TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 13 July 1907, Page 2

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

THE MEW* PLYMOUTH SCHOOL.

RE OPENS ON MONDAY

The value of technical education is every day becoming more fully recognised. Introduced into tile colony a Jew years ago, it was described us a "lad"' and uscic»s. Even with the experience of America and (iermaiiy ill producing the world's best artisans as a result ol technical instruction there were hosts 01 pcop.e who argued tluit this advanced system was unnecessary in "New Zealand. .Many -\'ew Plymouth people were of this opinion. The first classes opened here by the Education Hoard were looked upon as an expensive experiment and a reckless ol money. The plumbers were Ihe lirst to take the matter up thoroughly, and very soon we noticed ihe names ol several of our local plumber, figuring high in the list of successes at various examinations. Vet there were dissatisfied (oik—people who laughed at mention of the word "certificate," and scornfully demanded to know its commercial value. Theory, they argued, was not of much use in actual work, although it might do very well for the einss-rooiu. But the eourne of instruction included practice, and the school turned out men skilled as craftsmen, capable of doing a.l kinds ol sanitary and other plumbing in the modern way, and equally important, knowing the why and the uhereioi'o til every bead and joint and trap. They were now fitted to work anywlicie at their trade, knowing more than they would have learned in a lifetime ol bench woik or in half-a-dozen apprentice-hips. Then they began to learn the commercial value of the certificates, Jul- they were able to step into more lucrative positions as foremen, overseers, instructors. They found that technical education was a tiling thai paid well. We mention plumbing only, but ol course the same remarks wi;l apply to any calling. It stands to reason that the man with the best qualifications is going to secure the best job, if he tries. All employer is not going to pay the same wages to the hammer and saw man as to one who not only is an expert carpenter and joiner, but is also skil.ed in timbers and able to make his own drawings and models. Employers ol labor liave to pay fairly big wages, and workers can depend on ii that the men that loot the wages hill are going to get the biggest possible va.ue for their money. It is exceedingly satisfactory to note that the employers are in many cases encouraging their workers to take advantage of the various classes for teaching theories of trades. A little more interest, though, on the part .ol tile employers would be welcome, if la lad devote- liis evenings to improving his knowledge in his own particular call" ing, the "boss" is going to get. better value from him than from the other hopetui who gives his spare time to tipping horses, loafing at street corners, devouring fiction, or otherwise wasting his time. Wo it seems a fair proposition that the employer should as far as possible help the lad who is helping himself, larents and guardians should, in the iuteiests of the young, also encourage attendance at technical classes. Too often youth is a blunder; manhood, a strii"gle; old ago, a regret. We can't expect old heads to grow on young shoulders, or young men to realise as well as their eiders can do, the necessity for study and work. But experience has taught that the wise man takes every opportunity that comes to hand. Parents should la' able to see that in a few years between the certificated and uncertificated artisans will be a line of demarcation as between skilled and unskilled labor to-day. They should, therefore, urge on -tin; young the necessity for taking full advantage of the very excellent instruction given at the Technical Schools. The Taranaki Education Board has engaged a stall' of men and women of very high qualifications. Their worth as insf rectors lias been proved. Their (-illhusiasni -coins unbounded. The one Ihing necilml is a large muster of siuI "li'iits. We hope thai the people of New I'lymouth will seek to avail themselves to the utmost cxlenf of the facilities placed at their disposal. The syllabus is a large one ami varied, including in--I ructions in building construction. machine const ruction, freehand and model drawing, mathematics, standard Yf. Class, bookkeeping, plain and solid geometry. plumbing, commercial, arithmetic, Kng'ish. shorthand, electricity, dressmaking. carpentry, woodcarving. chemistry. and Latin.