TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1918, Page 6

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT, The Director of Technical Education reported as follows at Wednesday's meeting of the Education Board on the work for the past month:— New J'lymouth—The number of students attending the classes was: Day classes 173, night classes 88. The classes are making satisfactory progress. Mr Connolly, engineering instructor, and Miss Leech, general instructress, have taken up their duties. Mr Warner, who lias been temporarily appointed during Mr Skelton's absence on military service, will take up his duties on 17th September. Mr Skelton will be much missed by the students, as is Mr Kirkpatrick. An increasing number of the senior boys are required to work on farms and elsewhere, and it would appear that until after the war, we shall not be able to retain our full complement of senior day students. Evening Classes—A considerable improvement lias been evident in the attendance at these classes. The classes as already reported are being conducted on satisfactory lines. The instructors are to be commended for the tact and patience which they show, and for their conscientious work. During the term Mr Connolly will conduct a class for adults in wireless telegraphy in which subject he is a recognised teacher. Physical instruction —It would be a very fine tiling if sufficient money could be raised for the erection of a gymnasiium in which physical instruction could jbe given to these evening students. The majority of them are at an age when | such training would be most beneficial. Hawera—The number of students was: Day classes 107, night 140. The work is progresses satisfactorily in the various classes. Here also one or two boys have had to leave in order to take up farm work. The attendance at the evening classes liars been ""fairly satisfactory, with the exception of the boys from the post ofiice, who have been irregular. Stratford —At this centre the commercial and dressmaking classes are being carried on in addition to the continuation classes. The attendance at the commercial class is not sufficiently large to permit of the work being carried on after this term unless more students are enrolled. Good work has been done at this class, and the young people should not let the opportunity pass. The continuation classes arc now working satisfactorily. There are 40 names on the register, and the attendance is satisfactory. The students work in two divisions: (a) Those who have not parsed standard VT. (b) Those who hold proficiency certificates. The A division students take English and arithmetic, geography, history and drawing as for standard VI. The B division take arithmetic, English, book-keeping and shorthand.

Eltham —At this centre the classes at '.resent being carried on are: Dressmaking 9. English and arithmetic 15, Engineering 20, joinery 13. As already reported, the morning shorthand class had to be abandoned owing to lack of support. The attendance at the various classes has been satisfactory. General—The country woodwork scheme is now joins on splendidly. In addition to the manual woodwork, a technical evening class ; n farm and carpentry has been started at Mangatoki. The wool-classing class advertised at Waitnra was not started owing to a sufficient number of students not being forthcoming. Bicycle Sheds—The Hawera and Kcw Plvmouth schools both urgently require sheds for the storage of bicycles. At Hawera a quantity of iron is available for the erection of a shed, which I think could be put up at little cost.

MAXUAE AXD TECHXTCAf, COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Manual and Toclinical Committee reported recommending that tlie action of the chairman of the Board in appointing Miss E. Leech assistant teacher at the New Plymouth Technical School lie confirmed; that a vote of thanks he accorded to Coopers, Ltd., for donation of seed?: that the Chairman's action in applying for leave of absence for Mr Browne from military service for one month, I'# confirmed; that the Warea School Committee lie granted l(is fid for fiolden Ake-Ake plants supplied to Rahotu, Pungareliu, and Oakurn Committees, conditionally 011 the monev beinpr applied towards tlie payment of Duncan & Davies account for shrubs already purchased for the Warea school grounds; that the miestion of dealing with the agricultural plot at Fitzrov be referred to Messrs Trimble and Smith to report on; that the question of re-organisation of the agricultural staff be deferred till next meeting: that the salary of Miss Eise be raised to £1">0 from September Ist; that the salary of Miss Starkey be raised to £l2O from September Ist; that Mr Skelton's leave of absence be dated from September 17th; that the holidays at the Technical College commence on August 30th and school resume on September 17th. and that teachers m woodwork and cookerv have two weeks' holidays; that application be made to the Department /or a grant for the erection of bicycle sheds at Hawera and New Plymouth technical schools; that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to James & Gillman for their donation of £5 to the funds of the Hawera Technical School; that the letter from the Auckland Education Board of 14th August, re woodwork and cookery instructors be referred to the Ongarue committee for their report; that £5 be granted to the New Plymouth Technical College for the development of organised games; that Mr F. W. Sandford's resignation be accepted: that Mr F. W. Sandford bo appointed woodwork instructor at a salary of £2OO per annum. The report was adopted. | Tt was also agreed that the Manual | and Technical Committee be instructed to report on the whole question of Technical education in Taranaki. OVERSEER'S 'REPORT. The overseer submitted the following report at Wednesday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board: — New work—Technical College addilions: This work is proceeding steadily, tn.l file walls will be completed within !■" fxt fortnight. Puniho: The porch aHit inns are well on towards comple- ,• co mmittee desired to have the 1 ■„ - ived to a lietter site, and agreed ! •, T) 7 tlie co3t; I had tlie work carried , j .rdinily. Auroa: Most of the . t 1 i is on the site and we shall be , k r, >a start with this work shortly. ' 1 / -.'cTiool: A concrete foundation for 1 ,tove was put in and extra blackir 'id accommodation attended to. West --.id shelter shed: Tts w «« ajithors»d was complete!. TM committee ' i»ye. atrritd out Urn £** of concreting

