TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1921, Page 2

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

IN TARANAKI DISTRICT. The following reports in connection with technical education in Taranaki were presented at yesterday’s meeting of the Education Board.

NEW PLYMOUTH TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

The director of the New Plymouth (Technical College (Mr. A. L. Moore) reported on the past month’s work as follows:

Day Classes. —During the term one pupil left and two new pupils joined making a total of 171. Term examinations were conducted during the month and the school closed for the term holidays on August 26.

Hostel. —the number in residence stiff remain the same.

Evening Classes. —The roll number oi individual students is >l2O. Saturday teachers’ classes are being well attended.

Manual training classes in woodwork and cookery are also well attended. The actual - numbers in attendance from the various schools (Central, West End. Fitzroy, Convent, Bell Block, and Vogeltown) are:—Cookery ]9S, Woodwork 196. AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION, Mr. H. C. Johnson (chief agricultural instructor) reported: — Teachers’ Classes. —I have taken regularly during the month the classes at Stratford in agriculture and dairy science. The attendance at these classes is not always as good as one could wish for; in consequence thereof the very best results are scarcely to be hoped for. Tn the term test, the results showed that satisfactory work had been done by most teachers. Secondary classes. —On account of my having so much to do. I have given somewhat irregular instruction to my secondary classes at Stratford. This is good neither for the regular staff nor for the pupils. My thanks are due to Mr. Tyrer and his staff for the kindly way they arrange for my taking lessons on whatever day I have to spare. During the month term tests were given which showed that the standard of work was being well maintained. Primary Schools.—During the month I have pushed on as quickly as possible with primary schools. I made altogether 34 visits during the month, bringing my total for the year to date up to 156. This compares favorably with previous years’ visits. I have distributed the potatoes for the shield competition amongst the schools surrounding Eltham. The following schools are competing: Eltham, Ngaere. Pukengahu, Finnerty. Rawhitiroa. Mata, Rotokare, Mangatoki. Matapu. Okaiawa, and RiverleA, and the following varieties are being used •' Maori Chief, Early Puritan, Sutton’s Supreme, Itobin Adair, King Edward, Reading Russett, Up-to-date, Gamekeeper. T have been unable to organise the competition at the Stratford centre this year, giving the attention to the bigger scheme of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs.

Tn connection with juvenile eow-judg- • ing competitions at shows, I recommend to the Stratford A. and P. Show that I the classes be amended so that primary : school pupils judge grade dairy cows on J dairy type, and secondary pupils pure breds on breed type. I am pleased to report that this suggestion was agreed to. I feel now that these classes are educationally correct, and will be of greater value. Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs.—These have taken up much time and thought, The entries are extremely good. No fewer than 44 schools have submitted entries, making the total number of entries to date over 600. There are a few schools that would willingly enter, but have no farmer in the district willing to act as I supervisor. These clubs are capable of doing very good work, but I fear that (he real educational value is lost sight of by many. Every effort is being made to establish them on a sound basis educationally, otherwise the whole object of the scheme will be defeated. Primary Schools’ Technical Classes in Rural Science. —These classes are making satisfactory progress at both Inglewood and Stratford. At Inglewood the /apparatus supplied is very good, and it is a matter of importance that suitable cupboards should be supplied for the safe keeping of the same. Mr. R. Syme, assistant agricultural instructor. reported as follows on the matter of experimental work being undertaken by schools in New Plymouth: Fitroy. —The quarter-acre that baa lately been added to school property is at present being ploughed, and will be devoted to a potato experiment prior to permanently laying it out. It is intended to carry out an experiment using one variety of' potato under different methods of seeding. A portion of this area is also to be devoted to mangold and carrot variety trials. Full records .Will bo kept. Central VT— If a potato growing competition is started most of the available space will be used for this. Otherwise it is intended to use the area for root crop variety trials. Central V.—Tf a piece of ground can be obtained for this class they will enter for potato growing competition if established. Otherwise they will experiment with root crops or green manuring crops if ground is poor. Vogeltown.—Part of the roadway in front of the school has been dug, and will be divided into plots for carrot variety trial. There will probably be difficulty here, owing to the poor state of fences, the boapl as yet having done nothing towards erecting permanent mates and fences.

Frankley.—Owing to the poor state of soil at this school, it is intended to use the majority of the plots for areen manuring experiments. A small area will also be devoted to the growth of mangolds, with different treatments, to find out just what the soil is capable of orowing in the way of root crops; If these crops are a failure the result will be noted, and after further treatment by o-reen manuring, another attempt will be made with root crops. In each case the experimental work indicated is as suggested by the teacher in the particular

school. Primary Schools. —During the month I have made 14 visits to .schools near New Plymouth. In some cases' the work is being carried out satisfactorily, in others it is not. ■ The reasons for this state are already known to the Board, having been reported on on numerous occasions during the year. I have given instruction regularly to classes at Stratford secondary .school. New Plymouth Technical School, and at manual training centres" at Stratford, Inglewood and New Plymouth, and in all cases the work is progressing satisfactorily. Teachers’ classes in agriculture ami dairy science iave also been continued.

INSTRUCTION IN SCIENCE. Mr. W. E. Burley reported as follows concerning the science work at Stratford and at New Plymouth:—August closes the second term at both schools, and a second term examination has been conducted throughout all classes. The work has thus included very considerable revision as well as the examinations, and the results have shown that the progress is maintained. In connection with teachers’ classes in hygiene, the work is proceeding satisfactorily, good Work ih note-books and oral answering being shown from week to week.