THEY LEARNT THEIR LESSONS BY POST

New Zealand Listener, Volume 13, Issue 313, 22 June 1945, Page 14

THEY LEARNT THEIR LESSONS BY POST

Conference of Correspondence School .Ex-Pupils

os ANY spheres of occupation were represented by delegates to the conference of Correspondence School ex-pupils at Lower Hutt recently-account-ancy, clerical .work, library work, telephone operating, interior decorating, teaching, commercial art, and farmingso many, wh fact, that the general members of the Ex-Pupils’ Association, of whom there are 500, must be able to make up a fairly comprehensive professional, business, and industrial directory of their own. .

There were 23 dele- | gates from 14 of the 18 branches of the Association at the conference. They came from far north of Auckland ‘and from Southland. For three days they discussed their activities, in the form of 100 remits. The main remit dealt with forming a national executive which, in time, will handle all the Association affairs. They talked, also, of producing next year their own magazine, and tMey decided to form a school memorial library in memory of the many ex-pupils who have given their lives during the present war, But remits and other matters of -a_ strictly business nature did not occupy the whole of the conference. The delegates forgot the routine work of the agenda paper long enough to attend a theatre party, to visit the Correspondence Schoolsome of them making personal contact with it for the first time-to see the Government Film Studios at Miramar, and to inspect Parliament

House. When opening the conference, Dr, A. G. Bytchers, headmaster of the Correspondence School, said something of its growth during 25 years. Its roll, he said, was now 4,000, with studies covering a wide and varied programme. Standards were high, and the work turned out needed no apology. Some ex-pupils were attending the Training College and there were none better. To-day there was a staff of "140; it began with two, .and their co-operation had made his task light. The clerical staff had worked hard, with obsolete machines, and performed ‘wonders. Between it and the pupils there was a happy bond of friendship. Dr. Butchers said that one day he hoped to make’ the present school into a hostel, with sufficient accommodation to enable all pupils to have a month’s

personal tuition and nine months’ correspondence yearly. There was room for expansion and, from the start, he had aimed at personal contact; but there were problems confronting the teacher not in personal contact with his class, and Dr. Butchers emphasised the value of vacation schools, radio broadcasts, and breaking-up ceremonies in overcoming these. The chairmen of the conference were E. J. Werry and A. D. McKinley (convener of the Association).