MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1917, Page 7

MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

At the meeting of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday, Mr. A. Gray, technical director, reported on. the work for the past month. The number in tHe various classes are as follows, (last month's figures being in parenthesis):— Ifcay classes: Commercial, 92 (93), engineering, 44 (46), domestic, 8 (7), arte and science, 17 (18), agriculture, 8 (9). Night classes: Book-keeping (sen.}, '3 (3), junior, 36 (33), shorthand, senior, 9 (">), Junior, 31 (28), commercial correspondence, 4 (6). dressmaking, senior, 5 (&), junior, 1(1 (16), cookery, 14 (12), .Eugliih atfd arithmetic, S3 (35), electrical eugiiieerll!|f, If (17), mechanical drawing, 13 (15), steam, gas and oil, 7 (7), motor car engineering, 24 (22), workshop practice, 20 (>18). The re-organised railway service does not suit la'as well aa the old arrangement, It wght surely to be possible to have a train arriving in New Plymouth by too o'clock. This town must sufferV both from aa educational and from a business standpoint Iby tins awkward arrangement of trains. ( _ Mr. Kirkpatrick, one of the engineering instructor*, goes into camp on September 19, aiod Bteps are being taken to fill the position temporarily. Miss StaTkey, whio was appointed dressmaking jjwfaiwtress in place of Miss Mikkel«m, took up her duties at the beginning of the mbntli, and is doing good work. Referring to a previous report, I suggested that the art room should be divided, and application made for a gTant for a smaller room. I recommend that application be made to the Department for a grant. It is absolutely essential that 'we should have a new typewriting room. * At flaw# 1 # the numbers are:—Commercial, 45' (43), engineering, 4 (4), arts and science, '8 (7), art and art crafts, 1 (1), domestic, 3 (2), literary, 1 (1), agricultural, 6 (6). Evening classes: English and arithmetic,'4o (40), book-keeping, 30 (36), ihortktaid and typewriting. 44 (44) i woodwork, 10 (W) ; cookery, 7 (6), dressmaking, B (8). 1 recommend that application b« made to the Department for a grant for alterations to the cookery room. The fumes from the gas have no means of -outlet, except into the room. The (Kmsequence is that the atmosphere becomes vitiated. Also it is necessary that fittings should be installed from the present gas service to each table in order that practical work may be carried out by every member of the class at the saw* tune.

•At Stratford the classes already reported are progressing satisfactorily, wbil« it is heped to start classes in motor engineering, and a combined COW3e of English and arithmetic and ono other technical subject to enaMe students to take advantage of tholT free place certificates. At Elth&m the classes are going steadily oh. I should (be glad if sftrflo other (room coiild i)S secured for the morning shorthand class. The class is held at in llie Cookery room, -which is not at all suitable. I suggest that perhaps it iiii£ht he possible to secure one of the rooms in the school. Thi3 experiment with early morning classes in place of evening classes is one worth ■watching affd encouf&ging. Personally, I Should prefer to have the classes in the morning.

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE'S REPORT The manual technical committee (Messrs H, Trimble, E.- Dixon and R. Masters-) reported as follow®: Arising frdtn the report of the. director of technical education:—

!Kew Plymouth.—That application bo made to the Department for a grant for building ah additional room to the technical college, to be used as an art room, and that the present art room be divided into two class rooms.

Hawera.—That application bo ma3e to the 'Department for a grant for making alteration* to the cookery room, it being necessary to provide an outlet for fhe gab fumes from the cooking stoves and gas jets on the benches; that a copy of the letter from the director of •education, dated July 17, practically detaining to recognise any more classes thaii nava already been recognised, b» forwarded to the Eawera Technical Committed

Elthiam.—That the bead teacher be asked- if he can arrange for the morning shorthand class to be taken in one ot the rooms in the iprimary school. Instructors.—That Mr. it. D. Kirkpatriek -he granted leave of absence from September H in order that he may join the military forces; that Mr. iSkeltoii he appointed temporarily to the position of senior engineering instructor at a salary of £27-5 'per annum, and that applications be invited for the position of assistant engineering instructor (temporary) at fi Salary of £250 per annum; that Ma". H. C. Jolmson be granted leave of absence from September 14, in order thftt lie may join the military forces, and that Mr. Frank 6.. Howell lie appointed temporarily to fill his position at a salary of £291) per annum, the appointment to date from September !• That the teachers be asked to, ii possible, propagate shrubs and hedge plants so that they may be sent to other schools. That in allotting the travelling expenses and salaries of instructors to the different schools, the time Spent in instruction at each school be taken as a basis.