WOMEN TEACHERS APPROACH MINISTER

Chronicle (Levin), 2 September 1947, Page 6

WOMEN TEACHERS APPROACH MINISTER

WELLINGTON, Sept. 1. The New Zealand Women Teachers' Assoeiatiori, represented by Misses C. M. Raius (president, Auckland), V. Hayward (Dunedin), A. J. Shelton (Hawera), D. Musker (Wellington), M. V. Kennedy, B. M. Park and G. K. Jarman (Christchurch), waited ou the Minister of Education, Mr. Mason, t'ollowing the annual meeting, to place before him remits carried at their meeting. The remits dealt with the appointment of women inspectors in primary schoois together with an infant supervisor service, dental treatment for all children, the ad-vantage of having a woman on the committee that selects entrants to the Training College, providiug means of conveyance for itmerant teachers to outlying schoois, the covering of school floors with> suitable material, and the designing of new schoois, remodelling of the old and the suitability of a school in reiation to site. Practical reconimendations were submitted to the Minister regarding many of these matters. The deputation expressed eoncern at tlie decline in the number of women teachers for the upper part of a school and stated that the influence and guidance of more women were needed there. A plan used in London County Council scliools of making supplies of material and equipment available once a term and of having a central depot in the board's district for the return of unwanted equipment, was suggested for adoption in New Zealand. The deputation submitted that the heating and eleaning of schoois should be of the standard required by the Factories Act. It was pointed out that the heating in. some schoois, particularly in the South Island, fell below the minimum of (30 degrees required by the Factories Act. The deputation stressed the need for more modern niethocls in the cleauin" of classrooms. The suggestion put forward for more suitable accommodation for teachers in outlying districts, was the provisiou 'oi prefabricated dwellings. These could be made portable, if necessary, and to acconnuodate oue or more teachers.