Teachers in Technical Institutions

Abstract

IN his presidential address at the annual conference of the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions on May 29, Dr. E. A. Seeley commended the Spens Report as establishing the parity in status and value of the education given in junior technical schools with that given in ‘grammar’ and other post-primary schools, but blamed it for disparaging the cultural potentialities of junior commercial and household science schools. These should be given the opportunity of showing that they are capable of developing “on a broad scientific and realistic basis” an education equal in cultural as well as vocational value to that of the schools associated with engineering and building. Referring to the report presented to the Board of Education six months ago, without apparent result, on scholarships for students in technical colleges, Dr. Seeley urged that the nation cannot afford to let willing and competent students be kept from attendance at these colleges by lack of means, while allowing the places that should be occupied by them to be filled by anyone whose parents happen to be able to pay his fees. As regards relations with other associations of teachers, the hopes entertained last year of a workable scheme of federation are for the time being in abeyance. The address closes on the note “education for service”—the sense of responsibility of teachers to the community and the necessity of realizing the social implications of their work: they must train in citizenship as well as in technology.