TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2630, 27 November 1915, Page 11

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

MEETING OF THE NEW BOARD. ■The first meeting of the new Wellington Technical School- Board was held last night.! There were present: Mr., tr. Frost (in the chair), tho Hon, J. G. W. Aitken, Messrs. C. M. Luke, W. T. Hildreth, T. Ballinger,|J. E. Fitzgerald, M. F. Luckie, J. Hutcheson, H.'.M. Gore, W. H. Bennett,' J. P. Luke,' G. L. Stewart, and A. Atkins. The finanoial statement showed'that the receipts for tho, month ;W l ?re;;£ißs4 16s: Bd.,'-as againlt ? £1336 for the corresponding ....mqntlv.of,, last,;je»r. .Payments tor salaries and general accounts amounting in all to £1535'75;\ 6dJ were approved. •. , i' > r rm -'.a-., -c i n

fhe resignation of Mr. A. C. Gilford ,B instructor in pure and applied mathcnatics was accepted.. Mr. Frost,' as acting chairman; ex>ressed tho regret which 1 he was sure ill members felt' that continued illloaltli prevented the chairman,(Mr. D. Etobertson) from'taking his seat at the joard tablo He welcomed the new' nembere, and hoped that they would jring added wisdom and influence' to the ward. Especially their help needed to support the demand upon the government for better housing for tho The Mayor,' as senior member of the ward, also welcomed the new numbers. He assured them that the director was ;apable and enthusiastic', but it ■, was impossible for the best results to be ob;aiued while, classes were scattered as j ihey were now. He also assured the lew members that the fact' that the ichool was still.housed in suoli, unsuitable buildings was due'to no lack of 3ifort oil tho part .of the old board. It must still be their'endeavoiir to obtain suitable premises as Eoori as the money ; market became easier. • .• -• — r , The.Hon; 'J. 'G. W. "Aitken,"\while somplimenting tW'divector most generously as' a capable . and zealous., worker, said it was quite true that ho.had iiever bid a chance to what he could do. In no city iii tlie world was technical education conducted, under conditions such as tfhoso prevalent ill .Wellington. But for the war he believed that this ; unhappy state of things would have been, ended. The 'Hon. J; Allen had, he believed) made up liis mind that a new school must be provided in Wellington, but then the war came. The war would continue for 'a • time ■ yet, and they would have to wait a little longer for their now school. He welcomed the new members/ .

Mr. A. Atkins acknowledged the welcome extended to himself and other Dew members, and expressed his thainks to the director for his courtesy in giving him facilities for becoming acquainted/with the work of the school.

Mr. H M: Gore, Mr. T.- Ballinger, Mr. 0. M. Luke, and Mr. J. Hutcheson ailso'acknowledged the/welcome accorded them. i;.-v

The director, in tho course of remarks upon .'the syllabus for next yea*, said that where possible it would be necessary to compress the work antj to reduce the number of classes in some subjects. The only revenue the school had wherewith to pay its teachers came from fees and from capitation, and these moneys depended on the number of students. The war had affected the college seriously. Not only had many students gone to the war—2o per cent, from" some classes —but tho school lost prospective pupils who were now required to work'overtime to fill the places of those men who have gone. Also the school had lost from many classes young women students who were now engaged in patriotic work. Art students, for instance, had given up their classes to take up nursing and needlework. '

Tho syllabus as recommended by the director was approVed.