TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18112, 12 November 1928, Page 12

TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

BOARD OR MANAGERS. The liiontlilv meeting of the Board of Managers of the Timaru Technical College was held on Friday _ night. Present—Messrs A. Stead (chairman), G. J. Sealey, E. AY. Jones, G. i. Roller, G. D, Selbie, A. Washer, 0. Hutchinson, J. G. Gow, and W. J. ljlt ' PRINCIPAL’S REPORT. The report for the month, of the Principal (Mr A. McFadyen), was as follows: ■ . Day/Classes.—The roll number was now 105—52 girls and 53 boys. During the month four (students had left to take up- positions in the town —one girl ana three boys. AVith. the exception of the senior boys, the attendance had been quite satisfactory. The final examinations for the . second year classes would commence on Monday next. The r§sults of those examinations were required for the allocation of senior free places, and the names of students recommended, with all necessary particulars, were required in Wellington before November 30. A sports afternoon was held on AVednesday, October 17, on Anzae Square, when the usual programme of events was carried through and a very enjoyable afternoon was spent. The classes would close for the year on Thursday, November 15. The examinations were being held that week, and. the results ■when available, would be published in the local papers. The attendance on the whole had been quite satisfactory. Mr Connor, teacher of intermediate English and arithmetic, relinquished his duties on October 24th, and his place was being taken by Miss Law until the end of the term. The shearing class commenced at the Smithfield freezing works on October 31 with a roll number of 23 students, and Mr F. AVaddell, as instructor The instructor had not rushed the students into shearing before teaching them the fundamentals. The first week had peon taken up in teaching them to grind, sharpen, and set their shears, and how to hold a sheep in the proper position for shearing . The Principal visited the class on Monday, October 29, and Thursday, the Ist inst. Arrangements had been made to . recompense the shepherds of the N.Z. Refrigerating Coy. for any help extended in placing

the sheep under cover in case of wet weather, and this would tend to improrve working conditions for the class. Thanks were due to Mr W. W. Baxter for his courtesy in allowing the use of part of .the works for the class, and for the ready assistance.he had at all times extended; to Mr R. Kilgour, for his kindness in arranging for the supply of sheep for the class, and to the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union for their usual generous donation. Through the kindness of Mr Burst, manager for Messrs J. Ballantyne and Coy., the island window in the firm’s premises had been placed at their disposal from the Ist to the, sth inst.. in which; a representative exhibit was displayed of the practical work done ; in the various classes, and specimens of shorthand, typing, and book-keeping work. No cookery work was shown, hut this would_ be included in a more, comprehensive display which would be staged in the College later in the year. Mr Austin, inspector, had visited the College oil Friday, October 19. Members of the South Canterbury School Committees* Association had visited the College on the evening of Thursday, November 1, and judging by the complimentary remarks made, the visit had proved both instructive and enjoyable io them. The College was open at all times to visitors, and tne greater the number of people who visited and saw the classes in operation, the greater would be the benefit to the College. It was decided to place on record Mr Connor’s two years’ service to the Board. , ' Messrs Ballantyne and. Co. were thanked for the use of their window. Members spoke highly of the success of the shearing class, and appreciation was expressed of the good work being done by the instructor. The report was adopted. GENERAL. The Levels County. Council wrote forwarding their usuhl donation of £5 to the funds of the College. Similar communications were received from the Timaru Borough Council (£SO), Timaru Harbour Board (£2 2s), Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union (£l2 12s), Timaru Carpenters’ Industrial Union of Workers (£1 Is). The donors were heartily thanked. A letter was received from the South Canterbury - Employers’ Association stating that the president (Mr C. AY. AVood) had reported on the visit paid to the. College recently and had spoken of the pleasure the visitors had experienced as a result of seeing Jhe work that was being done by the students, but regretted that the class room for, the plumbing class appeared to be too small and was not sufficiently ventilated. It was decided that their representatives on the Board be requested to bring the matter up, and also to donate £3 3s towards improving the ventilation of the class room.

The Board expressed thanks for the donation, and the matter of ventilation was referred to the Works Committee.

The secretary of the School Committees’ Association forwarded a letter of thanks for the invitation to visit the College recently, and also for the hospitality extended to them. Mr Washer suggested* that something should be done to see that the pupils in the engineering class should be obliged to wear overalls, and the same applied to the girls in the cookery class. _ ■ The chairman said that the matter was one for the parents. It could be made as a suggestion, however. The inspector’s report on the College was received and considered to be eminently satisfactory. ’The reference to the staff was considered by the Board to be well-merited.

Complimentary reference was made concerning the high standard of the recent display at Ballantyne’s, and it was decided to compliment the staff on the quality of the exhibits.