TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1919, Page 7

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT. The Director nf Technical Education (Jir. Moore) reported yesterday to the Hoard s fellows:—DuriiiK the month 1 have paid visits to Inglewood (2), Stratford (2); Ktiponga, rihomn and Waitaro. Durlne one or my visits to Stratford I made enquiries as to the prospec of holding « sheepshearing camp in Unit district. The Idea would '>.' to form ti i-iiiiii) at » farm whure shearing will he conducted by expert shearer's in tlm usual way and where tlm unvs by ohscrsational and urtual practical work will obtain ■' good knowledge of nil the processes of yarding, handling and shearing sheep, picking up, skirtlug and rolling fleeces, sorting, haling and watiding the clip. An expert wool-classcr will lie engaged to Instruct. In the wool-sorting. The camp would be in charge of an instructor (probably Mr. H. C. Johnson, who is very keen on this work), and the boys would enter and cook for themselves; the cooks to have some experience In plain camp cookery. There would he at the school about 30 hoys who would take this course and probably a numbft' of farmers' sons would attend. The tents could he obtained from, the Defence Department. If 'he Board agrees to the Idea, the matter must bo p'jt in hand at once. I would suggest that a small committee be se- with whom I can confer from time to time. I obtained quotations for six new typevsrilorii from Messrs. McLeod an,(l Slade, for RQialnstons, and the LnOrovc Typewriter Co. for Underwood!. I have accepted the latter's quote and placed tho order fov six new Underwoods.

Hawera.—Mr. Gray reporter; that the numbers ' '■!> the various evening classes were 104. , Stratford.—Mr. Tyrer reports as follows: < Commercial classes are being carried on at . this centre with satisfactory results. The attendance in the compulsory division is only : fairly satisfactory. In connection with it, the . truant, officer has twice vis.ted the district and ' it is hoped that no further action on his part will be necessary. The subjects taken by the classes r.ro book-keeping, commercial corres- ' pondence, typewriting, shorthand and a course J of English Rnd arithmetic. Dressmaking classes ' had to be abandoned when the restricted rail- : way service came into opera/Jon, as almost all the students in that subject came in by train. ! These classes are unpractleable except between '■ March and September, and they will not be re- ' Opened this year. Teachers' Saturday classes 1 re-opened on (lie fourth. To enable candidates : for examination to do the necessary practical j work the classes' will be held weekly until tho ; end of .November next. i Mr. Johnson reports as follows:—Tiny first ' fortnight, was devoted <o instruction a", the ! "Short Science' Course" for uncertificated teach- ; crs. The attendance was not, large, b:it the j work done was on the whole thoroughly satis- j factory. Messrs Connell and Pyms . -ndled the j agriculture while Mr. Burls}' end ) tot.* the i home science and hygiene; the n\arfcs gained ] by the teachers In the final examination in these last two subjects are on attached sheet. It seems evident from the ciVbuslasm displayed that the course should (tj embrace mom , subjects ,(2) be annual and 13) be made compulsory for all uncertificated teachers.. $ Owing to ray illness, t have been able to visit only two primary, schools, Mats and Kotokare, at, both these good work has been done, both inside and outslrlo; the committees of both schools being jnost enthusiastic about the Improvement of J'tlie grounds. The last lesson of the wirvtor course was given to the Inglewood Orchard Class. The attendant!* throughout was well maintained and the enthusiasm accordingly keen. The work at the Hawera Technical High School is progressing very satisfactorily. The attendance has been increased by one. The pupils are thoroughly interested in «4he subject'and readily see the application of all scientific work as carried out 'ln the Laboratory. Jlr. Burley reports as follows:—In agriculture the main work outside of the usual routine about the school grounds has been the commencement of an experiment with potatoes under tho following heads—(a) variety plot, including the following kinds: Dakota Red, Beauty of Hebron, New Era, Maori Chief, Arran Chief, Upto-date, Northern, Star, Gamekeeper and British Queen. If obtainable a newer variety will be added. Fertilisers: Small dressing wood ash, one of bono and one of super at the rate of 4cwt. per acre, lb) Manual plot—one variety nf potato. Gamekeeper under treatment with several fertilisers, (c) To this will he added a plot for one variety treated under conditions of cutting and dcptli o? planting. This is in the hands of both secondary and primary pupils. In dairy Science: Another herd testing of the Model Dairy Farm herd has been very satisfactorily carried gut by junior pupils supervised by seniors.

Eucalyptus:—Twelve months ago tree seedlings of varieties of Encalyp's donated to the school were set out, and the following observations may be made: E. Viminnlis—making almost phenomenal growth: E MnoArthur—• very satisfactory; E. Amygdalina, Crebrn, Bttryoides, Obllqua, Coryneaiyx, Pllularis, Eugenioides, Regnans. Saligna,. Piperita, Ovatn—all satisfactory to good, while Tereticornis and Microcorys are poorer. This season a commencement lias been made raising the following varieties from seed: E. Viminalis, MncAr-

thiff, BaUgna, 'M.iniW.'.i, Eiittflioides, ami I'ilularls, of wlileh there are few settlings. A second sowing was made during September. MANUAL' AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE'S IiEi'OIST. Th? Manual and Technical Committee recomraenojd: That nil ri'tisonnnjc espouses Incurred I'.v the in.iirucics r.nd students attending the npricultural classes held during the spring hdidays be paid; That the hedge plants recommended l),v the Agricultural Instructor bo supplied to the Pungarehu School Commiltee; tliat the Hawcra Technical School Advisory Committee be informed that the Board agrees with the suggestion that, new appointment! to th.'ir committee should be made forthwith. It desires such appointments to be annual and l:e made In the month of October; that the schedule of requirements forwarded bv the Director of the New Plymouth Technical School bo forwarded to the Department with a request for a. grant. The report was adopted. The matter of commencing sheep-shearing classes was left In the hands of the Director and the chairman of the Board to deal with.