“AIR CLEARED.”

Wairarapa Age, 3 October 1935, Page 5

“AIR CLEARED.”

DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION. J BOARD FAVOURS SEPARATE SCHOOLS. IMPORTANT PROPOSALS UNDER CONSIDERATION. Proposals for the development of the Masterton Technic. ’ School, submitted to a special meeting of the Wairarapa Secondary Education Board last night by the Principal, Mr. 0. H. E. Yates, gave rise to a discussion on amalgamation of the two secondary schools in Masterton and as to whether the present site of the Masterton Technical School was suitable or not. The board favoured separate schools and the retention of the present site. It was decided to bring under the notice of the Minister of Education the necessity of the development of technical education in Masterton and to ask the Director of Technical Education to visit the town and discuss the proposals with the board. The main proposals submitted by the Principal were: The erection of a new building on the site of the plumbing and wool-classing rooms and home science cottage and of a new practical work block at the rear of the woodwork room; and the provision of a suitable play area. MR. A. DONALD’S ATTITUDE. Mr. Donald said it seemed to him that the board should define the whole position first. He considered the board should come to a definite decision as to whether it favoured separate or combined schools. He had no intention of dealing with the whole question as to whether Masterton should continue to have separate Technical and High Schools or otherwise. As he had said before, he was not going to be hidebound in that matter and if the board , decided in favour of separate schools he would give it every possible support. He hoped that other members of the . board would take as broad a view of the matter as he did. He moved:

•‘That this board approves of a combined Technical and High School.” Mr. Donald explained that by this the present High School would be converted into a Technical High School, that the present Technical School building and the present system would be scrapped and the Government would have to provide satisfactory workshops and equipment at the present High School with a view to giving proper and systematic technical instruction at the High School. This course, he held, would be to the advantage of both academic and technical scholars. He was aware that there was a very definite majority on the board in favour of separate schools, but he moved the potion with a view to “clearing the motion was seconded by Mrs C. C. Jackson BOARD OB COMMUNITY? “In the first place it is not a matter for this board to decide,” said Mr. W. H. Jackson; “it is a matter for the community.” On his own part, he said, he was strongly in favour of the development of separate institutions. The Masterton Technical School, as an evening technical school, held its own with any such institution in the whole Dominion. In the best interests of the children of this town two separate schools were desirable and he was quite sure that" there was a great weight of public opinion in favour of that policy. Expressing the opinion that technical and academic schools would not mix. too freely, Mr. W. A. Clarke maintained that they should carry on the Technical School on the present site, with the required additions to make it up-to-date. The bogey about the playing area was only a myth. A PREVIOUS VOTE.

Mr. A. T. Jackson endorsed the remarks of the last two speakers, pointing out that they had only to look back to the last election to see that there was a very strong vote for a separate Technical School. He was definitely against amalgamation. Personally, said Mr. P. M. Smith, he was in favour of separate schools. He thought it was A matter for the community to decide, and recalled the fact that a few years ago a petition circulated in Masterton and district opposing amalgamation contained 4000 signatures. “I would not like to pledge myself to q separate school or otherwise,” said Mr. W. R., Nicol, who considered it was a matter for the parents. A vote ,of the people had been taken before and that was definitely in favour of separate schools and he considered ~ the board should back it. up. “May I ask how long ago it is since this election was taken f ,r asked Mrs C. C. Jackson. The chairman, Mr. L. J. Taylor: •‘Three and a half years.” ‘Mrs Jatkson: “Don’t you think oven parents can change their minds in that timet” ADVANCEMENT WANTED. Replying to the points raised, Mr. Donald urged that the board was the controlling authority of both schools and if it considered that the schools should be combined it should ask the Government to do this. To say that a vote of the people had been taken was a bogey. A vote of the people of Masterton and the future parents of pupils Attending the Technical and the High Schools had never been taken. He whole-heartedly favoured an extension «f technical education in Masterton, but wanted to test the opinion of members as to how best to deal with it. The chairman agreed with Mr. Donald that it was the duty of the board to decide. He considered that Mr. Donald did a very good thing in bringing up the question. On the motion being put to the meeh ing, only Mrs Jackson and Mr. Donald voted in favour of it. Mr. Nicol did not vote. QUESTION OF SITE. Mr. Donald then asked the board to decide whether the present site was the most suitable one for the Technical School. Personally*., he r did, pot think it was and he thought there should be a full investigation'before coming to any decision about the 'proposals submitted by Mr. Yates. He moved: •‘That the board considers that the present site is unsuitable for the development of technical education in Masterton. ’ * The motion was seconded by Mrs Jackson.

Several members spoke in support of retaining the -present site, the main contentions being that the school could not afford to meet the heavy cost involved in paaintaining extensive grounds and that the Government would not make a -grant for a new school on another site. The advantages; that the Technical School pupils- obtained from present areas made available for sports were stressed. One two members agreed that the present site was not the best, but asked to be shown a better central one. Mr. Donald drew attention to the time lost by country pupils coming by train in going to and from the station and considered that a more central site, could, .he obtained on the side pf. the town.' TlftS ‘motion was lbftt, those voting” fpit it beingfMrs Jackson and Messrs E. J. Wright and Donald. On the motion of Mr. W. H. Jackson it was decided: “That the Minister of Education be informed that the Wairarapa Secondary Education Board dfesires to bling under his notice the urgent necessity of the remodelling of the present Technical School building in Masterton and the erection of additional buildings to meet the increased demand for technical education in Masterton.” This was carried unanimously.

It was also decided that the Director of Technical Education be invited to visit Masterton and. discuss the proposals with the tfoard.