a portion at the back of (lie school. ; this I work is it second attempt to earn the subsidy promised by the Hoard a considerable time ago. Oakura: We placed a concrete top 011 the well at the residence, and the two corrugated iron tanks having rusted through, 1. had them replaced with a concrete tank. Several repairs were attended to, and ilie whole of the desks were renewed. Korn: The well at the residence also received a concrete covering. Several desks were renewed in the school, and sundry other repairs attended to. Rowan: The back of the fireplace was renewed, and small repairs attended to. Pitonc: As instructed I vi-itcd the school anil went into the matter of some improvement as asked for by the committee. T would recomnieno that, the partition lie removed and a porch erected at the other end of the school, the present doorway be removed and two more windows added, and the class room lin?d up to oft Irish all round. The road beyond the metal for a distance of about a mile is impassable tor ordinary wheel traffic, and f would sugtrest the work lie done conditionally on the settlers interested carting the material free from Tataraimaka. The total cost would he about £2O. Leppertnn: As instructed I have visited this place, and went into the matter of the fencing erected by the committee, for which a. subsidy was asked. The total cost amounted to Cll. The work was necessary under the circumstances, and the material alone would cost more than half the amount; included in this is a gale. The committee have done the work well, and T would respectfully recommend that they be subsidised up to half the. amount spent. Among other matters a request was made to have the porches painted, and also two loads of shingle for the pathway at the residence. I 'would recommend this also. The committee to have the walls of class room | washed down during the holidays. In respect to shingle for the. residence, I would point out that the teacher, Air Brown, takes great interest and care of the whole place generally, and after viewing the path at back of residence, I would recommend his request be granted. General: As instructed, I have completed a plan showing additions, on to the main school at Fitzroy, as suggested by the Department, instead of the separate concrete infants' school room; also, a plan showing additions and alterations to the Pihama school. This present building is very unsatisfactory and obI solete in design and will need considerable alterations to make it satisfactory, I received a, request from Kaponga to forward a design for an open air class room, the headmaster stating he was so pleased with the result of teaching a c!a:-s in the shelter shed, that they were determined to put up an open air class room themselves, owing to the Department not granting the application for additions- I sent along a plan and particulars as requested. Concrete building.—Report on plant required: As instructed I ncnt into this matter and would recommend as necessary the purchase of a concrete mixer, 2 extra iron wheel barrows and about IIMW feet, super of Oregon planking for scaffolding and boxing. Our concrete work is gradually increasing and with the shortage at present it will be necessary to to in for labor saving appliances as much as possible. Central School—Drainage of ground: As instructed 1 went into the matter of drainage from the Central school grounds The drainage from the rear of .school T have had attended to, and this part will be all right as long as leaves, etc, are not allowed to accumulate. At present the hoys' playground runs into a •li'i. drain at the .ofiiee corner, and it will be necessary to spread this out into more branches across the footpath. This would bo better arranged when the regrading of tiic ground is decided on. Workshop—The whole of the joinery f'.r Auroa additions, Pinrihj porch additiono. and a quantity of desks and sundries have been completed. [t was resolved that all requests for the re-deskinj of schools be referred to ike Finance Committee. It was decided to grant a subsidy towards the cost of fencing at f>eppertiin, and also the shingle required for the school paths. It. was resolved that the matlcr of an open-air class room at Kc.ponga. and the ijiiestion of a subsidy towards its erection. be submitted to the DepartmentA letter was received from the Fitzroy Committee protesting against the proposed addition in wood to an already old building the committee being of opinion th"t. the policy was a short-sighted one. I! ivas agreed to send a copy of the committee's letter to the Department,. The Board decided to execute ihe work at Pitoi.e as suggested br the overseer, provided the committee cart the requisite material; The report was then adopted.