TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Evening Star, Issue 14931, 18 July 1912, Page 3

TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

The Board of Managers of the Dunedin Technical School met yesterday afternoon, t*ere being present Messrs T. Srott (chairman), A. Burt, T. W Kcmpthorno, W. Burnett, D. Murray, E. Chisholm, J. Wilkinson, C. R- Richardson, G. C. Israel, J. 17. F. Hamel. A. J. Butterfield, J. J. Clark, G. Simpson, and Dr Colquhoun. The following report was submitted by the director:—"The enrolment for the half-year just ended shows a slight reduction on last year's fibres, but notwithstanding the adverse weather conditions and the* prevalence of epidemics, the total attendance is equal to that of last year. This increase is owing to many of the students taking more complete courses than formerly, and attending with greater regularity. There are also, however, dilatory and "irregular students whom the institution would be better without, and therefore in my term report to the Education Department I have recommended that the free places held by eight such students be at once cancelled. The classes at Forbury sub-centre being rather small, the etudents in attendance thereat have been transferred to Dunedin. During the first quar'ter, the class for Commercial Law met with slight support. It has therefore been deemed'advisable to close it for a term. The class for horticulture, under Mr Tannock, opens this week. To meet the. requirements of several applicants whose circumstances did not permit of their completing the primary school course, a special claw, will bo formed for English, arithmetic, and penmanship combined. —The report was adopted. The Chairman reported that the Building Committee had gone through the. specifications for the new building, and had authorised their submission to the board. He understood that this had not yet been done. He also mentioned that it was most advantageous for the committee to have had the" assistance of Mr Simpson when going through the specifications. Mr Richardson asked the director of the school if there were any pupils of 14 years or under attending tho night classes held for the benefit of those who had not received their Sixth Standard proficiency certificates.—The Director explained that the pupils who attended these classes ranged from 16 to 25 years of age.—Mr Richardson said he did not think that any pupil should be allowed to attend this school wlio was under 14 years of age. He pointed out that if it were permitted it would ba an invasion of the compulsory ciauses of the Education Act. There had been a considerable leakage in the attendance at the primary schools, and this would become greater if anything of tho nature he had instanced were not opposed. He recognised there were those over 14 years of ago who had to attend classes, and he was pleased they went to the Technical School. There were numbers of them who appeared for examination under the board every Saturday. This was rendered necessary to enable them to keep positions they held in tho Public Service.—lite board decided that the classes referred to were desirable, but that they should not be- allowed to interfere with the primary schools. Messrs Israel, Burnett, Hamel, and Butteilield were appointed the Visiting Committee for the month.