TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16737, 19 May 1922, Page 9

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.

WELLINGTON CONFERENCE. (Per Prbs* Association.) WELLINGTON, May 1? Aiuodr the resolutions passed to-dav by the Technical Education Conference were tho following:— That the senior mistress of a technical school with a roll number of • vf-i 2*>» nvzpfts should receive £3O '.n >4 dir ion to graded salary, a* reconipoi»rx> tov additional duties involved. That there should be a definite scale erf salaries for student teachers in technical schools, at least as liberal that, provided for primary schools. That where a teacher supervises evening classes the Education Department should be asked to regard such service as tho equivalent of overtime teaching work and pay for it accordingly. That the maximum salary for men «n Division IX. he increased to £450; for women to £336. That the teaching hours of technical school teachers be fixed at ten half davs weekly, it being understood that evening duty shall be counted as a hiU day and that a teacher on duty for part of a half day shall he regarded as on dirty for tho whole of that half day. this system to be adopted on the understanding that the staffing rates be one to twenty-five pupils on the roll on March 31. That tlie hours of service required of teachers be thirty per week for not than forty weeks per year, hours of service being regarded as actual time table hours as signed by the director. That as a general rule teachers bo not called upon to teach on more than two evenings per week. That when allotting marks classification officers shall give due weight to the recommendations of the principal of the school concerned, particular'y as to the out of school activities of instructors. That in the classification of those in the service before the initial grading the regulations requiring possession of a university degree or equivalent fur classification in the professional division bo more liberally interpreted ami that an the caso of those teachers* lack of higher degrees be no bar to positions in higher grades. That technical school boards be allowed to retain one third of class fees. That provision be made for allocation to technical education of a fair share of the revenue from national endowments. That in view of the fact that members of boards of managers, are held personally responsible for interest on bank overdrafts this conference request the Minister of Education to have progress and other payments made immediately when due. failing which interest should be added at current bank rate. On the motion of Mrs Femer it was resolved that in view of tho establishment of junior or high schools the time is opportune for the appointment of a woman as advisory director for domestic science in the Dominion. Mr Borras, in accordance with notice, moved that evening students should lie exempt from attendance at drill wliile receiving instruction at technical classes, and that a deputation should wait on the Minister for Defence at the earliest possible moment to place this resolution l>efore him. Mr Bead seconded the motion. .Mr Mackenzie proposed that the motion should read 11 That the matter of exempting evening students from drill while receiving instruction at technical classes be referred tov the next technical education conference for consideration.” The mover accepted the motion in thus form and it was carried. On the motion of Mr O. E. Newton i it was resolved “ (1) That technical school boards should be represented ori education boards to ensure a l>etter understanding in matters of mutual interest and (2) that the Railway Department be asked to admit apprentices under seventeen years of age instead of under sixteen years of age as at present, to enable boys taking the engineering course at technical schools to enter on such apprenticeship. ’* Mr Howitt and Mr Newton were appointed to represent the conference at to-morrow’s deputation to the. Minister. It was decided to form a combined association of directors, supervisors and members of boards of managers of technical schools. It was left to the chairmen of the boards of directors of tho Christchurch. Dunedin and Invercargill Technical Schools to draft a constitution for submission to next conference. Mr Marshall to be convener of the committee thus set up.