THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1901.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 154, 25 May 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1901.

It is now some months since the regulations in regard to Technical Education were issued by the Government, and jmt, as far as South Canterbury is concerned., very little has been done to establish classes in any of the more important towns. Probably this arises partly from ignorance of the Act, which provides for such a liberal course of instruction, and partly from lack of public interest. We are sure, however, that when the advantages to be derived from such classes, and the liberal offers of the Government are once made known, we.shall have a real live Technical School in Waimate, The regulations provide for four distinct kinds of classes : (1) Continuation Classes ; (2) School Classes; (3) Special and Associated Classes for Manual and Technical Education ; (4) College Classes, With the last of these we have nothing to do, and we shall therefore confine our remarks to the former three. No. 1, Continuation classes—A continuation class means a class commencing not earlier than 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and

giving instruction in ordinary ■ .public school subjects and otlmr of general or commercial . education. This class practically takes the place of the old night school, but the subjects taught are far more varied. To enumerate - the whole list set down would be beyond the scope of a brief art icle like this, but here are a few ot them : (a) All the subjects of the public school syllabus for > Standards V and VI; (b; English; (e) French, German, Dalian, Latin, Greek; (d) Mathematics; (e) Book-keeping, Shorthand ; (f) Any natural or physical science ; (g) Drawing, etc. The controlling body of such classes shall be ’ entitled to receive,, by way of capitation, payment out of the public funds, for every ittendance . at a continuation class, the sum of Hd. Thus, if thirty pupils attended any one class, the payment on behalf of such class would be 3s 9d for every lesson given. There can be no doubt that classes of this sort would be 1 of great valise to the young people of a town such as ours, and we feel sure would be largely attended. No. 2, School Classes— The object of these classes is to give our educational system a far more practical turn. It is not intended to teach any trade, but rather to give children a knowledge of such subjects as will be useful to them in after life, and will, at the same time, give them a more intelligent grasp of the intricacies of the various -industries. Among the more important subjects for these classes are cookery, laundry work, woodwork, ironwork, dairy work, ele- ■ mentary dressmaking, cottage gardening, agricultural chemistry, book-keeping, shorthand and commercial work, etc. Of course, special teachers would be required for these classes, and the money for the payment of these would also be obtained by an annual capitation grant of from 5s to 15s per head for each child attending these classes. We understand that the Headmaster of the Waimate School, Mr Pitcaithly, who has thoroughly studied the whole question of technical education, intends to establish some of these classes in connection with the Waimate District. High School. No. 3, special and associated classes for Manual and 1 Technical Education—ln a town 1 such as Waimate, where there is little or no scope for. young men and women, such classes as these ' should protfea veritable godsend ; for they are able to provide at' least .the rudiments of every' i possible trade By means of them i the blacksmith may become an 1 engineer, the carpenter auarchi- 1 tect, the ploughman a scientific farmer, and the miner a geologist. * Almost every branch of science can be taken up. The only t difficulty, of course, would be to t secure suitable teachers. Here ] are a few of the subjects provided A |pr; f^cUcal buildup *

construction, architecture, steam, engineering, electricity, surveying, photography, plumbers’ work, dressmaking, woodwork, book-keeping,* shorthand, typecommercial education, etc. In short, there is a complete education for any boy or girl, man or woman in the district, and that, too, at a merely nominal cost. We regret that the scope of onr article will not permit us to take up the financial aspect of these classes. Suffice it to say that so great is the desire of the Government to see these classes established that they are making most libera! grants towards therm and it behoves the Waimate people ■o bestir themselves and secure ■heir share of the ‘ spoil ’before it M all allotted. We would suggest ‘hat a public meeting be called at once to consider the matter.