EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2737, 16 February 1910, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.

MEETING AT WELLINGTON

[Per Press Association. |

WELLINGTON, Feb. 15. Representatives of the Department of Education Boards, and principals of training colleges met in conference yesterday. to discuss the control and organisation fo the work of training teachers. The Inspector-General of Schools, Mr Hogben, presided. The conference discussed the regulations of the Department in regard to the control and organisation of training colleges. On the subject of committees of advice, Mr. Goycn (Otago) questioned their usefulness. The experience of Auckland, said Mr. Milne, was that the committee lias been very .useful, Mr. G. Corson, representative of “other Boards” on the committee of advice of the Wellington Training College, said the basis of representation was unsatisfactory. He acted! on behalf of a dozen Boards, which means a mere nominal representation. The regulation was finally amended to give increased representation to “outside Boards,” but this was not to exceed two representatives. It was decided that the committee should be required to meet at least twice, in the year. Clause 3 deals with a training college having a nominal school attached to it. One clause stipulates that there must not be. more than 450 children in average attendance at this. It was de--eided that the maximum should be raised to 510. Mr. Milne brought up the matter of pupil teachers failing to take advantage of the training colleges. He moved in the direction of making attendance at these compulsory. Mr. Hogben suggested a good means of en. suring that all teachers would have to take a. course in a training college would he to stipulate that no certificate be given unless the candidate had been through a training college. The motion was withdrawn, .the,prevailing opinion being that the idea of compulsory attendance was desirable, ’hut that the objective'could be arrived at by some other means. A motion by Mr. Gray, that the Department bo asked to provide a special

certificate for infant school teachers, was adopted. _ Professor White (Dunedin) moved that the training colleges should .make, provision for the curricula for a course of science, extending over a period of two years, giving not less, on an average, than three hours a. week to instruction in science and training in scientific method. The motion was carried by nine votes to six. Professor White having, as he said, had the principle of his motion affirmed, then moved in further reference to the question, that the selected branches of science shall be. of such a- nature as will train and prepare students lor giving a suitable course in elementary science and nature study in the standard'class of the primary schools; with this object in view a course of instruction shall be- arranged in two groups — Group A., Elementary chemistry, elementary physics, elementary measurements and heat, botanv, zoology, and geologv. The programme of instruction in each of these subjects shall be of such a description as may be taught in a course, say, of thirty hour lessons. Group B: Agricultural chemistry, agricultural botany, general agriculture, elementary physiology, and hygiene. The course of instruction in each of those not to exceed, say, fortyhour lessons. After a lengthy discussion the- motion was carried.

It was deckled, on the motion of Mr. Gray (Wellington), to give a student the option of having his allowances payable over two or three years, according to the length of course lie desires to take.

Dr. Anderson moved that the completion of a two years’ course of satisfactory training in a training college shall be taken as satisfying the requirements for a “C” certificate. After discussion it was agreed that a sub-com-mittee consisting of Professor White, Dr. Ar lerson, and Mr. Gray, should in_ vestigate the question, and draft a resolution for consideration by the Inspectors’ Conference to-morrow.