MARCH OF SCIENCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 152, 23 March 1921, Page 3

MARCH OF SCIENCE

WELLINGTON’S NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE / Considerable interest attached, to the laying of the foundation stone of the "Wellington Technical College, which took place on Monday afternoon on the site on Mount Cook at the rear of the Defence buildings. 'Che ceremony was performed by His Excellency the Governor-General, Admiral Txird Jellicoe, in the presence oi a large gathering, including the Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr), Sir Robert Stout, the Mayor (Mr. J. r. Duke), and members of the Board of Governors of the Technical College. The proceedings were opened by the chairman of the Board of Governors (Mr. "W. H Bennett), who said that the buildings of which the foundation stone was being laid were long overdue, owing chiefly to the difficulty of securing a Rife. The board was extremely thankful to the Government for the ground it had secured, and sincerely trusted that the Government's interest would extend a little further, so that if the area could not be extended, at least there would be an easy approach from Sussex Square and Tasman Street. Addressing himself to the parents and general public, Mr. Bennett said there was much they could do to help technical education in the city, bv endowments for its welfare, so that the present beginning could be well continued by close interest in the work of the college and its pupils. The Minister of Education, in the course of a. short address, said that the truth had been stated when it was said that Wellington was the only one of the large cities which had no adequate house for the giving of technical instruction. It was therefore a source of gratification to all that in making its beginning that day Wellington was starting out well. They had now the finest site in Wellington for the purpose. When areeted, it would in many respects be the most important of the schools in Wellington. Continuing, the Minister said that technical education stood for many things. It was not merely a ec'w»w for the teaching of a trade. Its main function was the offering of a course parallel to, and running with, the course of a high school. It was a more practical course, and it departed from the old literary ideals. PersonalJv for one boy or girl going to the high school, he, would like to see nine or ten attending ,the technical college. (Applause.) A Mr. Bennett then presented His Excellency with a silver trowel, suitably inscribed, executed by Miss Julian, a student in the college jewellery class, enclosed in a leather case worked by Miss Frier, another pupil of the college. In his address His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General congratulated the college on its achievements. As a new arrival in the Dominion he was struck by the immense opportunities given by the State to the youth of the country for free education. So far ns he could see there was no other country in the world where so many advantages were given to young people in the direction of education. He hoped the youth of the Dominion would take advantage of the exceptional opportunities given them by the State for their education. He had heard it said that New Zealand boys going Home were sometimes two years behind in scholastic attainments. If this was eo it was a pity, because in England a great percentage of the boys had to pay for their education. Concluding, he paid a tribute to the efficiency of New Zealand girls in point of domestic accomplishments and pointed to the opportunities tbev were afforded in technical colleges of learning domestic science. His Excellency then declared the foundation stone laid, following which the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) briefly addressed the gathering.