TEACHER TRAINING

Evening Star, Issue 23369, 12 September 1939, Page 10

TEACHER TRAINING

NEW DUNEDIN COLLEGE IMPRESSIVE OFFICIAL OPENING HALL NAMED AFTER BOARD'S CHAIRMAN It was 63 years ago that the first facilities in the Dominion for training school teachers were provided in this city. The official opening yesterday afternoon of the new Dunedin Training College, a modern two-storied wooden building, served to point out the changes in the character of education in the Dominion since 1876 changes that were acknowledged at the function to have been of immense benefit. The spacious hall, which was christened the Wallace Hall as a tribute to the distinctive contribution to education of .Mr James Wallace (chairman of the Education Board) was filled with students and the general public, and besides tho speakers there were on the platform representatives of educational institutions in Dunedin and local bodies. The building was dedicated by the Moderator of the Dunedin Presbytery (ißev. Allen Stevely). Mr Wallace presided. The Chairman said that tho college would have been opened by the Hon. Peter Eraser, and in very different circumstances from those in which it was being opened to-day. All knew that it was impossible for the Minister to leave/Wellington just now, and possibly for some time to come, and on his suggestion, which coincided with the board’s own views, it was decided to proceed with the official opening as arranged. The opening of this now Training College building marked another milestone in educational progress in this province, said Mr Wallace. This building provided visible evidence of the recognition on the part of the Minister of Education and the Government of teacher training as an integral part of the educational facilities of the province and the university district. While expressing gratification at the acquisition of this new home for the training of teachers, the board recognised at the same time that fine buildings did not alone make a successful training college. From the original college erected in 1876 (part of tho building was now occupied as the board’s office), and the one now being vacated, erected in 1909. many thousands of teachers had gone forth to worthily fill the highest teaching positions in the Dominion. Otago had always been fortunate in having an unlimited supply of “ raw material ” in the shape of young people anxious to enter the teaching profession, and, in passing, it was only sound business to place the factory where the raw material abounded.

AN EDUCATIONAL STRONGHOLD. “ We are carrying on here the Scottish tradition that education and religion are the foundation of our well being, and that the best of our young people should be encouraged to enter

the ministry and the teaching profession,” said Mr Wallace. ‘‘ It was in this spirit that tho Education Board of 1876, with true Scottish insight and foresight, established the pioneer training college of the Dominion. It was also the Otago Education Board which brought out from Scotland seven years previously (70 years ago) David Con. Hutton to found the first School of Art in New Zealand (it preceded Canterbury by 12 years), at which the students of the Training College received all their drawing and art instruction for a period of 45 years —that is, up till 1921, when the growth of the college warranted a complete staff of lecturers and instructors in all subjects. It is worth noting that had the Otago Education Board of 1920 not had vision and sturdy independence the Art School would have gone elsewhere than to the King Edward Technical College. There are teaching families in this province who have supplied teachers since tho province was established. In the early days to be Otago-trained was a passport to teaching posts all over the colony, and this tradition for sound training has, we believe, been maintained throughout the years. Tho college has been most fortunate in its four principals. William Sanderson Fitzgerald, the first principal, occupied the position from 1876 to 1895—a period of 19 years—and his pioneering efforts resulted in the laying of firm foundations. For the next period (the period of consolidation) there could have been no finer successor than David Renfrew White, who was an acknowledged educationist in many respects ahead of his time His connection with the college covered a period of 27 years—lo years as head master of‘the Normal School and 17 years as principal of the college. Mr E. Finder filled the position from 1913 to 1922, those difficult war and nost-war years. He was succeeded bv the present principal. Mr .7. A. Moore, who bad already filled the position of vice-principal for a period of four years.” (Applause.) PROFESSIONAL IDEALS. This new building, said Air Wallace, linked as it would be with tho traditions ami achievements of the past, would help to create a better working atmosphere for lecturers and students, as well as providing them with more congenial and comfortable surroundings. But when one got right down to bedrock it was the personality and quality of (bp young trainees and of the college staff itself which counted most. To-

(lay the college must have trainees of even higher calibre than ever before, and they must be better trained that they might be competent to deal with the heavier responsibilities that the new freedom imposed on them. The young teacher to-day must have initiative and enthusiasm, lor their primary object was to train children to learn and think for themselves, to discover things for themselves, and to build character. Possibly it was much easier for both stall and student in the days when there was uniformity, when children learnt lists of names, lengths of rivers, and dry lists of facts and dates. Since the first students were trained hero 03 years ago teaching methods had been completely transformed. As someone had said: “The school is to be no longer a factory for diplomas, but an Instrument of spiritual elevation.” With these heavier demands upon them the students required greater preparation for their life’s work, and it was doubtful whether the present two years’ course was adequate, particularly when so many students entered the college at the comparatively immature age of 17 years. 'The Training College to-day was entering on a wider held of usefulness, and there was a growing realisation that it should continue to be an inspiration to its young teachers, when they had schools of their own, by the development of refresher courses and even by correspondence.

SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE

The new building had been built of wood in accordance with the depart-

nntiit's present practice for most educational buildings, said the speaker. Conditions and building ideas changed continuously, and it was estimated that 40 years or Jess was about the life of any ono typo of school building, as by that time the gradual changes and new ideas had rendered it obsolete, or at least due for remodelling, which was always possible with a wooden building.

