WELLINGTON TEACHERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 432, 15 February 1909, Page 4

WELLINGTON TEACHERS.

''ASHAMED OF THEIR PROFESSION."

BOARDS,' COMMITTEES, AND ""WIREPULLERS."

OPERATION OF THE NEW ACT.

(By Sochates.)

"Does efficiency, merit, experience count? In the majority- of cases assuredly,-not; it is an open.secret tfiat.such adepts.have many teachers become .in the arts of log-rolling and .wire-pulling, that others, who scorn to resort; to. such trickery, are growing ashamed of their profession." ? . :■■■: : The foregoing is, an extract from 1 tho letter bri the subject of appointments of -teatihers, from- a ; correspondent—"D.l."—which appeared in The -Dominion: on Thursday last.' With the new .Education" Act. Amendment Act of. 1908; only about six weeks in opera-, tion, "D.1." finds it. necessary to express himself in' sweeping terms in • condemnation of its operation, and' from inquiries made, there would- appear to be "in the Wellington Education district at: all events, some justi■fieatiori' for his .assertions. ''The; new- Act came into operation on January'l, 1 1909, and on :the:, last 'Thursday' of .that month, : the Wellington Education Board, met: to consider :an: unusually large- list .of apnointmentsi Among these were .two positions .which; 'from. their situatidn, prospects,:, and. undoubted "scope for expansion, were rer garded ''. as "plums" for aspiring teachers, andj'.as was.naturally .to be expected, there was;a large number of applications for each. The r scho"ols referred,to are Lansdowne (near Mastertdn),. and Maranui (a-suburb of Wellington). . . ■ ..." .' .'.,■"■ ' .

Boards' Powers of Appointment, "',' ■i.: Under, the.' new -. Act. the. Board has ■ the 14, and its. .submitting -'to'.'the. , : respective, committees' either;' "a list of'not moro' than four names (in; order; of: merit, as. determined .by'.the 'board)' of teachers whom the board considers :best;ifitted .for, the' appointment.-. ."; ; or ."the; name of.one'*teacher; only. 1 ';; In the event;of. the; board-deciding to give the'comchoice of four names,' the.latter has the power.to select;any one of them, and the.;-board; must confirm ;■ it> (sub-section: O); ~wliere,'pnly one name .is sent,-.."the commit-, 'tee. if it: desires to express'.any opinion, l or. mak6.;any■■..recommendation.s with .respect: to appointment, shall" (sub-section; b),. forward ; its : or recommendations to'the board . . ''.';■!'.. ..and tho. ;board shall, take the .samo'into.consideraiibn before'making-; tho ■appointmlent." In the; first, instance, :the board : isbound:to accept the-decision of. the, committee, so. long as the.latter's nominee'is selected ■■'.''from'; the list .of.' four ; "in : order. of. merit.:; .In 'the latter, case, the board 'is ■bound'to give, feasonable'cbnsideratibn to fcommittee's/opinion. or; recommendation, .to' ■which it may; or may.nbt, give bffectr, The first.'is 'an obvious;., and on: the surface, a reasonable' concession to the cbmmittee;.which ,froni;:an, intimate- knowledge;,of local condi--tions :.:and.'thei .circumstancesT of. its,sobopl, ■may reason that, a .selected candidate ; whp.is. :ribt first.on the list^may, ; from'.''some,special knowledge/of .a particular subject, -be..moro suited'-, to , ' these local! conditions..; The alter T native method; make 3 impossible those' agreeable;'/dissension's between -.-.boards'-and committees which in the.past Btiginatised;tho administration of/our education", system'.' .;;■;..

: :■-' v; -Against.'whatever; advantage the; operation', of-.the ''.'selective". method of '., appqititii)ent : .holds outito.commitfeesj there js : this:disadvantage: tij;' the system "generally.-—an over- 1 whelming it;permits tho evil .'of /that, "log-rolling; • wire-pulling, 1 "and: snoh;,'triclvery": which','-as •" D. .1" forcibly points a out, is causing' those ;teachcrs who scorn ; : :such:-subterfugesfor advancement to grpw ■ ''ashamed- of "'their' profbssion..".? .': -V■:.•'-;:r>.'- : ;■■'■'■'.■.•■ "■ '•:■•■;.. :-':■•['■■''\:^: : .

