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Progress, Volume II, Issue 10, 1 August 1907, Page 373

Plumbing Classes were the only trade classes in the School that were on a really sound basis and. in which really sound work was done." In a conversation I had with him kist. vacation he said it was to the Technical |>£.y School that he looked for future results. ]££Jdiy~ satisfactory- .work in evening' classes %3& not possibleundef present conditions, and i|pssas'only when the day school had prepared students for the office or workshop, had showed them what was the goal at which they must aim, and linked them to the institution which would enable them to reach it, that the education given would be really worthy of the na.me.The Technical Day School is the-key-stone of the structure.

The instruction to be given in the Technical Day School will be directed to fit boys for the following pursuits : — commercial, engineering, building, and last but not least, agricultural ; and in the case of girls, for either commercial or domestic pursuits. This means only that the studies which the pupil pursues will be in general specially directed to the calling he proposes to take_up. No foreign languages will be taught, but special attention will be paid to English. A distinguishing feature of the school will be the amount of time given to the various kinds of practical work — by which I mean work in which a large part of the training is derived from doing. Practical work will include laboratory work, domestic science, typewriting, woodwork, metal work, and the drawing in connection with these. The time devoted to these subjects will be about one-third of the total given to instruction, though the amount given to each will depend upon the career to be followed. Those going in for commercial pursuits will, for example, do no metal work, while those intended for agriculture or the skilled trades will do no typewriting. All girls will be required to take domestic economy. The school curriculum will cover about 30 hours per week, and of these about 10 hours will be given to practical work. As illustrating the kind of work to be done, a girl intended for the position of a correspondence clerk would give about five hours to typewriting, four to domestic economy, and one or two to gen-

eral science ; the remainder of the time being taken up in English, arithmetic, shorthand, commercial history and geography, and-bopk-keeping. A boy intended for engineering will give about eight hours to drawing and 'workshop, four hours to practical science "and mechanics, the remainder to English, practical mathematics and geometry, theoretical mechanics, and science. "■ It must be borne in mind that the technical education outlined above needs very special equipment ; and if it is to be. economically administeied it can only be given &t one centre. Take instruction in typewriting only : a good typewriter on the most favourable terms will cost from £10 to £15. If proper instruction is to be given, in a school of fair size at least 30 of these will be needed (at the Auckland Technical College they have 40). This alone means a capital expenditure of at least £300, to say nothing of the special room, tables, stools, and other! appliances needed. The building ancTrequip-