When the original combined college and Normal School was built in Moray Place in 1876 it would no doubt be looked upon as the last word in school architecture, but by 1909 it was obsolete, and the now college opened that year became in its turn, a modern building

for the training of students. That building bad now had its day, and perhaps in 40 or 50 years’ time the building being opened to-day would give way to something in building construction and design which one could not foresee or visualise. The building had been designed and planned entirely by the board’s own architectural staff, and it was of interest to note that the department approved of the plans as submitted, without any alteration. The board’s architects had collaborated closely with the Training College staff, and the result, all believed, met all the requirements of a modern teachers’ training college. An architect’s success in the design of a building might be measured largely by its fitness for the purpose for which it was designed. The interior layout completely satisfied this condition, not only from the practical and the utilitarian viewpoint, but the (esthete too, while the exterior was dignified and modern, with good proportions. The outside appearance would he greatly enhanced when the trees and shrubs had grown and lawns and flower bods had taken shape. The contractors, on their part had carried out their work faithfully, and they and their men were to be congratulated on their workmanship and finish. The department had been generous in its assistance for the furnishing and equipment of the building, and those items which the department did not grant, the board had provided. The bbard did not regard its Training College as a sideline in its administrative activities. It had always been justifiably proud of its Training College, and it was on record that during a period of depression, 1887 to 1894, when Government assistance for the training of teachers was withdrawn altogether" the board itself continued the college out ot its own funds. The board’s pride in its college was, the speaker believed, shared by the people of Otago, and of Southland too, as was evidenced when upwards of 25,000 people signed the petition for the retention of the college when there was a move some seven or el ®Vn.r ars a S° to close it altogether. lhe new c o ]Jeg e contains a fine K hnn?i lC u ,lai, f A he wal,a of which should be used to. portray the history of the college that students entering tor the first tune may feel that although the building is modern the college itself has a history and a tradition to inspire,” concluded Mr Wallace. “ That history was enhanced by the hundreds of students who took their place in the Great War, and now a greater war is upon us, and once again the young men of the college are being caUed upon to leave their studies for a while and answer the call of the Empire. It will be the hope and prayer of everyone that this catastrophe which has come upon the world may be of short duration, and that it will not be long before we can turn our thoughts once again to peaceful pursuits and the ordinary tasks of life.” (Applause.) AN IDEAL LOCATION.

After apologising for the absence at the function of the mayor (Mr A. H. Allen), Mr D. C. Cameron (deputymayor) spoke of the historical traditions of the Training College. He said the first building was almost in the centre of the city—it might be said within the shadow of the Town Hall. It was difficult to realise that 63 years ago there was an attendance of 750 children at the Normal School attached to that Training College. With the expansion of shopping and business premises, residential areas had been gradually pushed further out. with the result that the old Normal School, afterwards known as the Moray Place School, was dosed altogether at the end of 1930. It was of interest to recall that when the Education Board was considering in 1905 the question of erecting a new training college, it almost adopted a proposal to sell the Moray Place site and erect a new college, Normal School, Technical School. and School of Art on the site it owned in Stuart street, on which the King Edward Technical College now stood. It was a good thing for the Technical College that the proposal was abancloncl in favour of a new Training College in the grounds of the Union Street School. Now', once again, the college Vas pushed still further out, and its now position opposite Logan Park—one of the city’s finest recreation reserves—w'as much mpre suitable than the original position in the centre of the city. Dunedin wms justifiably

proud of its educational institutions and of those pioneers w'ho had tho vision to lay the city’s educational foundations so firmly that we have maintained our pre-eminence in that direction down through the years. Perhaps they saw then that from its geographical" position Dunedin could not maintain its position as the leading port and commercial centre of the colony, and so they laid their plans to make it secure as the educational and religious centre. It w'as not without some claim to n place as the financial centre. Our educational institutions had also their material value to the city, but he was sure that the founders, notwithstanding their nationality, did not consider this aspect. The location of the Training College here resulted in the distribution of £36,000 annually on account of salaries and bursaries, most of which would be expended in this city. Mr Cameron congratulated the Education Board on its new acquisition, and also the principal of the college.

SOUTHLAND BOARD’S CONGRATULATIONS. The congratulations of the Southland Education Board on the acquisition by Dunedin of the new college building were conveyed by the chairman of the board (Major S. Rice). He mentioned that students at the college from Southland numbered 82 this year, and he proceeded to speak of the educational facilities in this city, making special mention of the fact that the Dunedin Training College here was the first in the Dominion, and its establishment ivas a tribute to the initiative of the hardy Scottish people in the early days of the city. Major Rice drew a comparison when he said that in the ’eighties students received the princely sum of £92 a year; now they received £155, and also other concessions. Educational methods and practice had advanced vastly since then. So long as free education w r as not made too elastic, and the individual teacher exercised a firm control over the pupils, was responsible for a happy school atmosphere, and did not forget the essential value of the “ three R’s,” education in the Dominion would continue to flourish. PRINCIPAL’S REMARKS, The principal of the college (Mr J. A. Moore) paid a tribute to those who had been instrumental in securing such a fine building, and made special mention of the work of the chairman and members of the Education Board and the Minister of Education. He also extended thanks to all those w’ho had assisted the college in any capacity, especially the secondary and primary school teachers of Dunedin, who had contributed so much to the training of the students. “ A DREAM REALISED.” A eulogy of the services given by Mr Wallace in the cause of education was delivered by Mr W. R. Brugh (chairman of the Otago High Schools Board), who said that Air Wallace had completed 35 years as a member of the Education Board, 21 years of which had been spent as chairman. “If any man has fought for the existence of the Training College it has been he,” said Mr Brugh. “He enlisted the interest of educational authorities and Ministers of Education not only for the retention of the college in Dunedin, but also for a new building. His dream has been realised. 1 now have much pleasure in dedicating and declaring open this hall, to be known as the Wallace Hall.” (Applause.) The assemblage then accorded Air Wallace musical honours. Mr J. Y. Love, representing the contractors (the Love Construction Company), was the other speaker. The Training College choir sang Parry’s ‘ Jerusalem ’ during the function.