TRAINING COLLEGES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 285, 27 July 1932, Page 6

TRAINING COLLEGES

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD CONSIDER RETENTION NECESSARY. Further representations to the Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters, M.L.C.) have been made by the Board (Mr. J. Wallace) on the question of closing the Dunedin and Wellington Teachers' Training Colleges. At first the Otago Board urged that if one college were enough for the South Island, the Dunedin College should be the one kept open. Later, however, it urged that it would he better to keep the four colleges open than close any at all. This has been supported by the Wellington Board. The Minister asked for an elaboration of this proposal, and Mr. Wallace has now sent forward a long letter claiming that greater economy will be possible by an adjustment of the services of the four colleges than by closing up the two. His statement concludes: — "I believe that if the two-college proposal can be ignored as a policy measure, and the scheme for the continuation of the four colleges judged on its nrerits and on equality of sacrifice, there can be no doubt as to the decision you will come to." Statements in support of the board's scheme are submitted from Mr. W. A. Sproat, head master of the Dunedin Normal School, Mr. J. J. W. Fleming, head master of the Associated Normal School, and for 11 years lecturer at the Training College, and Mr. W. McElrea, an ex-head master of the Dunedin Normal School.