 280 hours a year of working time to practical education, but they had now become reconciled to it, and had stipulated that in return the schools and teaching staffs should be thoroughly efficient. So thoroughly had the Wurtemburgers gone, about their work that they would have ; 'a staff of highly trained teachers, 6ome . practical tradesmen, ready for the schools in 1909, when the new law comes into force. Sunday instruction would be minimised, but evening work would be optional. Any apprentice, from chimney sweep to electrician could attend the voluntary schools. The education would be compulsory, and it would - have the advantage of the force, of , the imperial behind it. Mr Gray here expressed the belief that the Wurtemburg model, with modifications to suit the local circumstances, must be followed in New Zealand, although he admitted that the earnestness with which technical education was being taken up in the Dominion already was really startling.. But iinless the education was made obligatory, there .were dangers of indifference on the part of the young people and unwillingness on the part of the employers to allow the apprentices or learners to attend the school. In Wurtemburg free. education, as known in New Zealand, did not exist, although just lately the Volkschule had been made free. There, too, the pupil wa3 bound 'to pay something, although

it might, be little,' by way of school' fees, for it was recognised that those who had come to, the age of learners should be encouraged to invest a little in their own future.. INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S VIEWS. Mr Hogben, in referring, to Mr Gray's observations, said as one result of Wur-, teroburg's progressive educational effort, the output of the. workmen had doubled, and the wages paid there were higher than in any other state of the confederation where the system referred to had not been established. He was much impressed with what he had seen at the continuation and technical, and commercial , schools, generally in Switzerland, and particularly so with the national culture: that was the outcome of the system —a result that was certainly to be as much desired as increased production. . People often grumbled about the expenditure on education in New Zealand, but they got full value for their money. There were at the present time three times as many people receiving higher education in New ' Zealand than was the case eight years ago. New Zealand was a very difficult country to work in educationally, and, figuratively speaking, we. had almost begun to run before we could properly crawl. He was not quite sure whether the Wur-' temburg idea could be carried out in New Zealand, but her thought consideration might be given '"of"-" an, agreement between the education authority, the employers' associations, and the, trades' unions,, by-which no apprentice would be recognised as efficient -unless he passed his vocational course.. He belfeved thai the best state was made out of. the best 'workmen, and it - should beiriade possible for every-man to have the best-train-ing available... -. '• ~. ■.-.,, .""* .',-.