EDUCATONAL INSTITUTE AND COMPULSION

Chronicle (Levin), 14 May 1947, Page 3

EDUCATONAL INSTITUTE AND COMPULSION

—Press Association

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AUCKLAND, May A motion that all eligible teachers should be compelled to join the New Zealand Educational Institute, was defeated at the annual meeting _ of the institute. After the discussiou had lasted for two hours a divisioxi was called and 75 representatives voteu against the xxiotioxi and 3d in favour oi it. ' ' The time is ripe aud opportune tor attainiug unity which we have not at present," said Mr. R. Arbuckle, oi Hastings, who nioved that niembership be made coxnpulsory. He appealed to representatives to consider the principle involved before working out tne niachinery necessary for its application.

"I don't like the word coinpuJsory, he said, "but in an imperfect society such as ours it nxnst be used. Those who aecept the benefits of the institute without jo'ining it are like parasxtcs. For a coxnpulsory 100 per cent. iueinbership we need only look at soine of our kindred associations. If all teachers Oelonged the public would ltuow that whatever we try to do we are doxng all together. " The establishment of a professionai code to raise the status of teaching could be niore easily done if all teacners belonged to tlje institute, it was claimed by other speakers. A strong. and united f ront could be prescnted and the institute would make furtner progress. ' ' The proposal is directly against the aim of amalgamating with the Teciinical and Secondary School TeachersAssoeiations, " said Mr. C. R. McKae, of Auckland. "There is no quicker way of frightening them off. We should raise the status before we make membership coxnpulsory. The institute cannot be strengthened by the introciuction of the 10 per eent. of unwilimg members. " Other objections were that compulBion was foreign to the educational systern and that some teachers did not join the institute because of religious beliefs. Membership fxgures were produced on request to show that 1028 primary t'eachers, about 13 per cent. of the totai, did not belong to the institute. An amendment that compulsory membership be determined by a referendum of all teachers in the primary sehoox service, was proposed by Mr. S. Gower, of the Mid-Canterbury branch, but it was defeated by an overwhelming vote. The question of compulsory memDership has appeared as a remit before meetings of the institute on other occasions, the last time being several years ago. 'This year the remit was sponsored by the Auckland, Hastings, Pahiatua-Bush and Mid-Canterbury braach.es.