Manual and Technical

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 180, 3 August 1904, Page 2

Manual and Technical

Education. * CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Mr W. E. Silencer, Chief Inspector, reporting on manual and technical education in Taranaki at Inst board meeting, wrote ; SCHOOL CLASSES. , During the month the Department has grunted £lB5 17s Ud for apparatus, etc., for the school classes to be held in the Technical Srhool, Stratford. The amounts are atfi'ollow :—Dairying £OO 17a 2d, woodwork £59 9s, physiography £5(5 Mis 6d, botany £0 15s 3d. There has been a slight hitch about the instructor in dairying, hul I am glad to say that the matter has 'been settled, and I recommend that a letter of thanks bo sent to the Pairy Company, Stratford, for their allowing Mr Hatcy to undertake the Instruction. The woodwork class, though only recently started, has become so popular that there is an application from the headmaster of the school that another class be held. This has not yet been fully considered but I think It can he managed. PLUMBING CLASSES, NEW PLYMOUTH AND STRATFORD. From Stratford, per O. Smart, a cheque for £l6 15s has come to hand, and for fees from New Plymouth tiie sum of £l2. The classes will lie started again next month, and promises of increased support have been received. Arrangements with the Wellington Technical Board with regard to examination of plumbers have fallen through, and it is to be regretted that the lirst practical step towards uniformity of examination has not reached a more successful issue. I would suggest that tho board hold an examination about September. STRATFORD TECHNICAL COM-

MITTEE. Instructed by tho chairman, I visited Stratford on Wednesday, 20th inst., and met tho committee Informally. Mr Monkhouse was also present. Matters allectimg the classes were discussed at length, and several difficulties were cleared away. The chairman has authorised that the electric lighting be improved, and a cupboard for dressmaking provided. Several applications for apparatus, etc., will be forwarded to the Department in a few days. T:,e typewriting, mensuration and geometrical classes have been dropped, but the students desirous of taking up dressmaking have increased so much as to necessitate the formation of a second classy The sum of £35 5s for foes for dressmaking, book-keeping and shorthand have been received from the secretary (Mr Peiin). Ho also forwards a donation, of C 25 front the Stratford County Council, on which a subsidy of £ for £ will be claimed from the Department. For this the first monetary donation to technical education in Taranaki the thanks of the board should 'bo tendered. TEACHERS' CLASSES.

The winter school lield since the last meeting was most successful educationally and in other ways. The Instructors were .—Mrs Gard'ner, Chiistchurch, cookery ; Miss Hooper, kindergarten; Miss Hartley, New Plymouth, music ; Mr Tcnnant, M.A. IS.Sc, Ashiburton, New Zealand botany ; Mr Sandfoixi, North '.'llll*ol- - woodwork; Mr Spencer. ' A. B.Sc, New Plymouth, physiog. uj ii; Of these I cannot speak too highly. All did much more work than was required by the terms of their engagements, and aroused In the students an interest and even an enthusiasm which was to me surprising and delightful. Mrs Ciard'mer, in addition to the teachers', taught a public class in tho afternoon, and on three nights held other classes. Mr Sandford was assisting students practically day and nigiht. Miss Hooper duplicated lessons for the sake of more effective teaching, nnd Mr Tennant nearly doubled the length of his lessons. Not only so, but Mrs Gard'ner, and Messrs Tennant nnd Sandfoid had lo arrange foi substitutes during their absence, as their winter recess and ours did not full at the same ti:ne. The attendance at the classes much exceeded expectations, and although a few teachers attended irregularly and then dropped out, the average attmdnnco increased daily during the first week, oind was well sustained. The following is the roll and average attendance at the classes :—■

Roll Avge. Clnss (effective)' Attend. Woodwork 29 26 Cookery Practice ... 22 20 Cookery Demonstration 3d 27 Manual Work 103 82 Botany ... ior, 87 Music 6 7 44 Physiography 83 58 Socially, also, the school was a succtss, for In addition to the good that must accrue from tho teachers thue meeting ono another, a dance they held was mucin enjoyed, and a very pleasant afternoon was spent at an "At Home 1 ' given by Mr and Mrs Cock, Several prizes were given for competition among the etudents. Those for the cookery clnss were won by Mrs Martin (Mr T. Avery's prize) and Miss Richardson (Mr Allsworth's pnzo), and that for tlie woodwork class was won by Mr W. J, Evans (Messrs Henry Brown and Co.'s prize). The following is a statement of the expenditure, etc., in connection with the school :—Receipts : Refund Department, apparatus, £59 17s 7d ; refund Department, cookery, £6 14s lOd ; refund Department, woodwork £2 16s 7d ; manual, £6 15s 5d ■ capitation, £6l 17s stt ; cookery' (in hank), £44 5s 8d ; balance, £37 3s lid ; total, £219 lis sd. Expenditure ; Instructors, £lO3 12s 6d ■ apparatus, £59 17s 7d ; material, labour, etc., £56 Is 4d ; total, £219 lis sd. The school has cost f u r less than I expected. I thought that It would cost at least £125, but the good attendance of the teachers and tho receipts from the cookery classes have brought tho expenditure considerably below the estimate, with the result tlrjat the account for the instruction of teachers is still in credit about £l3B, and leaves this year's grant untouched.

As a result 0/ the classes the toachors are asking that woodwork and cookery classes ha formed at an early dale, and I suggest tmit the matter bo referred to the chairman and myself to see what arrangements can bo made. Not a little of the success of the school w n s due to tiro kindness of the people of New Plymouth and others, who rendered every assistance, arid by their interest and co-operation displayed in a practical way their sympathy. Thanks uie duo to Messrs Allsworth, H. Brown and Co., T. Avery, prizes ; Mrs Kivell, uso of telephone ; Messrs L. 1). Nathan and Co., 100 lbs flour ; Mr N. King, use of garden for botany class ; the OasCompany, 4000 ft of gas ; Mr and Mrs It. Cock, for entertaining teachers ; the North Canterbury Education Hoard, for giving instructors (Mrs Gard'ner and Mr Saudford) leave ; Aghlmrton High School, for giving Mr Teunant leave ; Messrs Shacklock and Co., per Smart Bros., gift of range ; and Smart Bros., for use of gas stove; and Messrs Burnisde nnd Sladden, for lectures ; and to the accommodation committee, Mesdames DowliHg and Martin. Mr Sandford also wishes tp thank tlio tradesmen who, though unknown to him, giave him much assistance. W. E. SPKNCER, Inspector,