SCHOOL NEEDLEWORK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 51, 25 March 1909, Page 4

SCHOOL NEEDLEWORK.

IS THE SYSTEM SATISFACTORY? Mr. W. Rogers asked the Education Board's Chief Inspector yesterday if, in his opinion, the sewing instruction' was as satisfactory now as under the previous system, by which the committees had control. He voieed"tJie grievance of householders in at leasit one district that the material was not cut in such a way that the stuff, when the work was done, could be utilised. The parents would prefer that the girls be taught how to make garments, or something of that kind'.

The Inspector said that the syllabus which the inspectors had to see carried out, and with which they could not interifere, provided for the' pupils submitting samples of work in sewing on books and eyes and buttons, darning worn and torn woollen garments, and various classes of sewing. If a teacher had to cut out a garment upon which the children could do all this work he was afraid the syllabus could not he covered in the year. Of course, he understood the parents' desire that the children should make up a garment, but that garment might include only one or two of the branches of needlework to be taught.

In answer to Mr. Kennedy, the Chief Inspector saiil lie never objected to the \vork being done on a garment supplied, so long as the pupil covered the specified course of wort in tin.' year. Mr. Morison: I understand von inspect the .sewing yourself, Mr. Ballaiir ■tyne? Tl) 1 Chief Inspector: Yes.

Mr. Morison: That is one of the coin ■plaint*. Previously the ladies themselves used to do tliat.

MivFaull said lie had frequently heard that the sewing in the tolrooU was not "what it ought to he. luikl l that the teachers devoted very little ! tirae and seemed to take very little interest iu the subject. Indeed, many 'oi the so-called sewing teacher* were Unfit to give such instruction at all.