SEDDON MEMORIAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3067, 11 December 1908, Page 5

SEDDON MEMORIAL.

OPENING OF THE NEW TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

BY THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION.

MEMBERS OF THE LATE premier's family present.

INTERESTING SPEECHES

PROGRESS OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND,

There was an attendance of several hundreds of people at the opening of the Seddon Memorial Technical School at Masterton yesterday, the function being favoured with fine weather. The affair was made the occasion o f a visit to Masterton by the Minister for Education, the Hon. G. Fowlds, Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P. for Westiand, and Mrs Dyer (daughter of the late Premier). The opening of the new School tooK p'a:e at 3 p.m. The visitors arrived by the mid-day train from Wellington, lurching at the Club Hotel. before their arrival at the building the School Cadets, under Captain Haslam, were drawn up in line in Dixon street, to do police duty, and to give the proceedings an added formality. The lads looked well in their uniforms, and .the visitors seemed impressed as the cadets saluted on the arrival of the ; Minister and party. J Mr E. Feist, Chairman of the Technical School Managers, presided over the opening ceremonies, which were attended by representatives of every local body in Masterton. The Chairman expressed the regret of the people ot Masterton at the inability of Mrs Seddon to be present at the gathering, a telegram of apology through illness having been received fromjher. Mr Feist said he felt honoured at the position he was in that day. He traced the history of the Technical School movement in Masterton from its inception thirteen years ago until the erection of the present building. The nev School had been a matter enthusiastically taken up by the people of Masterton, who had contributed- £1,202 7s 6d towards it, and this, with a special Government grant of £I,OOO, in addition to the ordinary subsidy, had ennbled the splendid edifice to be erected to the memory of the for. mer Minister for Education, the late Right. Hon. R. 3. Seddon. Mr Feist paid a tribute to the generosity and energy of the late Mayor (Mr Coradine) in connection with the foundir,g of the new School stating that Mr Coradine had not only headed the list with £SO, but he had worked most assiduously to collect subscriptions from others. (Applause). Mr Feist then called upon Mrs Dyer to unveil the memorial tablet in the facade of the building.

Mrs Dyer stepped forward, and duly moved away the Union Jack covering: the tablet, the public applauding after this had' been accomplished. The subscription on the stone read:—

SEDDON MEMORIAL'TECHNICAL

SCHOOL.

"This building is erected to the memory of the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, P.C.L.L.D, Premier of New Zealand and Minister for Education. Opened December 10th, 1908."

Mr Feist then presented Mrs Dyer with a silver key mounted on an ebony shield, as a memento of the occasion. The Chairman then invited the Hon. Fowlds to perform the ceremony of formally opening the School.

The Minister unlocked the main door of the building, amidst applause, and declared the School: open. The Chairman then presented Mr Fowlds with a silver key similar to the one given to Mrs Dyer. Both the souvenirs were suitably engraved. The Minister then made a lengthy speech. He considered the idea of perpetuating the memory of the late Premier in such a manner was a most happy idea, and the speaker was pleased to be present on such an auspicious occasion. Mr Seddon had left his mark on many public institutions in New Zealand, and on the publ ; c life of the Dominion. Particularly in the fostering of technical education had the late Premier &hown great foesight and, ability while Minister for Education. Mr Fowlds heartily thanked the people of Masterton for their invitation to him to be present, and for the handsome souvenir presented to him, whih he would always value. Referring to .the progress of technical education in Masterton, and in the Dominion Mr Fowlds said that classes in various branches ot technical instruction have been held in Masterton for about twenty yeara. At first the classes were confined to drawing classes fOr teachers, but as time went on and opportunities offered, arrangements were made for instruction in "other subjects such as carpentry and joinery, dressmaking, plumbing, and commercial work. The funds of the classes have for many years been augmented by contributions by the Mastprton Trust Lands Trust, to which body the Managers of the school are also indebted for the site of the present building. It was not too much to say that the prosperity and the present position of the classes are largely due to the liberal assistance given by that body. During the current year instruction has been given in building construction, woodwork, woodcarving, plumbing, signwriting, drawing and painting, dressmaking, commercial work, and continuation subjects. The total average attendance at all classes has been 187. The cost of the present building and of its equipment! had been met by voluntary contributions totalling some £1,200, the Government subsidy of £ for £ thereon and a speical Government grant of .£I,OOO. The new school consists of a main building in brick containing four class-rooms and of detached workshops for plumbing and carpentry and joinery. The accommodation now provided should meet local needs in the way of manual and technical instruction for , many years to come.

