TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 February 1918, Page 3

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

——— DIRECTOR'."! MONTHLY REPORT. The director of technical education (Mr. A- Gray) submitted the following report, for the p.-.st month at yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board: Xew Plymouth.—The numbers, at present in the various classes are: Commercial 101, engineering 52, domestic 8, arts and science 15, art 1, agriculture 2 —total 17!), as against 174 at the beginning of last year and 135 at the end of the year. A pleasing feature of the enrolments is that the commercial and engineering first year classes contain a much greater number of local students than formerly. Tlie commercial class, as will be noticed, is' a particularly larga one, and in order that there may be available at all times an instructor to take charge of the typewriting class, I beg to rccomemnd that a junior assist"ant at .CSO per annum be appointed. The additions asked for last year are still urgently needed. The arts and science class continues to use the Baptist Sunday School, while the dressmaking students have to utilise the scienca room. Hawera.—A great development has taken place at this centre. The numbers at present are: Senior commercial 33, junior commercial 33, arts and science lft, engineering 7, agriculture 7 —total HI), as against 51 for the corresponding month last year. Miss O'Rorke, who has charge of a large class, is doing a considerable amount of extra work during the early part of the ./car, pending the appointment of different instructorsThere is every indication that this class will increase rather than otherwise, and I therefore beg to recommend that Miss O'Rorke's salary be raised to £l7O per annum. The commercial class has also grown, and now consists of two divisions. I 'beg to recommend that an assistant commercial instructor be appointed at a salary of £l3O per annum. It has been necessary to hire the Forresters' Hall for the accommodation of the junior commercial class, and the other classes arc badly off for accommodation. Further room is already an absolute essential As at New Plymouth, the railway time-table is most unsuitable, and i sincerely hope an improvement may soon be effected at both places. Manual Work.—Mr. Chapman has commenced duties at Hawera, and is taking preliminary classes at the various country centres. Within a week or two this country scheme will be in full swing. Waitara,—The new school is just aibout finished, and a start will be made there very shortly. The instructors will take the Waitara woodwork and cookery there on Monday mornings, proceeding to ,'nglcwood bv the midday train. Owing to there being no train from Waitara to Leppcrton at that time, it will be necessary for the instructors to travel by a motor which docs the trip daily. Tlie proprietor, Mr. Johnson. fm» consented to a vc*rv considerable reduction n» the usual charge, in order that the classes at Waitara may not b» Mer"*wd with, " '"■ " "