CONTINUATION CLASSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1918, Page 7

CONTINUATION CLASSES.

WHAT m A K SUITABLE" EDUCATION? TECHNICAL COLLEGE v. CQRRE3- | . HONIDENOE SCHOOLS. The question of the enforcement of the compulsory clause of the Education Act, requiring attendance at eor.tinuaion technical classes ,by all clrildren up to ,the age of 17 years, "except those who have attended: a two-year' course at a secondary school, or who have been granted exemption, or' Who" live more than two miles from a technical school, was further considered at the Jfew Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mrv A. Orooke, S.M., when- the hearing of (the adjourned case against John Horry Wood., for failing to sending- son, William Wood, -to continuation classesas required by tho regnlaitins, was continued. The hearing was adjourned last week:for' the express purpose of securing the evidence of the Director of Technical- Education. Mr. J. H. QuiHiam appeared for' titer Education Board, and Mr, A. B, Johnstone represented defendant. Alfred Gray, Director - of- Technical Edwsrtioiif in Tar and-'cbntroller of the New' P]ym< • Teohndcal College, said he knew the >.iy Wood as a student at the college in DIG, He had' gained l a proficiency certificate, and ; whetfbe came l to the- college he took English* and' arithmetic, A- dopy of an essay written- by Wood 1 on July 12, 19K5, when he' had been two months at the college, and which showed his knowledge of English, was put in, and' witness suggestted it showed l the need- for continuation claisses. It was ; a short essay,- with some very bad errors, and would have taken i\Vood- a good haTf-'btour - to write. Mr. Gray stated that it was- found that few students would be a%le to? pass l ' a' proficiency" examination again a few' months* after' sitting for' it, unless' fliey were kept up to their work.

The I&gistralte: : Do* yotf suggest that the' examinations are' parsed- by means 1 of cramming?— Witness :: sv T <>. But there is a; certain high tension l Worked up to for ait examination which l is not maintained afterwards; and it desirable to keep Students up to examination pitch always. But unless they are given progressive work they invariably go backward.

Continuing, witness Said l the value of a correspondence course' such as. that being taken by Wood (window dressing) depended on the intellectual development of a student. He dad not think a course in window dressing could be called a suitable or an adequate education. A good window dresser might not be a well-developed citizen- In reply to a further question by Mr. Quilliam, witness said he knew something of correspondence courses. The schools, usually depended on the work of a few bright pupils to advertise them. He. considered 'if the boy Wood ever hoped to be a master draper a knowledge of English, arithmetic and (bookkeeping was essen- : tial. Any mart in business wag required ; by law to keep proper books. He did not think the fact that be was taking a [course in window dressing was. a suffi- ; cient excuse for non-attendance at technical continuation, classes.

The report: of the English Commission set up- to> consider the question <£ com- - pjufeory continuation; classes was put in [and quoted from.. i Contouring, Mr: Gray said! -the object !of the- continuation technical classes was ■ ta do> as much- as possible for the- youths ; of the- town to fit them as citizen* and for their particular occupations. Witness was subjected to a somewhat Jengthy cross-examination by Mr. Johnstone.' The regulations under the Act had. been: printed and circulated widely amongst parents and employers.. He did not know that Mr. Wood had actually received a, copy. They were made in KHG. at- the instance of the Education Board. The suggestion for them had probably come from -Mm in the first place, and he had drafted themi He -was appointed director in 1912, previous to which he had been: headmaster at Opunaike and assistant at the Central and had taught the elementary science subjects takem ia all primary schoote.

"Very elementary instruction," suggested Mr.. Jofinatonev la reply to a question, as tos where he acquired; the? knowledge necessary to enable him to undertake the directorship of the college, witness said t&at was hard to say—it was prdbaMy in a measure inherited. ! Mr. Johnstone: Yon became director I without going to any technical classes 'whatever?—'Witnessj Yes.

Then, why should not the toy Wood : acquire the knowledge esseatiat to his business without going to technical classes, seeing that he lias at, any rate, and gives two nights a week to the work?— Because his standard of education is very much lower than mine. Some- questions were then put with regard to students attaining t2ie matriculation standard, in the course of which it was, stated that none of the students at the night classes ai the Technical College had ever maitrfculaied. Mr. Johnstone pointed' out thait a large proportion of law and accountancy students secured their certificate hy means of correspondence courses. To- that Mr. Gray replied that many of them had' probably maitricu-lated prior to taking up their correspondence lesson*.

