TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1916, Page 5

TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

SRKAKI.VG-UP CERKMOXY, AXXTAL REPORT. There was a good attendance of parents at the prize-giving ceremony in connection with the New Plymouth Technical College, which was held in the j.'ood Templar Hall yesterday afternoon. I lie Mayor (Mr, C. H. Burgess) occupied the chair. The Director (Mr. A. Cray) reported as follows:

In presenting a short account of tin work of the year, I feel that 1 can confidently assert that the Coilcge has made one mole decided step. Much year has brought with it increased growth, with the corresponding increase of responsibility and usefulness. I feel also that a good deal of the misapprehension formerly existing as to the efficiency of technical education has been removed from the minds of the people, and l" know that many who once looked askance at what they were afraid would prove but a costly experiment are now enthusiastic supporters of a system which, it is evident, has conic to stay. Perhaps in no direction has this change of opinion been more marked than "in the.recognition of technical work as a "system of education" as well as a training for specific trades and professions. The effect of this system on the future of tlio Empire will, I think, he most marked, and 1 hope that we in our little corner will be able to carry out the part that falls to each of us'in as thorough a manner as possible. 1 admit that there is much to be. done before we can be said to possess a perfect technical system, but each mistake, equally with each success, enables us to make one more move towards perfection. In some instances it has been found tiiat a lad has not settled on any particular calling, and for these students we shall, next year, conduct a general industrial course. This course will include tuition in practically nil of the specialised courses, and it is hoped that at the end of the year the insight which the lads will have, gained generally will enable them to make a definite decision. It is hoped this course may prevent a boy from taking up work and afterwards finding that be is not suited for it. I think it will be found in the majority of cases that the year of general work has been well spent. During the year the staff has been woVking under difficulties ill the matter of accommodation. The work has heen carried on in three different buildings, and consequently the task of supervision has bean unduly heavy. Next year, however, the new engineering establishment, which is approaching completion, will largely settle the difficulty, and the building of a new art room, which we hope to secure, will still further relievo the congestion. During the year there have been 204 students in attendance.at the day classes. The courses of -work were—Hoys: Engineering, agriculture, commercial work and woodwork; girls: Domestic work, commercial work and art work.

Engineering.—This class continues to do line work under Messrs Kirkpatri:!; and Skclton. Twenty-one of tho lads sat for the City and Guilds • examination, the results of which are not yet to hand. The decision of the authorities to allow three years at a 'technical institution to count for two years towards a third marine ticket should he particularly noted by parents. One ol the difficulties we have to contend with in this class, as. well as With other classes, is that some parents have not enough backbone to sec their boys take a full course. It is absolute folly for anyone to expect us to turn out fullyHedged engineers in one year; but thU is what .some people do expect. ' Another had feature of this method of procedure is that employers are sometime induced to employ boys on the strength of their having attended the College, and in some eases the attendance has been limited to a few months. In these circumstances 1 should lie glad if employers would communicate "with ns before employing any alleged students Parents must under.-tand that we uili recommend for employment 110 boy who has not passed through our course. 1 Agriculture.— Under Mr. Sergei's tuition this -class has done some very fine work indeed, and can plough or do any other field work necessary. In the laboratory, too, they have got through some very good work. It is necessary that parents should not overlook this class, as it is the very training required for boys who intend to he farmers. Arrangements have been ljiadii with the Agricultural Department for these experiments in conjunction with our pio; on Mr. Connett's land at Corbctt road. I should like to say once more how much we are indebted to Messrs Old and Connett for the practical assistance they have given us in this_work. Coiuemrcial Class.—This clas has been a very large one, over one hundred students having been receiving tuition during the year. .Mr. Davis was; appointed instructor, and took up his dut'e.; at the beginning of the year, and lie has been assisted by Miss Men/.ies Practically all our third-year students have obtained positions, and in some cases even first-year pupils have hei-n employed. Ilere, again, it is important to note that we cannot guarantee students other tlmn third year.

