TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1918, Page 8

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

♦ DIRECTOR'S REPORT. JIV. A. dray (director of technical education) reported to the, meeting of the Education Board yesterday that the numbers attending the various classes are: Day classes: Commercial 104, engineering CO, domestic 11, arts and science 15, agriculture 2, art 1; total 193. Evening classes.—Motor car engineering 14. steam, gas and oil 3, mechanical drawing 3, electrical engineering 9, workshop practice 11, dressmaking 4, shorthand (junior) 12, (senior) 4, bookkeeping 15, English anil arithmetic 19, plumbing !t. The evening classes consist principally of boys who attend under the compulsory clause. As a rule the behaviour of these boys is very good indeed, but two boys have given such trouble to the instructor that I have had to notify the parents of the clause in the Act providing for this. It should be understood that the parents are responsible for the behaviour of the boys. The Department has notified? that the money for the necessary additions will be forthcoming, and the building is to be proceeded with at once. Hawcra. —The numbers in the day classes are as follows: Commercial (senior) 20, (junior) 40, agriculture 10, arts and science 22; total 106. Evening classes: Bookkeeping 22, shorthand 34, English and arithmetic 14, woodwork 5. At Hawera the pupils are now beginning to obtain appointments, but the numbers still continue to increase in spite of this. Working under difficulties, the engineering boys are going ahead splendidly. An application is being made to the Department for a preliminary grant for apparatus. I have authorised Mr. G'atton to purchase some absolutely essential articles which may be difficult to secure later on.. The evening motor car class numbers some lady students among its members. Eltham.—At Eltham Masses arc being held in English, arithmetic, dressmaking, shorthand and tpying and motor car engineering. The numbers are: Engineering 17, shorthand 5, dressmaking S. Stratford.—At this centre the classes and numbers are: Shorthand !), bookkeeping 9, commercial correspondence 9, arithmetic and English 0. Manual.—The country woodwork scheme is now in working order, and good work is being done. As far as I can ascertain, the experiment is proving a success, and the shelter sheds fitted with the special bench seem to answer the purple well. The work is so arranged that on wet days the drawing is taken in the school, leaving the fine days to be utilised for practical work. The chief difficulty so far has been the motor-cvcle, which has "been a great nuisance. It must have had some very unfair usage in the past; on several occasions the instructor has been unable to keep his appointment, owing to a breakdown. It bus been arranged to take the Convent children at Waitara later in the year, extending the duration of the lesson in order to make up the time. This suits the reverend mother, and the convent committee has expressed its satisfaction with the arrangement. Returned soldiers—Five returned soldiers are taking advantage of the board's classes in order to obtain technical instruction, viz.: Two at New Plymouth, taking engineering; and three 'at Hawera, two taking commercial work and one engineering. MANUAL & TECHNICAL COMMITTEE The manual and technical committee (Messrs. H. Trimble, R. Masters, S. G. Smith and E. Dixon) recommehded as follows: New Plymouth Technical College: That the regulations for compulsory attendance at school of young persons ,who have left the primary schools be amended so as to apply only to boys; that the application on behalf of Fred. May for an exemption from attendance at "technical classcs .be refused; that the director make enquiries with regard to the class for candidates for proficiency certificates conducted by Mr. O. Johnson at Fitzroy. Hawera Technical School.—That the overseer be instructed to utilise the iron on the fence wbich was blown down a short time ago for erecting a shelter for j bicycles.