Wealth Of Artistry In College Exhibits For Parents' Day Tomorrow

Chronicle (Levin), 1 December 1949, Page 4

Wealth Of Artistry In College Exhibits For Parents' Day Tomorrow

Parents of Horowhenua' College pupils who spend many of their spare moments in speculation as to how young Johnnie or Mary is progressing along the road to fame or fortune will have their chance to check up on some of these points tomorrow, as this marks the College's annual parents' day.'

Yesterday a "Chronicle" reporter decided to seek a preview of what was being prepared for the visnors. He foimd - that the offlcial programme was to be as follows: — nt 2 p.m. there is to be a school music recital in the Assembly Had, Misses Browning and Thorn being in charge of, this department. The principal, Mr. N. A. Byrne will speak to the parents and visitors ac 2.30 p.m., and from 2.45 to 3.30 p.m. the college ciassrooms will be open for inspection, where displays of work will be a main feature. Buffet afternoon tea will be served on the lawns at 3.30 by the home science class in charge of Miss Coleman. The state of • the weather will, of course, have the final say as to exactly where afternoon tea will be served, but afternoon tea at a college funetion is always a treat where ver- it is held. The college will also be open in the evening from 7 to 8.30 p.m. Among the displays which should have" most popular appeal are those of the metal work, woodwork, dressmaking, art apd chemistry classes and the display of floral work in the college library.

The pupils of the woodwork class were still busy putting the finishing touches to some of their work when the reporter called. The instructor, Mr. E. Lacey, said that tomorrow's display was not as large as he would have liked, this being brought about by the lack of -adequate storage space and the fact that when the owners of articles completed early in the year were asked to let them stay at the college until after the parents' day exhibition, it usually ' eventuated that Mum was having a birthday. "What can you do about that?" said Mr. Lacey. However, from the observations of the repbrter it seemed most unlikely that the lack of quantity would :be commented upon. There seemed to be plenty of work assembled for display, while • the quality of the workmansliip appeared to leave nothing to be desired and looked quite professional. Furniture Display Furniture, which would make many a housewife's eye gleam, will be displayed and the variety astonishes. Nicely finished tables of the folding leaf and round occasional types, glory boxes of many fascinating designs, dressing tables, ever popular dinner wagons and even corner cupboards are represented. One pupil, who apparently aims to make full use of the lessons, is a young farmer's son who has built his own workbench. Most of the more advanced work has been made by the senior pupils. After leaving, quite a number of the boys attend night classes and others seek positions in cabinetmakers shops and with carpentry firms. Said Mr. Lacey in summing up: "We like to send the boys away with an idea of their own ability and that sense of achievement. If they can turn out jobs like these they will never be stuck." In the metalwork shop was found Mr. W. Hall and his class of boys. His department differed to that of Mr. Lacey's in that there was no large display of big exhibits to show to the public, said Mr. Hall. The pupils were required to learn various processes before they could make anything worfch while. In fact to reach that stage ■ took three years. But in the exhibits that would be displayed lay much involved and painstaking work, even though it might be only a poker or kitchen shovel. In the first year a pupil spent most of the time learning to handle the tools and maehines, soldering and tin plate work. The second year saw him on more advanced machinery work, grinding, shaping, learning to use the lathes and a little moulding. In his third year he entered a more skilled phase and also learnt welding. The first year exhibits are pot scrapers, pokers and such things

as soldering bol'ts, all having a most important bearing on their later work. The work progresses through the hand making of nuts and bolts and learning to use - precision measuring tools, this wprk sometimes invoiving the addition or deduction of a thousandth of an inoh. Heavier plate work follows until in his third year the pupil gets down to welding and lathe work. One more advanced pupil will be exhibiting a copper kettle which he made and designed himself. From these ciassrooms are turned out the fitters and turners of tomorrow. Some pursue general engineering. Others may become electriciahs, while many more take their basic knowledge of engineering back to their farms. Aitogether some 12 pupils annually drifted incO mechanical sidelines when they left school. Both woodwork and metalwork are compuisory subjects for the first two years at the college.

Home Science Exhibits. For the girls there is dressmaking, which eomes under Miss Coleman's home science department. In their first year the pupils learn to make underwear, children's frocks and cotton frocks for themselves. The second year sees ' them makirig longsleeved frocks, smocked underwear and beach and tennis outfits. In their third year the pupils are up to the tailored skirt, linen and silk frock and housecoat stage. Here again quite a number of the girls, on leaving school, &re seen in the night classes. Some of Miss Coleman's pupils have gone ,to positions as far north as Auckland. Some are also employed by local dressmakers. Besides learning to make their own clothes, the girls develop an appreciation of materials. In a modern flat Miss Coleman's home science pupils learn the art of keeping house and buying provisions, and in the adjacent cookery rooms are taught all the finer points of the art which go to make contented husbands more so. The art classes, which never fail to draw a large crowd of visitors, have again much to offer for inspeetion. Visitors tomorrow will probably observe the absence of eon'tributions from two of last year's star pupils, Wing Young and Michael Walker. The former is now pursuing his studies in Wellington and the latter is using; his. talent to advantage in the Government Film Studios, Wellington. The art exhibition, which takes a variety of forms, all pleasing to the eye, is one which should not be missed. Mr. M. R. Smi'th is the master and yesterday he was supervising a group of girls who were working on the drawing of artistic designs for dwellings. This intriguing part of their art studies gives the girls a good start in the planning of their own homes and also in questions of furnishing, commented Mr. Smith. The chemical laboratory has always been regarded as the place where big smells are manufactured, but behind all those smells are many important substances and chemicals "Which make the world a much more enlightened place. Tomorrow visitors will see a demonstration of the process used in the manufacturing of sulphuric acid, which is a chemical I of such importance, says the 'master, Mr. R. Woodfield, that it could be said that the general trend of world trade could be estimated by the quantity used eaeh year. Its ehief usage in New Zealand is in the manufacture of super phosphates and accumulators. A few of Mr. Woodfield's pupils take up chemistry seriously on leaving school. Tomorrow Mr. Woodfield, who is the army signals officer at the school, will also 'be supervising the cadets manning walkie-talkie sets in the school grounds. The above are only a few of the exhibits which visitors will see tomorrow. All that is now required is a perfect day.