Doffietie—Miss Mikkclsen, Miss Taylor and Miss Simpson have had charge of tiiis class, which, although somewhat small, lias done some good wo, ' k ' medal donated by Mr. H. Trimble for the best-cooked dinner was won by Miss .Pease, with Miss D. Hodgson ill second place I hope a domestic elass as strong as the quality of the instruction w-ir-. rants will enter next year. Three 01 the «iris sat for the City and Guilds examination. Art and Science Class.—Miss htilt has had charge of this elass, which is one of the most solid in the college. The aim of the class is to train teachers, and with that object in view special handwork and mental*, science subjects have been taken up. Art and An Crafts Class.—Miss has continued in charge of this clas , and some very good work has been turned out. Specimens of this will he on exhibition yesterday afternoon. ''- 1 drawing anil painting of the younger students has shoyn a marked improvement „ , Woodwork.—This small class was m charge of Mr. Sandford, and some good work was done. I have made arrangements for a special instructor for next year if the size of the class warrants it. 1 . General.—The boys were again successful in winning tho northern football championship, beating some very strong teams. A good sports gathering was held, when some fine athletic performances wert recorded. A y .oftffiSW

club Ims been formed by Mr. SkeltoJl* .111J the bovs are taking uracil interest ti in the work, with good results. *fl- -J I wish to tlip.uk tlip staff for the vrofß they have put in (lining the year, $ , ij also wish to thank the press, which hJU N at, ail times been most helpful In piiw $ tin;; forward the claims of the colleSH (ur puiilie rerojfnitioii. J.:;! The chairman referred to the faeuH"..jg t.cs that boys ami girls now had- on J| continuing their studies after leaving -ri school, and so belter fitting themselveS in take their position:! in whatever wallc (il life they wished to follow! In i.'■« ■ lay tlioj did not have such or,portunitle»! jl He urged them to niuke the utmost °oft .ill these advantages, pointing out that -■ g hoy or girl who did so would always) 3* have preference wtih employers, and eo l ad u much better chance or getting on in life. The country was sp"nding largrf -fi sums of money on edueiitior., but no pjw \'l begrudged this, as long as it was frit Milne was being received, jnd it wili Ij lor them to show that, this was so. Htf 1 congratulated Mr Cray and liis staflf Uld aj pupils on the work done during the year« '"iH Miss Jessie Feakins, on behalf of thtf 3 pupils who travelled by train, presented' ;"jj -Mr. (.'ray (director) with a fountain pwj .ja AT THE SCHOOL. ' J

Those present then adjourned to th<L iij school, where they were entertained % afternoon tea by' the staff and pupil* \ A pleasant and instructivj time ««]» 'A spent in viewing samples of the pupil? $ handicraft in the arts atid crafts roontf Ijj where were some excellent sample* "rtj .tathcr and copper work, _enamelling, « drawing, painting, modelling, etc.; iji liie cookery room, where the afternoon ) tea provided formed suflieient recoin*' mendation as to the skill in this useful) 5$ branch; the needle-work room, whorfl vj were displayed samples of fancy workji '.aundry work, needle-work, etc.; and fvj engineering room, which contained aqnii excellent workmanship. All the vißi*oij| *i txpresscil their pleasure at the worill * done, the members of the Sducaiioi/ 'I lionrd \yho were present taking a Mjj interest in everythi/.g and congratulate oig the. staff. During the afternoon Ito '.J -'.Connett ( president of the Agrictlltttnu *j Society) said he did not think farnieM ,'i generally appreciated what was beiity 1 t| (lone at the college, otherwise tho agrii I' 1 } cultural class would have been a. VtCjl *3 strong one. He had assisted as far H ,'i possible, by allowing the college the UM of a portion of his farm. ' , fit Sir. Hal fioodacre also doubted if |1 value of technical education was ftp* ' ! 'fi piecinted. Instead of a boy's vocation being decided in the former haphatiuA A \iay of sending him out to earn til# 1 most he couhl at the earliest age, tlifl) . ?f| Technical College offered him a fine op-j 1 portunity of discovering What lie ? most naturally suited for, and so> hi* <i| work became a pleasure instead of ij ,-J drudgery. The Germans knew the: v&ltlCt --I of teelinieal education and if we wiiihail . ■ to forge ahead as a nati°n we ratuU .<' i so the most modern methods. ig During the afternoon several iions were made by the girls, as follovAtj .Misses Mikelson and Tftylor, by tU| • \ domestic class girls; Miss Menziesj bsn ■; the commercial class girls; Mi&a SifflßOH, n by the fancy work g : rls; Miss Eise, bte ' J the junior and senior girls; Miss \ by the teachers' class; and Mi 1 . DaVita jSj 'by the junior commercial class. « ,l| (The prize-list, a lengthy one, crowded out of this Issue.) ' , : -fi