The Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions

Abstract

THE annual meeting of the Association of Teachers in A Technical Institutions was held at the Northern Polytechnic, London, on Saturday, November 5. In moving the adoption of the annual report of the council, Mr. J. Wilson (Battersea Polytechnic), the retiring president, stated that any further extensive progress in the general technical and scientific education of this country depends upon the adoption of certain educational reforms, for most of which public opinion is now ripe. These reforms may be briefly summarised as follows:— (1) elementary education to be more practical or constructive; 2) compulsory attendance at day or evening (preferably day) continuation schools, with a limitation of the hours of labour of adolescents; (3) the institution of “technical-secondary” schools; (4) the linking of the elementary school through the continuation and secondary school to the technical school; (5) the increased provision of scholarships, with adequate maintenance grants, so that the qualified day and evening technical student may receive the highest possible technical and scientific training. These suggested reforms are all quite practical, and their adoption would entail but relatively little strain upon the financial resources of this country, while the commercial and educational results would be of incalculable benefit.