FOXTON TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 601, 25 November 1909, Page 3

FOXTON TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

SICK CHILD “PASSES OUT."

The local technical school has been a weakling from birth. The school committee, nearly three years ago, assisted by the Board’s inspectors and particularly Mr Braik tried to arouse local interest in its establishment, Messrs Hennessy and Frankland made a canvass of the town for funds and met with a liberal response. The old school house was sanctioned for the purpose, and classes arranged and local instructors appointed. Only three or four pupils applied for instruction in secondary work, and several ladies for millinery and dressmaking. The only expert sent by the Board was a lady instructress for the last mentioned classes. The sick child languished. In order to resusitate it an application was made to the Board for the equipment of a cookery class, which the Board favourably considered and asked for the necessary grant from the Department. The Department sent along an official to inspect and report. He shook his head in a doleful manner and digressed on the vast sum of money expended in the Wanganui district by the Department on technical education, and was afraid he could not recommend his Department to spend the sum asked for. The present chairman of the committee made a last appeal to Mr Braik, who kept a watchtul eye on the sick babe. He prescribed, but the apothecary refused to send the life-giving dose and we regret to say that the baby has “ passed out.” Here is the correspondence : “Wanganui Education Board, Nov. 18th, 1909. Dear Sir.—l beg to forward herewith the Department’s answer to the Board’s application for the fitting up of a cooking room at Foxton School. I regret that the Department has not seen fit to make the grant applied for, I did all in my power to persuade the Department’s Inspector that your claim is valid, but evidently money is too ‘tight.’ It appears to me that the best thing you can do will be to start such classes as you can next year, and show the Department that you

are in earnests and so compel the Department’s utleiilion to you 1 needs. With Mr Jackson and Mr Gabites in your town, I am sure you will be able to do such work as will amply justify the Department in making the necessary expenditure, Faithfully Yours, Geo. D. Braik.”

“Wellington Education Department, Nov. sth, 1909. To the Setary Wanganui Education Board. —ln continuation of the department’s letter dated the 9th August last, regarding, the Board’s application dated the sth July last, for a grant for equipping a room at at Foxton for cookery classes, 1 am now directed to say that the Minister is unable to entertain the application. The circumstances as they appear to the department do not seem to call for the proposed expenditure. Judging from what obtains elsewhere the technical glass for cookery would probably be a small one, while its permancy seems doubtful. As regards other technical classes only two appear to have been held during 1908, the average attendance being 11. No application has been received for the recognition of technical classes for 1909. It would thus appear that that the application may really be regarded as one for a grant for equipment for a school class in connection with a primary school. The demands on the manual and technical vote are such as to render it impracticable to provide equipment for classes at individual schools especially where, as in the present instance, the school is without a secondary department. (Signed) M. H. Browne, for Inspector - General of Schools.”