MASTERTON TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8361, 18 February 1907, Page 6

MASTERTON TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

ANNUAL REPORT. The following is the annual report of the Managers of the Masterton Technical School The work of the year was commenced in the week beginning Monday, March 12th, when classes in the following subjects were established: Drawing, painting,dressmaking, woodworking, woodcarving, plumbing, commercial work, English, arithmetic and civil service subjects. The year was divided into three terms of twelve weeks each, and in all fourteen classes were formed. The attendance of pupils at the rei spective classes may be regarded as satisfactory, the average roll number for the three terms being 238, whilst the average number of pupils in attendance was 167. In this connection the attendance of pupils at the English and arithmetic class, the compulsory subjects for holders of junior free places, was particularly good, 38 out of a total of 47 succeeding in complying with the regulations in regard to the attendance of free students. In their report, last year, your Managers mentioned that free students under the Junior Technical Scholarships regulations were admitted for the first time. This year the number of free students was very largely augmented, no less than 47 scholarships holders being admitted to the classes. This large influx of free pupils had the effect of, for a time at any rate, causing the work to be carried on at considerable inconvenience owing to the lack of sufficient accommodation, and if, as is only too probable, when the classes open for the current year a further i large number of pupils, entitled to j hold free places, present themselves for admission, your Managers will find considerable difficulty in arranging for their instruction. At the recent examinations held by the Education Department, four of the pupils attending the Civil Service class, succeeded in passing the Junior Civil Service examination, one of the four passing with credit, whilst in the plumbers' class six students succeeded in gaining the plumber's certificate issued by the Wellington Technical Education Board. Three members of the plumbers' class also succeeded in passing the examination of the City and Guild of London Institute, two out of the three passing in the ordinary grade and the other securing a pass in the preliminary examination. In March last a very successful exhibition of the work done by scholars at this Technical School was held in the workshop, in Dixon Street, and was largely attended by the public, who evinced great interest in regard to the nature and quality of the 1 hibits placed before them. In their annual reports during the last few years your Managers.have referred to the uncertain nature of the tenure of the present Technical School, and as timQ goes on and the scope of the vjork expands, the difficulties occasioned by the unsuitability of the premises and the lack of adequate accommodation are becoming more and more accentuated. In this connection it is now almost imperative that some movement in the direction of inaugurating a workable scheme for the establishment of a building iund be taken at an early date, and your Managers will, therefore, be only too pleased to consider suggestions as to the manner in which the desired end may be attained. A glance at the accompanying statement of receipts and expenditure for the year ended December 31st, .1906, reveals the fact that the receipts from all sources amounted to £703 7s lOd, I while the expenditure for the same period totalled £692 3s 3d, thus leaving a balance of £ll 4s 7d to be carried forward to the current year's operations. The position thus disclosed is the more satisfactory in view of the fact that on the 31st December, 1905, the School's banking account was overdrawn to the extent of £§3 5s 4d. Your Managers desire to take this opportunity of thanking the Trust Lands Trustees, who again generously voted the sum of £IOO in aid of the maintenance of the classes during the past year, the Masterton Borough Council for their grant of ,'£2s in aid of the lighting and heating of the rooms,and the Education Department for the I very considerate manner in which the School has been treated throughout the past] year. Largely owing to the assistance thus received the work of the School has been rendered possible, and although, at present, still hampered by the unsuitability of its situation and the insufficiency of its accommodation, there is every reason for the hope that, as the result of a vigorous and combined effort, it will develop into such an institution as will prove of lasting I benefit to the town and district.