TEACHER' TRAINING COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 174, 17 April 1919, Page 2

TEACHER' TRAINING COLLEGE

ANNUAL REPORT OF PRINCIPAL The annual .report 'of the principal of the Teachers' "Training College at Kelburn was presented (o yesterday's- meet- , ing of the Education Hoard. Following are excerpts'from (he report, cotisidera-. tion of which was deferred till next < month:—

"The session began on February 27-iuld the college was closed by order of tliu Public Health Department on November 15. The total α-oli lor the year was 131!,'; made np of 71 junior students and (B seniors. During the year two names were taken off the roll and seven men were absent on military duty. • Analyses of tho roll give, the following.details:— Women,. 115; men, i\ ; (or) probationers, 70; pupil-teachers, "19; others, 17; (or) Division A, 110; B, 11; C, 3; D, 3. -Tim admissions to the Training College rc-j present approximately ehout GO per cents only of those who enter the profession as 1 pupil-teachers mid probationers.- ( "During the year 88 first, G8 second, and 150 third-class, university passes were. ■ gained, while 28 students kept first year., terms, 20 kept second, and 12 kept third year terms. . Sixty-'.iinc students completed their term of training at the end of the'year, and the joint results of the ; various external examinations and the , . Training College recommendations are Uβ follow:—D certificates, 3; D and -partial .' C, 25; C certificates, 25; J1 certificates, 7; A certificates. 1; no concession, 8. ! "The social*.Jife of the college lias naturally been seriously affected by war, condition?, though the Students' Association continued to provide some form of recreation for-three out of every four. Saturday evening? a month- Captain Uolni; den, Dr. Patterson, Professor Clarke, Pro., fessor Somerville, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Els-, don Best, and Sir. Biikeircll each deliver: ed short lectures to the students during the term. The men students gave a most) successful entertainment in aid. of'the common room furniture fund. The Glee Club, assisted by the Dramatic Club, also, ; gave two very successful concerts. "Tho question of student nccoramuda-: f Hon has now"ibeconie a most pressing one, and it was with the greatest, difficulty that anything like suitable lodgings were, found for some of the, later entrants. I. sincerely hope "that, something will be done th'is year in.flie.way of providing another hostel. The health of students was 'fair,'but probably would this yeaf have,been worse had it not been for the' splendid work of thcFriends' Hostel and. the Women Students'. Hostel. "We lost by death during the November epidemic .Mi-. Stephen C. James, a- . joiing'man of sterling 'character and. gfeat pi'omiso as a teacher- x The casualty list,from the front includes six killed. nml seven wounded. . ' ' i "During tho year the following staff changes took nlace. Mies Hurethouse and .Mrs. Hunter resigned from Kclbuns, and Mrs. Cantley, ■ Mrs. Robertson, and Mrs. Taylor resigned from Thorndon. Miss Lea and Miss Kcrr were "appointed to fill two of these vacancies, but owing to the dearth of suitable applicants, senior students were placed temporarily in charge of the other -classes ana acquitted themselves creditably. Where singleness of aiin and continuity of prao-" lice are so essential-it id a serious matter to have'practically one-third of theteaching staff change within the year. ■ ' "Tho new- main school at kelburn was be<mu in- August, and was to have been.; finished in January, but'it is questionable whether it will be ready for oceupa-tion-before Easter. ■ As no suitable build- , inW was available, Standards 111 and 1\ were accommodated in'the men's common room in the college. I wish to specially thank the students for Ibe generous way in which they have put up with the consequent inconveniences -for the sakfc ot the school. '■ • .' ■ ... ' "One of- our most pressing necessities - in the near future will be playing-space for tho-school, and 1 would again urge vour board to acquire the only two vacant; sections now available in «»e.vicinity.. Though land here is costly, 1 .fed sine it wifl never be cheaper in this part of Wellington, An anonymous donor has given Miss very handsome sum tc be spent in playground improvements for the Httlo ones, as.soon as it iS possible to', determine exactly Miere.tncy.a -"During 'tho epidemic -the- NormalSchool was used as a 1 ospital, and the Kelburn School and College as a children's hostel. The effective public work then performed in tilts-, places was .a convincing proof of the having roomy up-to-date public buildings. .Our buildings nyost certainty proved in every sense a most: valuable public asset.