A WHITE ELEPHANT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 45, 19 November 1912, Page 3

A WHITE ELEPHANT.

The Pukekohe Technical School. Idle Five Days a Week. No Technical Classes Provided. Some foar months ago, with the accompaniment of much epeecbmakirg, laudatory utterances and optimistic predictions, the Pukekohe Technical School wa3 opened. Days have grown into weeks, weeki into months, ar.d one wonders what has beei done to bring about th? acecmpli?hm nt of those roseate-hued vision'. T ue. tre school is used hy ths jupils attending the Pukekohe end a few neiqhbouiirg echooh for manual trahirs, and for this purpose it has served its lupose—but there its u ility has leti.n end ended. Fro:i civ in tie week it is occupied by Ue children's rlcsus, the atttrdarce tumniirg aiout 100, of #rion 66 ccrne fr: m t!;e iccal school; bu kland, Whargarala and Tuakau contributing the re'nuning scholars. For five dnys cf the week ii ftands empt> and n\\i. Surely it mrst be revaidtd 83 j>n extravagance to tx-' p?nd £i2oo (this inciud s the labora uty, the tquipm«wil for wMch has ret to a rive) no buildings fj; the cd'K-aton <i children for one day a week. It is certain tint the re idenfof t'i di-triet. through whose efforts the s'.m of £2OB towards the coa (f the bailing was raised, rever for a moment co templated ttat such a s'a-e of liings wruld be ci.unt nincrd. On the contrary, the m iey was g.ven under the distinct under; tanritrg t at it was for a Technical School in the wid?st sense of the word— not a manual traini g hchod-or a? o e ger.il man win toi k a p-ominet t r«»rt in the movement pu: it, * th* nrney was rais"d fr a sth:ol to be urd by adults' when not required for the children."

Wh-.t ti: s the Auckland Educa ion Busrd done to comply win the conditions on jhich ite mo ey wes subscribed? Nothi g! Not one word has been beard about any t chnical classes, nor, as fsr as anyone knows, has the slightest effoit b?en made by the responsible authorities to attempt any organisation in this direction. If the iroprea i r n is abroad that the building cf the school was premature, that organisation should have preceded the edifice, the Education Board must remember that their inaction is wholly responsible for this view. The existing state of affairs is a!l the more deplorable in that Pukekohe possesses great natural advantages as an educational centre. Further, it is a district in wtoirh technical education shculd ue of the utmost benefit. With the increasing price of rural land the necessity grows for scientific and skilful farming. The more that is paid for land the more the owner requires to get out cf it to pay rent or interest The modern farmer has discovered that he can no longer afford to sneer at the chemists' researcbes and hints. He must combine the science of the laboratory, with his piactical knowledge. Yearly the necessity and need of technical education being brought within the reach of rural residents is becoming more imperative. Unfortunately, the farmer is frequently one of the hardest men to convince of this, and tbo*e who undertake the missionary work of spreading technical education in the country districts place upon their shoulders a heavy yoke. Patience, enthusiasm and tact are required in the highest degree. A great deal is being said about the establishment of the Agricultural College in Pukekohe, but it would be a far deal moie to the educational interests of the district if the technical school was to become a live institution. This is not written out of any antagonism or opposition to the Agricultural College—for if it came to pass that the Department decided to place that institution here the same necessity for a Technical School would exist. The reason is obvious. It is not every parent who can Afford the expense of sending his son to : • agri v.'urj' H 2". At a Tceh'ca ff :i ,; the fee- : n . i : ses i: ,o li ..- to ' rl fii* thei; thin the reach cf ;.' , and '-an re after ,< •• ■.i'.n> . Aliens i r ir >n enicr.ee to l.i; daily w<,-'c ' ' student 1" hdc:t c."i, ■•r.-hen-sive nature ui tuc ... eets the demands of all ..:v "tions of the comrrurity. <)\ ■' "iries are afforder 1 t : the xii.ti,-. jitiou oi studies anu : »i t!;e i sin. i ->r. r. various subjects ~.ic! hu not lvpd considered at agricultural cmleg;?. Attention having bee- drawn to the position at the Tecbni tl .°c h oi ! . and the importance to the district of the establishment of technical classes it would be well fot those who in the first place assisted in the erection of the building, and the public who desire to help the movement, to consider what sh l uld be done. Mtrely to cry out fcr the establishment of classes is not sufficient. There must be organisation and there must be enthusiasm. The Act provides that associated Boards of Managers may be appointed, who in addition to managing the affairs of the school have to take upon their shoulders the burden of finance, The chances of success of this form of government in a small place are not great. The best solution of local control is to be found in the system adopted by several boards of the appointment of what is known as an Advisory Committee. The duties of this committee is tu to.ifer with the authorities and make suggestions for the management and instruction of classes that their knowledge of local affairs causes them to consider desirable, and iO help in securing pupils. They have ro financial responsibility, that remaining with the Education Board 'I he constitution uf the committee 13 by appointees of various public bodies, such as the ( ounty Council, the Borough Council, the Chamber cf Commerce. A. and V. Association, Fanners' Union, j School Committee and representatives of the subscribers and the ! householders. The great advantages of this system of local control is that the cominittets are in direct touch with the community. If it is considered desirable that a class in agricultural

chemistry should be established the chances of securing pupils are enhanced if a well-known and n spected faimer will become its advo?£te. The farmers are apt to look upon thn. expert with a certain amount of disdain and suspicion They regard him as a theorist, and as such look down on him from the heights of their practical superiority. But let a fatmer whom they know is shrewd end successful in his occupation take up the proposal and they will listen and be guided by him. There's a lot of "if its good enough for him. its good enough for us'' in this world. There is very little dtubt that the Education Board would welcome; any movement which went to stow that th« public were willirg to assist in fosterirg technical educatioii. But the greatest problem is j how to go to work and who is to ao it. j So far no public body has any con- j trol over the Technical School. It seems that either the Borough Council, tne Mayor heng also chairman of t:e Sctool Committee, or the Chamber ef Commerce are the proper bodies to take up the cudgeb, and that a public meeting ehould ha called, to which mtmb.rs and officials of the Educstion Board should be invited, to discuss and decide the question.