During 1907 technical classes to the number of 1,392 were held at about 100 different places. The number of specially equipped buildings for technical instruction throughout the Dominion is The returns show that increasing attention is being given to pubjeets bearing directly on important trades and industries such as carpentry and joinery, plumbing and sinitary engineering, and mechanical ai.il electrical engineering. In certain of the larger centres the trend of instruction in art is in the direction of the application of art to industries, which is as it should be in a young progressive country. That the importance of providing opportunities for the preliminary training of the hand and eye in the schools is not being overlooked is shown by the fact that last year handwerk in one form or another wasi ncluded in the curriculum of about halt of the primary and secondary schools in the Dominion.

Of the branches of manual instruction that are receiving special attention, woodwork, cookery and elementary agriculture may be specially mentioned. Last year 280 woodwork classes, 327 cookery classes, and 398 agriculture classes were held. It is hoDed that the agriculture classes in particular will be the means of interesting young people in rural pursuits, and that not a few of the pupils now attending these classes will after they leave school see the wisdom of coutinuiug their studies in the science and practice of agriculture at technical classes. It is to be regretted that up to the present the efforts of controlling authorities to get the younger members of the farming conihiumty tc" attend classes specially established for their benefit, have not met with the encouragement they deserve. It may be some small consolation to know that similar efforts in other parts of the world met at first with as little response. A summary of the expenditure by the Government on manual and technical instruction for 1907 showed that the capitation for technical classes—including free places— totalled £17,733 14s 7d; the capitation for school classes; £13,162 4s sd; j grants for building and equipment, 1 £22,862 lis Id; grants for material, £I,OOB lis 2d; railway fares of instructors and students, £1,654 10s sd; examinations, £678 17s 2d; subsidies on voluntary contributions, £13,482 lis 6d; administration, etc., £l,OlO 10s 3d; making a total of £71,593 10s 7d. (Applause). In bis concluding remarks the Minister expressed the hoDe that the new School at Masterton would spread a strong and healthy influence over the town and district. If the Managers observed a wise policy they would cause such to be the case, and thus reward the Government and the Dominion for its assistance in erecting the school. He heartily congratulated MrCvr.dine in particular for his generous lead to the public and his assiduity in crying the matter through to so succtsuul a conclusion. (Applause). Mr Seddon then gave a brief address. He was received with pro- ' ionged applause, and said that it was an occasio i on which he found it i difficult to express his feelings. He thanked the people of Masterton from the bottom of his heart for the i magnificent way they had honouredhis father's memory. As the Minis- J ter for Education had said the late Premier, his father, had done much in | the cause of technical education. In America the system of dealing technical education was very cou - plete and in the Dominion w» were copying a great many America i ideas. Mr Seddon concluded ny expressing hearty thanks un behalt uf Mrs Seddon and the other members of the family for the souvenir presemeJ to them through Mrs Dytr, stating that it would always be treasured, and be handed down as an heirloom along with similar nr.e nentos. (Applause). The Mayor then made a few remarks, welcoming the vistors to Mssterton On behalf of the people of the district, and thanking them for their cuurtesy in attending. The Mayor gave great credit to Mr Coradine for the successful fulfilment of the people's desire in erecting so suitable a memorial to the memory of the late Premier, to whose self-sacrificing labours Mr Hollii.gs referred in fitting terms. MrHogg also gave an address outlining the difficulties under which the School had laboured for years, and specially mentioning Messrs R. Brown, M. C. O'Connell and Mr Cora,i dine in connection with the suggesj ting and ultimation realisation of the present success. Mr Coradine, who made a short speech at the conclusion ot the other addresses, was warmly applauded, and he, too, paid a tribute to the great assistance given him Dy Mr M. C. O'Connell' in collecting funds to erect the school with. -The architects for the building (P/lessrs Varnham and Rose), and the contractor (Mr A. Hauf hey) were also referred to in appreciative terms. The public were then invited to inspect the building, an invitation willingly accepted, great interest being shown in the interior details of the .structure, which favourbly impressed all. The very convenient seats built in Masterton from a Dunedin protected design were especially admired, their numerous good points being explained by the Managers present. The Minister, Mr Seddon and Mrs Dyer returned to Wellington by the 5.30 p.m. train.