TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12588, 8 October 1908, Page 6

TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

PROPOSED COMPULSORY -ATTEN-DANCE.

REPORT BY CHIEF INSPECTOR

The following report was submitted by Mr George D. Braik, Chief Inspector to the Education Board, last evening on the question of compulsory attendance at continuation and technical schools: —

The question is complex and not easy to treat in, brief compass. It may not be inapposite in the first instance to point out that compulsory attendance at continuation, classes is not unknown in some of the more progressive countries .of Europe, and in England legislation is about to be introduced making attendance compulsory up to th^. age of 17. We may approach the question in relation to ourselves by thinking of the various classes into \yhich our young people are absorbed after they leave tjie primary school. Roughly, speaking ;.the following avenues are open to the.m;-^{a) The continuance of their education at District High, secondary, or Technical -Scfiools or the Univer-' sity; (b) the professions, which, however, are usually entered from. some of the channels specified under the last head; (c) the public service", (d) the artisan class, (c) the commercial class, (f) agriculture, (8) home duties, (h) unskilled, occupations. For ou'rprese.nt piirpose • those destined for future education, the professions, and the public service need .not be liere considered. 1 There are left for consideration the cases, specified. under (d), (c), (f), (g), and (h). To take the' last class first. This is a difficult case, because it comprises the . class which is least alive to its own interests. It is, however, from more than one point of view, the class that ■ best merits attention. It would be advantageous /to the State and to. the class were itt, members under an obligation to attend at a continuation school till they reach the agtf- of n^and by that time not a few will have, lefy the <-la^. to- which they originally belvn#ed. Take, secondly, tho cla*» destined . t# practice . the home aits, the jjirls. I should think that there

would be no hardship f in requiring all . tho->e who do not take a proficiency certificate containing an endorsement of competency in cookci-y, sewing, and the elements "of health and first aid, to attend for a one or two years' course in domestic management at the Technical Schools. That the artisan class the class for which technical instruction chiefly exists, , should attend, where possible, courses of instruction suited to their occupation, goes without saying. It might well be enacted that | no member of ,the class could claim the full wage till he produced a certificate j stating that he has taken for two or .three | years, at » technical school, a course of | study in the practice and principles of , his chosen occupation. The same principle might possibly be applied to the commercial class, for it is just as important that the methods of the exchange of wealth should be as efficient as the methods of its production. The case of the average agriculturist is the most difficult of all, but it may safely lie said that self-interest will presently redeem him from his attitude of chronic indifference to- the -claims that science has upon him. The time is coming when it will not be- necessary to force the scientific way of looking at things upon him, for he will presently seek for thfe light that science has to shed upon his work as for fine gold. No one can read such a report as that presented the other day to the -Minister, of Agriculture by Mr Cuddie, head of the Dairying Department, and doubt this. One must recognise the able service in the cause of scientific farming by. the A.., And P. Associations and the Farmers' Unions, but at ' the same time everyone must admit that the education of the farmer is still in its embryonic stage. Much is being done in the schools; more may be- done -in special dajy classes in agriculture. Bus thisis, I' fear, somewhat in the 'nature- <$f, a. digression. • There atfe some considerations hearing upon the general question that require to be clearly stated. If there is to he compulsory attendance at the schools then the working hours- of young people must be somewhat shorter to allow, ?f. a -liberal amount of recreation j a matter for adjustment between employers and employed. Pees must be abolished and adequate teaching power provided. The courses of instruction should no,t be merely a develop-, ment of school work and- school methods, but should reveal to the growing minds the pleasures and possibilities of existence as well as making secure the distribution of a large amount of bread and butoer. There should accordingly be no examinations except for those who desired to take them for special purposes. The conditions, ' indeed,' should be such ,a^ t<^ .reduce, the element of compulsion Jo ' a .minimum/ There remain to be staged ".certain difficulties and objections. Attendance could be made compulsory, only .where schools exist and within reasonable distances. The entire farming class would thus be excluded from the of any Act that might be .passed. To "Secure tbje effective working of a system of compulsory evening attendance would ' necessarily' increase the amount- of the education' vojje'. Many objections will be urged against" the adoption of the proposal, aoij-amqngst others the "liberty of the subject." objection. This ,objection-is on all fours with the objection" to serve in the defence force on' the same grpund. It is a claim' for liberty to stand with one's hands in one's pockets while the enemy i& training his guns on one's country, a liberty to take it 'easy while your competitor in commerce otxiwitd all<3 outsells you and ousts you from every market in the' world. As a matter of policy it appears to me that the best possible .training **«r compulsory servicp in the defence force would be compulsory "attendance at the Technical' Schools, '"with possibly 'some concession in the matter of time for- those whose attendance at" the evening classes is exceptionally good. In conclusion, I would say that since technical instruction is recognised as an integral part of our education system, and ' sfnee, in many places, ' due provision has been made for such instruction, the country, in the interests of administrative and industrial efficiency, is under a,n obligation to take snch measures as will secure to those for whom instruction of this nature was intended the benefits which it confers. — I have the" honour to be, etc., GEO. D. BEAIK. The ropoit haiing • been adopted, Mr Dixon moved:— r "That in. view of the fact 'that facilities (buildings, equipment, apparatus, and material* for continuation and technical instruction have been juo. vided and ire timv being maintained 'it great cost 1o the country, i the. time has come when effective measures should lie taken to secure such an attendance at tue schools as was contemplated wl.en they were Luilt l-'rci-t the time of leaving the Primary School t.'U the age of. 17 or 18 is rightly'regaidod as being a- critical period so far as the shaping of character is con - cerned but' it is to be feared that in. the majority of oas^s the spare hours of this period are either wasted or directed sometimes to 'indosirable ends. The Board tlierefore losolvts — "That the Minister be asked to consider the advisability of bringing in legislation requiring young people residing witlnn leasouable distance of a technical sohjol to attend on two evenings per week at such continuation of technical courses as may be provided for them : that for the furtherance of this proposal the co-operation cf t he- other 'Boards -t>f the Dominion be sought; and that a- copy of Mr Braik'e report be forwarded to each Board and to the Education Department." In speaking to. the motion, lMt Di^on • paid that they were, indebted to Mr Braik' for the very able report. It was' a matter not only of local but of Dominion importance, as in all the Education Boards there was a feeling that fiometning««hould' be done to improve the attendance -at Technical Schools. In Wanganui, • he declared, they had some of the best instructors in the colony, ard yet the attendance of pupils was very unsatisfactory. Something on the. lines suggested in the. report would have to be done ; it would be a step in the right direction.

' Mr BENNETT' seconded the. motion. Mr SPINDLE agreed with the proposal, 'though there were several difficulties to be solved.

The motion' was carried,- and it was resolved to forward a copy of the report to the Minister.