TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1916, Page 7

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

»N ENLARGED DISTRICT.;' ROUND-THE-MOUNTAIN SCHEME. DIRECTOR'S PROPOSALS. Proposals for the working of the enlarged district with regard to technical education were submitted to the Taranaki Education Board yesterday by Mr. W. Gray, director of technical education. Mr. Gray said he thought that at Hawcra there was every prospect of good work being done in connection with day classes, and he recommended that day classes be established on similar lines to those conducted at New Plymouth. The courses lie suggested for a start were (1) commercial, (2), domestic, (3) agriculture, (4) a general industrial course for boys intending to take up the metal or wood-forking trades. This last course would ultimately resolve itself to definite engineering and wood-working trades. Proceeding, Mr. Gray said art work and calisthenics would be carried on also. Ho thought the .New Plymouth instructors in these subjects would be available. It would be necssary to adyertise for a commercial instructor, capable of teaching book-keeping, shorthand, typing and ordinary commercial subjects. He recommended that the position of domestic instructress bo offered to Miss Holford and that of instructor in the genera! industrial course to Mr. Jackson, who would also act as general supervisor. The arrangements for tha agriculture part of the agricultural course would, he prpsumed, lie with Mr. Brown, while th» other subjects of the course would bo undertaken by the rest of the staff. It might ultimaely be found necessary to engage a general instructor, but he did not advise that this be done just yet.

CONSIDERABLE OUTLAY INVOLVED. Mr. Gray, continuing, said he was awarethat the adoption of this proposal would mean a considerable outlay on the part of the board, hut lie had every confidence that there would be a fine centre at Hav/era. The people were keen, and the town was surrounded by an exefi' lent district with very good roads. Tn addition to these points he had suggested to the technical committee at Hawera that the townspeople should be asked to guarantee a sum of £2OO per annum for two years. He added that he had been advised that there would' be no difficulty about this. - •• ■ " PROSPECTS AT ELTHAM. . At Eltham he considered the Board would have to continue somewhat on the same lines as at present. The great difficulty wa.<s to obtain suitable instructors for classes other than, commercial and dressmaking. Some motor-car engineering had been taught,, and the class had been a good one, but unfortunately the instructor's services were not now available. Next year, however, he would arrange for an instructor from the college in New Plymouth to take engineering work at Eltham. It should also be possible to have a good building construction class at this centre. If the class warranted it, he could provide an instructor in this subject. He.recommencd that Mr. Lightbourne, who had charge of the classes up to date, be offered the position of supervisor. Mr. Gray said he had not yet had time to visit, other parts of the district, but hoped to be able to report on Manaia, Kaponga, and other places at the next meeting. The woodwork and cookery work of Hawera and Normanby would be taken by Mr. Jackson and Miss Holford as at present. " COUNTRY CLASSES. The most important move the Board had now to face in the development of manual work was that affecting the country districts. As things were at present a community situated three miles from a centre, and off the railway line, was worse off educationally than a town thirty miles away, and on the railway line. In order to do something to remedy this state of affairs as far as woodwork instruction was concerned, he proposed to attempt the inauguration of a circuit to be worked by an itinerant instructor. The circuit would extend round the mountain, finishing up at Elthare. The instructor would have to travel by motor-cycle and one kit of tools carried in a side-car would probably be sufficient. Mr. Gray said that ordinary benches would be unsuitable for the claS3 of room which would be available, and Consequently he had got Mr. Sandford to make a sample bench which will hinge on to any wall and when not being used can hang down out of the 7,'av. NEED FOR THE WORK. Tho capitation from such classes would not be anything like sufficient to pay the expenses, but the. need for the work is •„•.<> great that he was sure the different centres would bo prepared to bear part cf the cost. He proposed visiting each centre and ascertaining what the people were prepared to do in this direction. "Something must be done to assist fho«e children who cannot have access to the railway," added the director.

MAXGATOKI . Mr Gray went on to say that he visited Mangatoki and found the committee there very keen about manual and technical work. They particularly wanted dressmaking and woodwork. With regard to the dressmaking a class had been arranged and had been in progress for some two or three weeks. The roll number was 1.1. The instructress, Miss Simpson, travelled from Xew Plymouth. The question of woodwork would receive attention when the "round the mountain" scheme was being gone into, and in the meantime, Mr. Morton, the chief inspector, has sanctioned the substitution of woodwork for cardboard work. The instruction was taken by Mr. Curteis, the headmaster. The report was discussed and favorably commented on. It was adopted after some discussion. TECHNICAL COLLEGB. A report, showing how the war and enlistments had affected the attendance at the Taranaki Technical School, was submitted to the Education Board yesterday by Mr. A. Gray, director of technical education. The report stated that "the classes resumed after the holidays on October 3. The scarcity of labor has enabled many boys to obtnin positions, and their services are eagerly sought, Hence our roll number in tho day classes is conidcrably reduced this term. Many of the girls arc required at home to replace brothers who have enlisted, and this also has helped to diminish the roll. Ot the 13 third-year commercial students at the beginning of the year, only four remain, the others having obtained .good positions in the town. Several of the second-year students have received appointment in the surrounding towns, but I wish it to be undertood that wo an guarantee only our third-year students.

"I have discontinued Hie plumbing class as there were too few students ■.coming forward. Tins class ran for two terms and will be continued again next year. Other classes are continuing as usual. We are indebted to Messrs Scott Bros, of Christchui'cli. for a set of castings for a one horse power steam engine; and also to Messrs Black and Milne for a donation of Engineering Magazines. Mr. Sergei reported as follows with regard to the agricultural course:—"The weather lias not been very suitable for cultivating purposes since the beginning' of the term, so that very little has been done. We have done some more discing at "Fitzroy, and limed the three acres at Corbett road which we hope to sow with lucerne later. Tliis week we are spending at Mr. E. Patterson's, Tarata, for the purpose of getting practice at shearing. I hope to report on this matter next month.

''The plumbing class at Stratford is a healthy one with ten students. Mr. H. Smart, of Kew Plymouth, is the instructor. The other classes at Stratford are all working well and good work is being done."