THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 196, 8 May 1918, Page 3

THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE

DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR 1917. Tlie report of tho director of the Technical College (Mr. W. S. La Trobe) for 1.917, presented to the Technical Education Board last evening dealt fully with tho work of the college. The director siiid:—"The present accommodation is severely overtaxed, and is entirely unsuitable. Temporary accoliimodation is difficult to find in Wellington at tho present tiino. and it would probably cost little nioro per annum to provide satisfactory permanent buildings than »aur present buildings and rented rooms are now worth in the market.

"Tho numbers attending in the several departments of tho college work shoic some increase over those for last yenr, and the total number of those who entered at the college is a record. The attendance in the Technical High School was satisfactory, and the numbers a record for Ihis school. In the associated classes there is a progressive increase in the numbers of girls and women, and a similar, but not so large, decrease in tho numbers of boys and men, though the former still constitute .less than half 01 tho total. It appears that, out of 1592 students enrolled during the year, 1022 took grouped courses of some value, a percentage of G-1.8, as compared with 05.5 for the year 1911], and 67.4 for 1915. Leaving out paying students in day classes, who were compelled to attend grouped courses, there remain 719 feepaying students, of whom 223 took grouped courses.

"Classes have been conducted with considerable success not only in the Art School itself, but also in the Technical Ilish School, in the Wellington Girls' College, in the Tenchers' Training College, for teachers in (raining, and on Saturday mornings for primary school teachers, and for the Wellington Boys' College on Saturday mornings at tho Technical College. The,influence of the teaching is .therefore widely felt in tho primary and secondary school.

"The numbers in the Technical High School were considerably above those for 1916, and a pleasing feature was that mechanical trades classes received the greatest proportionate increase. There is little doubt that, tho Technical High School would benefit greatly if wu were provided with reasonable buildings. Tho boys in - the carpentry classes did some work for the military authorities.

"It has not bee,u possible for us to arrange special classes for returned soldiers, but several have attended the ordinary classes, with satisfactory results in some cases. I am convinced that, in ■most subjects, it would be better to arrange for separate classes for these men. At tho same time the numbers coming forward in eacli subject at present do not warrant the formation of .special classes. In the engineering workshops in the day classes, some of the* men havo done very good -work; but the shop is at present overcrowded, both day and evening, with tools as well as with pupils, and it is impossible to give tho students the best conditions,"