NEEDED REFORMS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16418, 11 January 1919, Page 11

NEEDED REFORMS.

• * THE "WAIt AND EDUCATION. WOMEN TEACHERS' VIEWS. An interesting address on some aspects of education as affected by the war, was delivered by tlic President of the New Zealand Women Teachers' Association, Miss Chaplin, 8.A., at the annual meeting of tho Association at Wellington on Wednesday. The president referred to tli'e wp'rk done by women teachers during tho war. The needlework programmes in most schools liad been modified to meet the needs of so that all thei children had beon taught lessons of sacriiice and unselfishness. "it is because wo l'eel mat a nation cannot be greater than its educational ideals wu are conscious of our heavy responsibility as toachors." 'Hie war had roused teachers I'roiu; their somnolence and showed them their duty. During the past year the attention ol' the public Jiad been drawn to many neeued ■reforms, and ib was gratifying to lind that tho l'ress and public men had given valuable help and support, liut there was much to be done, and education would never stand 011 a proper footing till the whole community was inibueci with a sense of its importance. One of the clearest proofs of the: weakness of the in the past was the fact that there was so little real interest taken in the educational welfare of the children. That 41 per cent.: ef primary school pupils left school without doing the work of Standard. VI. was a serious reflection on the wisdom and intelligence of the people, of New Zealand. Every child had a light to a proper equipment before beiug sent out into the world. For reforms to be made the teachers muqt have the public with them, a'nd the campaign must go on until the school and the home wore recognised as interdependent. Jliss Chaplin proceeded to refer to specific reforms which were sought. OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS. While penalties were inflicted on employers who overcrowded their workrooms, no such law protected the growing children. Many school buildings were quite unfitted ior the purpose for which they were used. Surely parents should support the demand for roomy' arid well-ventilated buildings. The cor]K>rate life of a school required.a large assembly hall, but such was practically unknown in New Zealand primary schdols, though it was provided in most largo schools in America and England. t UNATTRACTIVE CONDITIONS. The remuneration of teachers had improved somewhat since the spoaker encered the profession, but the price of commodities iiad ' greatly •increased. The unwieldy classes were still wnu us, and the burden of the teacher was not the worst feature ,of the evil. Children could not be rightly educated in masses. if the status of the protension .iye.ro raised by better remuneration throughout, there would oe some hope for the future. So many other avenues were now open to boys and : girls ottering better pliy ana healthier working conditions that one could not wonder at the lack of recruits for the teaching . profession. Improved school environment and bettor remuneration would do much uj remedy the present shortage. •"When

our legislators realise the urgency of a nublic demand, thoy cannot refuse the financial support that jt needed to place 'education on a looting worthy ot the greatness .of the country. -~\\o are grateful for the measure of improvement' promised by ro:-cnt legislation. It is a step. in the right direction." SHORT SIGHT AND PLAYGROUNDS.. Miss Chaplin the shortsfgntodness displayed with regard to schoolgrounds. When- the ground could be bought at comparatively small cost, little thought was given to tho probable* growth of the school. Meanwhile the buildings were extended' till the children had only a barren yard to in. Yet even with the/ knowledge. gained by bitter experience, the mistakes of the past were to-day being repeated. They even heard of a kindergarten being established with no possibility of a' garden. A notable outcome of tho epidemic had been the stressing of the. importance of ' town planning, and the provision of suitable housing for the. people. •• In any schemo which was to bo- comprehensive and efficient the question of school biddings and playing grounds must bo a vital consideration. They hoped to see the consolidation of small iliequipped and inefficiently staffed schools. More educational benefit would be derived from one good, wellstaffed central school with spacious grounds for gardens and playing fields. The address also dealt with the unsatisfactory nature of the present school equipment. - • CURRICULA OF THE FUTURE. With tho extension of the period of compulsory education, which . they lioJ.ed was not far distant, would come the need for a revision of the school curriculum. Whatever changes were made must be with a view of preparing boys and girls for mature life. The system of education which had prevailed exalted book-learning and brain-power, and divided the world into hand-workers and brain-workers. The former wore the "hewers of wood and drawer sof water." and as such were despised. A truer and better conception of education was that which trained both hand and brain. Learning by doing must be more widely recognised as an essential, and the curricuiuin of the future must be based 011 its truth. Miss Chaplin was heartily thanked for her address.