A.—4
(2) To correct the psychological effect upon the Native mind, generally produced by education, which caused him to look upon manual and agricultural work as beneath him : (3) To impress upon him that education is intended to make him a better tradesman, and a means of gaining knowledge in order to help his people and country, as well as himself: (4) That all teachers emphasize the gospel of work and the part it has played in the building-up of other countries. With these resolutions in view a Technical School in Apia was established. In the past, elementary instruction has been given, but the real commencement of work in the Territory was begun in January, 1927. The Administration decided to inaugurate a scheme necessitating the erection of a new building for the express purpose of giving the technical instruction. The senior boys of all schools within reasonable distance of the Technical School attend for one day per week, when they receive instruction in wireless, drawing, and practical woodwork. Wireless telegraphy is taught for the purpose of giving the boys " mind-training," as well as to give a good preliminary training for future wireless operators, who will be selected from the pupils attending. The drawing is chiefly instrumental, and is, as much as possible, worked in conjunction with the practical woodwork which follows. The students make a scale drawing of an object, and then proceed to make the object in the workshop. Each week 108 boys receive one day's training in the school, during which time each boy does one half-hour wireless, one and a half hours drawing, and five hours woodwork. The Samoan boys have a natural bent for woodwork, so it is therefore unnecessary to give much time to the detailed instruction in the use of tools such as is given in European countries, and our aim is to give instruction in the manufacture of articles that are useful in their village life. As much valuable time would be spent in sizing rough timbers, a machine was procured for the purpose, and the whole of their time in the workshop is now spent at work on the benches. Night Classes.—ln addition to the day classes, a night school has been started, and up to the present has met with some support from the Natives, and also from resident Europeans. Classes are held for woodwork, plumbing, engineering, drawing, and book-keeping. All of these classes are very well attended, each having an average of twenty regularly attending students. It is rather early in the year to form a correct estimate of what the result of the night classes will be, but if the present attendance continues the Administration will have every reason to be satisfied with the work it has commenced. The day school is wholly conducted by one European instructor with the assistance of two Native instructors, while the night school is carried on by members of the staff of the Administration who have offered their services gratuitously, for the general benefit of the Samoan race —a circumstance greatly appreciated. Government Schools. Village School at Taelefaga, Fagaloa.-—This school has a roll number of sixty-one boys and thirty-eight girls. So far, it has been established as an experiment. For the past year many requests have been received from districts for the conversion of their Grade II mission village schools into Government schools. This type of school is found advisable in villages where the respective missions agree to co-operate. In the school at Taelefaga, children from the London Missionary Society, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Mormon Missions attend regularly. No denoininationalism is recognized or taught in the school. It is opened daily with the Lord's Prayer. No religious instruction is permitted, but, on one afternoon weekly, the children are exempt from school in order to go to their own pastors to receive religious instruction. The District Council are responsible for provision of lands for school-site and plantation, construction and maintenance of school buildings. The Government's obligations are —(1) To provide trained teachers and pay all salaries ; (2) to fix a syllabus of instruction, inspect schools, and to select pupils for transfer to the higher schools, which are administered by the Government; (3) to provide a limited amount of necessary school equipment. The experiment has proved successful. Good teachers were provided, and have displayed what training in modern method will accomplish. District Schools. Vaijtouli (Savai'i), Avele (Upolu).—These are the agricultural schools, and the admission is from Grade II mission and Government schools. The schools are each staffed by a European headmaster with Native assistants, and the teaching is wholly in English in the upper, and chiefly in Samoan in the lower classes. The subjects of the curriculum bear mostly on agriculture as required for the Samoan. Despite the heavy work imposed upon the pupils by the construction of additional fales and school-rooms throughout the year, and also the expansion of plantations, the health of all has been excellent. Malifa. —This is the senior district school, staffed by a European teacher and part-time assistant, as well as Native teachers. It is a boarding-school, and draws its pupils from Vaipouli and Avele Schools. The roll number consists of sixty-six boarders and four day pupils. In addition to the academic training given, the headmaster undertakes to give teacher-training to many of the senior pupils. From this school, boys with a good knowledge of English, in addition to other qualifications, are appointed to the following positions : Teachers, clerks, storemen ; apprentices —engineering, carpentering, plumbing ; cadets in Survey, Medical, Police, Observatory, Wireless, Agriculture, and Public Works Departments.
18
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.