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Auxiliary Workers' Training Classes. These classes were continued during the year with reduced numbers at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, the subjects taken being fitting and turning and electrical and acetone welding. Returned men were admitted to the courses in increased numbers, while the supply of civilian trainees diminished towards vanishing-point, and it became evident that the training schemes were taking on the functions of rehabilitation to the exclusion of the training of civilians for special war jobs. Sites, Buildings, and Equipment. —It will be clear from what has been said on the subject of roll numbers that the problem of accommodation in the main centres, and particularly in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, remains acute. If additional accommodation, particularly of workshops and laboratories, is not provided in these places, and in such centres as Palmerston North, Invercargill, and Timaru, it will be impossible to accommodate the students desiring to attend both in day and evening classes. The effects of raising the school leaving age must be considered in this connection, as well as the possibility of day training of apprentices in the not-distant future. During the year no buildings of major importance were erected and only necessary maintenance works were carried out. Few requests for additional equipment have been received during the year. This is no doubt due to the fact that it is generally recognized that none is available. Arrangements have been made in the larger technical schools to manufacture certain simple machines such as drill presses, wood-turning lathes, vices, and so forth, and to distribute these to schools needing them. Some distributions under this scheme have already been made. Classification of Teachers.—Since 1920, teachers in technical schools have been classified in two divisions—Division I, graduate ; and Division 11, non-graduate—and the scale of salaries was substantially lower for the non-graduates than for graduates. This has been a source of irritation to teachers for some years not only on account of the lower salary range, but because it was thought that an unwarranted distinction was embodied in the regulations. Of recent years, too, there have been many cases of difficulty, borderline cases in which it was difficult to say in which category a teacher should be placed. The Technical School Teachers' Association has repeatedly urged the abolition of the grading in two divisions, and by amendment to regulations gazetted in October, 1943, provision was made for the classification of all technical-school teachers in one division as from Ist December, 1943. Though the change brought little immediate financial benefit to non-graduate teachers, it did show some advance and certainly opened up a wider horizon for the future and was therefore welcomed by the great body of teachers. I regard this as one of the most important steps that have recently been made for the advancement of technical education, enabling the Department to offer conditions of service much better calculated to draw suitable men from industry to be trained as technical-school teachers and, what is equally important, to retain them in the service. Vocational Guidance.—As from the Ist April, 1943, the administration of Youth Centres, which had previously been under the joint control of the National Service and Education Departments, was taken over by the Education Department, and full-time Vocational Guidance Officers with suitable staffs were appointed to centres in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. It is expected that the change will enable guidance work, both educational and vocational, to be more effectively carried out, and will facilitate its extension. Careers teachers continue to be appointed to certain schools in the city areas to act in co-operation with the Vocational Guidance Officers. Duties imposed by wartime conditions have somewhat hampered the free expansion of the work of the Vocational Guidance Centres, but such experience is being gained as will make a forward move possible on sure ground when conditions again become favourable. Technological Examinations.—Again there was a very restricted demand for these examinations, but final examinations were held in the subjects of cabinetmaking and mechanical engineering, in which there wore two and four candidates respectively. Schools were allowed to accredit their students for preliminary and intermediate grades, subject to the approval of the papers and standard of marking adopted by each school. Several schools took advantage of this concession and passes were recorded. Home-craft Teachers. —By regulations gazetted on 17th February, 1943, a Home-craft Teacher's Certificate was inaugurated. The regulations prescribe the pre-entry conditions and the course of training necessary. The training is to be taken partly at a teachers' training college and partly at an approved post-primary school. The object of the certificate is to regulate the training of girls wishing to become teachers of domestic arts in manual-training centres and in intermediate and post-primary schools, but who do not wish to take the degree or diploma courses provided at the University of Otago. The regulations provide for a minimum of two years study in the training college and post-primary school, followed by a year of probationary teaching before the certificate is issued. Twenty-four students entered on the course in 1943 and were, with few exceptions, well reported on at the end of the year. It is hoped by this method to augment the supply of suitably-trained teachers of domestic arts and science, which has in recent years been insufficient for the demand. Vacation Course in Veterinary Science. —A short course in veterinary science,with special reference to the dairy cow, was held at the Hawera Technical School during May. The course was an intensive one lasting for one week and requiring attendance at morning, afternoon, and evening lectures and demonstrations on each day, evening lectures only being open to the general public. A total of 103 farmers attended the course, which was conducted by a competent veterinary surgeon and assistant demonstrators. The course was such a success that it was proposed to repeat it in subsequent years ; and as it is the first course of its kind to be so conducted it is thought worthy of being placed on record. Secondary Schools Staff. —A number of changes have taken place in the personnel of the Inspectorate. Miss L. A. S. Hurle, M.A., Principal of Timaru Girls' High School, took up her duties in February as successor to Miss Hetherington, who retired at the end of 1942. Mr. J. E. Learning, M.A., who had been on the staff since 1935, retired at the end of February, his place being taken by Mr. J. L. Cameron, M.A., of the Southland Boys' High School. Mr. Cameron took up his duties in May. In the interval, Mr. H. B. Tomlinson, M.A., Inspector of Technical Schools, assisted in the inspection of secondary schools. In October, Wing Commander E. Caradus, B.Sc., Chief Inspector of Secondary Schools, took up full-time duties as Director of the Royal New Zealand Air Force education services. Mr. H. Henderson, M.A., B.Sc., was appointed Acting Senior Inspector of Secondary Schools. To fill the vacancy thus created, Mr. A. M. Nicholson, M.A., 8.C0m., of the Auckland Grammar School, was appointed Temporary Inspector of Secondary Schools and took up his duties in February of this year.

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