Reverting- ta the standard of education shown by the (boy 'Wood as judged by the essay put in, Mr. Johnstone asked i what stepa were taken t» correct the mistakes in the essay. Witness: They would be.explained and marked: <Jn the board before tie whole claa«. Mr- Johnstone: Practically the aame method as that adopted by correspondenco schools. Witness: With the addition -of the personal emanation and help of the instructor. Continuing, witness ®aid the -ooßege could not be held responsible for the standard of education of any pupil -rllo had just come to the college. Wood had taken English, and aiXthmetio for a year, and then, at hie own request and /with witness' permission, be haddiaßgad to a course of commercial carresjamdence andtookkeefiing. ifr*. QuflEam infljerjeciei iUiai jperhajps if the classes -were not free the pdbttto would value them more. Mr. JoJmston© pointed omit thai Herniation 28a, 4 ppomSsS. ithaifc file nxaixae «f training' ccsH to a2a.ptea to MiwHaaJl ami asted *tbe wltoeas 0

with- the boy's employer as •to' the course. ; best suited' .to the toy-. Witness replied: fhat he did'ndt'-eon - - sider' it his business to go what course- was desired. The Act said' Hie director "may" confer,' not "shaW'r and, if anyone came to him in respect to any student, he was perfectly -willing to l arrange a course best; adapted for' such 1 a student so far as the organisation ofthe college would allow.Asked as to whait course he' Would pre--aerube for this "conscript" student, wttnesss replied that .he should- take English, arithmetic, and bookkeeping. He admitted that the toy's record, which showed that practically all his ' Spare time ivati profitably employed, was a good one, and urged that the boy was far too valuable to the State to bo allowed to go without a proper education. Bookkeeping ho considered one of the fundamental subjects of a business or' commercial course. Mr. Johnstone said he had made in-„ qwiries, and a number .of accountants had assured' him- that the bookkeepingf as fought- at tho college would not be the least use to 1 the boy Wood l - for' probably I(J or' \s> years. Hegardiing; examinations or -teats-at tfe college, the witness said- these' were carried -oivlv by tho instructors. Art inspec--tor of the- Education- [Department •sally visited;- the- college. Mr. Johns*one: : Has such an inspector ever conducted: atf examination'?—'Wdt--ness t He goes'roundl fiie> claisseS and* may abk' questions aS be" chaoses', Mr.- Johnstone:- - Doe* he' takes yotf round' the' l classes' whit him' —Witness'? No,

Askcd-os to" wfeii steps hk* Dee* iakento get Wtfotf, who had l been' away from the- college 1 for' about a; year, back' again,, the witness Said the truant officer bad' repeatedly visited Mr. Wood 1 , audi notices had also beeft-served; on him'. This, Mr. Johnstone' Said, wasi> not. Stf, One visit had (been- made by the: truant officer, and! no 1 notice l hai ever beistf re--ceived-

In' reply to a question? a& toMhtf genemt discipline at £he> oollege; witness said it was as 1 good as fa most suefr colleges. Mr:- Jotastone' said! lie did not think a very high standard of discipline could be hoped for among boys who put in, periiap* only two hours per week at the coljege' Sff* were* engaged! all day at tnelr particular work. In addressing the- Bench, Mr. Jofinv stone said he considered 1 ft could! be reasonably held that the boy Wood was. receiving a suitable education, inasmuch as he was taking a. course of instruction' which reals most closely associated with the occupation' lie was actually followin*, i

The Magistrate said he hadi not to be concerned so muck with what facilities were' offered' by a particular school or college as with whether of not the boy concerned was receiving a suitable education to fit him (both as a citizen and for his particular occupation. He thought it would be straining a point to say a course of instruction in window dressing, under wliiich a student was not compelled to do anything, waa a suitable education. If that was the only course taken, it was a ,very narrow and contracted education'. He thought it possible that «ie boy might continue the course be liad taken up and go to the teebnical classes as well. , Defendant was, therefore, convicted and fined' the minfenun amount (ss) and cost* f£ I Bs)'. w ' ona