DENOMINATIONAL GRANTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 206, 20 May 1918, Page 6

DENOMINATIONAL GRANTS

TECHNICAL CLASSES IN CONVENT.

A,t a meeting of the Dunediii Technical College managers on Friday the director (Mr. A. Marshall) mentioned that he had received the following communication from the Education Department regarding tho technical classes for cookery, etc., hold in the South Dunedin and Tort Chalmers Convents:—

"I have to ask you to state how the amounts received by the managers of the Dnnedin Technical College in respect of claims made by the board aa controlling authority of the above classes are expended. If any payments are mode by the managers to the authorities or teachers of the schools at which clnssee are held the purpose of such payments should be stated, Please regard the matter as urgent." The reply was to this effect:— "These classes were organised, arranged, and supervised by the Dunedin Technical School authorities, and wero originally conducted by teachers from the Technical College. In recent years, however, owing to the growth of the Technical High School, it had been found increasingly difficult to relieve the tenchers of tlio college during tho day for classes in the convents. It was, therefore, agreed that the sisters of the convent should arrange for tho teachers, who were in every case ex-students of technical school classes, but not always Komnn Catholics, although at present the tenchers were all sisters of tho convents. This had led to the payment of a salary. No payments were made by the managers to the co'ivent authorities during tho yeirra 1014 and l!)lii. but in 191G and 1917 such payment had been made. Thus for 191(5 the amounts wero: South Dunedin Convent £!\1 35., Port Chalmers Convent ,£l7 18s. 6d.: and for 1917—South Dunedin Convent £T( 13s. fid., Tort Chalmers Convent .£2O 125.; or an average of olxmt .£l2 por year for each class held. This shir was regarded as (1) a nart payment of tho teacher's salary while engaged teaching these subjects; (2) as payment for the use of the rooms for cookery and '.tressmaking; (3) as payment for the use of nnparatus and appliances, and also provision for breakages, etc.; and M) as defraying the cost of matcrinl required for the u=e of the class. Although the amounts received for these classes hud' not been kept separate, it should be noted Hint these payments were regarded a.i feeing made from the moneys received on necount of tliG3o classes, pud were approximately 75 por cent, of the same. Thus it would be noted that the Technical School Board retained, as it were, sufficient of the earnings of the classes to defray the cost of management and supervision undertaken by the college authorities.'

After discussion the board decided:— "That the practice of permitting classes registered by this board to be taught In other schools by teachers not on the staff of this college cease as from December 31 next."