TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 768, 14 September 1929, Page 12

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION ENDS AMERICAN TALKIES FEARED Press Association 'WELLINGTON', Friday. American accent in talking films was roundly condemned by the Technical Schools Conference today. All delegates were agreed that these films were calculated to do enormous harm to pronunciation. The chairman, Mr. H. S. W. King, said the talkies had made the position worse. It was a shocking thing that children should hear the dreadful language spoken by screen actors. One member thought they might include gramophone records in their criticism too. A resolution was passed with only one dissentient that the Government should do something to discourage the screening of American talking films, on the ground that they are likely to undo the work of the schools in promoting the correct pronunciation of English. Among the further remits that were carried at the conference, which concluded today, were the following: “That the University authorities be asked to broaden the matriculation prescription so as to include a greater number of options and to reduce the number of compulsory subjects.” “That higher and lower leaving certificates should be made available on a broader curriculum basis than at present, and that the Institute of Accountants be urged to continue its recognition of the accountants’ preliminary examination until such time as the compulsory foreign language is dropped from the matriculatio’n requirements.” “That the Minister of Education b.e urged to continue in post-primary schools the medical examination of pupils that has been instituted in primary schools.” “That it is desirable that the status of division two instructors be raised by the paj’ment of higher salaries, and that the Minister remove the disparity between the salaries of headmasters of Technical High Schools and of secondary schools, as previously urged by the association.” “That the conference impress upon the Minister its conviction that the staffing ratio in technical schools should be one teacher to five pupils and that this conference urge the Government to exempt technical college evening pupils attending classes on at least three evenings weekly from military drill.” “That the Education Department be urged to make an allowance to pupils travelling by bus or other conveyance to technical high and technical schools, the allowance to be at least equal to that paid for similar pupils using the railways.”