Thaißoard^Courts'Trouble^V/ I '■"'/,•' ]'"■ s-. .! With, it must bo -'presvimcd,'- a ''full knbw,ledge;of. 1 its.position.under. the new'Act,''the 'Education adopted" the , .'"selec- : tiy'e" • method.' and; with what"..result?' The ! two '.schools already meiftioned-may.' be cited , as. illustrations.' : .;.:;'..,-:■ ;, : ,.' ;'. ,">..y. ; J x< ':'■.. .■.^ln/rTHßp.oMiNibN.'of.. , .Thursday last'-there-appeared:!a;'report of proceedings -at ;a; : meeting; of.ithe Lansdpwhe School. Cenimittee' held :;&■: consider.,the appointments , ,■ to : 'the staff;of -.the; new : school:there. 1 ;■ ■ A"petition had been; presented'by tlie residents-'of .downeno'the.btfardj'prayiiig.that Mr. Jones, .of ; :■Tβ; Ore -Ore; School,...should be • appoiritod headmaster, of-tho' school.' To this petition /the'board replied .that'in View;of the: superior, claims of otlier; applicants on various grounds it .could.not.inolude^'"Mr.vJones .in the three , hames';;out;. of thirty-one'.applicants :for'; the coinmittee to; make : a- selection from.. ; .The 'committee,' in ;a lengthy: reaoliitioh,. has now asked.-rthe board ;to .■reconsider;, the 'matter, , vamongst. other ;■■ ; : .' : ..i:That T >Mr. ,G-,.j Jones,: who ; has. , been the. .schoolmaster in 'ths; liansdowno; district. for soinVyoars past,'has a. first claim to the posi-r:tibh-^v,that,;.it"'is,,-th6--.Virianim'ous'-wish'.-pf-,'-the' ..parents .of'.the children,, as expressed in,the.petition;riowbeforethe.boardj that he-should hold."the"position;'that'his gualificatibns;are: equal,'to: those of. the-firsti.nominee of the' board,-.both, holding a VDil.vcertificate ;■ -and 'that; the .whole,; of >. the'.•.'residents of' Lans-' dbwne;' including/the ■ committee,., will ■'- be; bitterly- disappointed iMie is : refused' the: posi-;. tion; .as. it .will-mean.hjsiremoval from the district,'which-everyone is anxious to avoid." 'This is a-, clear, case ; of. local influence. The' committee cannot; possibly, .judge whether its nominee -is; a : better teacher:, than ' those, selected-by the board, .which has been' advised ,by;its inspectors that those, on, the list possess ."superior "qualifications;'.'. It;is 'controlled solely;.by:-.a. sentimental predilection .ipr ■a teacher\ofvwhom-it has somb.:i>ersoiial.know-ledge,-..wh0,-,has been established for some years,-.in. the district,.and.who has made friends there.;; At: this distance,...that.'-is. the: most that can', be inferred .from: the facts above stated.; ,It.willbo.inoted that, the Lansdowne Committee's attitude cannot bo supported hy ■. any ; construction whatsoever of the terms of the "Act. ;. : , ',' :/;.:, '■:■.. ■-.; .-'.. ■,'.■ '..■■■.■ ■.;■■,.

Maranul.- : ': ; -'^.■•■;■:'•■■.;;:■?. .-7:.\/:;'■;■':';■•." >: --V;' ■ .'Marahui.is closer at'hand,.at our.own'door; so. to speak,, and it'.jis' possible to discuss the .evils of. backstairs influence with'a full knowledge of what has recently transpired in con-' nectipn .with: the appointments to. the' hew' school ;n that suburb. In regard to Maranui, the writer has\;.beeii informed, on', the" best' authority;—;:.;■; ;?;"i v ■' . '.",■■•. •. ■■', ; 1.-That"the,order,'of : merit''' of. '■■ the - .Belected list of candidates ; recommended.' ; ;by the .board's inspectors, was : noi the ■• order of.meritlist, finally .adopted by : the' 1 ;•: ifeoard'..'.'.■.',,■■ :| ;:^;.. i ' , ,-: , ;.;.-: v ■'.'.•:,■.•.■.' [■...-...:■■■:■ :.,'i ..." '2. That.tKose teachers who were placed ■ t :;.on the order.of .merit list.filially .adopted'' by the board,, became asvare-of 'the fact : .. - that..;they.; were,. : to..bo.recommended to ..... the Maranui School Committee, .before'. even that .committee was. elected. . , . :■' ' ,3. That immediately the:personnel of ■'■■■.. /■. the new committee -became, known,, nn . active canvass of, the conunittcemen, of a<nature as has been described ; by; a local' teacher as. ,, a grave scandal," was insti•tuted by certain.teachers who had an interest in the. appointments, : , .'•..■: : . ■ 4. .That.the.committee itself, like the ■ Lansdbwne'School Committee, desired to ; :have. appointed- a teacher Who lias'been ■'' :. for some time'. in -'the 'Kilbirnio" school, ;•. and .whoso name was' not even on the ■ ~ list.:.: ,'■ ■'■' .'■.... ' '■'.■• : ' ■.-';". .; .. :

:■ ■ Nci self-respecting, teacher," said. membcr> of.; tho profession ' to; tho writer, - "will apply for appointment when ho realises that the success of his application depends unon such tactics as these."' . ' ■ ■' '' .-.

What May Happen In > " - ."D.1." further• states:—■ -••■■ '■■■'•' ■. '.'The best ; judges of tlio relative efficiency of ajmmber of applicants for a vacant position in. a school; aro the school inspectors. They see most of tho applicants at work— if tho ■ 'applicants: como from outside districts the-, inspectors..of those districts are able to'give, confidential reports to their col. leagues— they know the capacities-of each man/ and woman in tho service, they know tho of each to" promotion, and they : know tho requirements, of each, school and school district. If Education Boards were really, actuated by a' flno Boiiso of public spmt, if the members thereof would hoa-

estly divest themselves of tho ignoble desire to bestow, potty' patronage with the State money and determino to administer the educational requjreincnts of their district with honesty, and integrity, then they would rely on tho confidential reports of their --inspectorial staffs and tnako appointments in accordance with the recommendations embodied in such reports.- Such a procedure, was clearly contemplated by tho;'amending Ac 6 of 1008,' and- if education boards do not, or cannot, read the writing on the wall, the disestablishment of the present' system of localised education control and' the establishment of a centralised 'system, .is.a foregone conclusion." '. . ,:-■■','..

THE INSPECTOR-CENERAL'S . VI EV/S. '. In, this connection, it is'interesting to turn .to,the' bvidence given by Mr.- Geo. Hogben, Inspector-General of Schools, before the .Parliamentary Committee on the Education Aotv Amendment Act 'I, 13B—with roferenco to the question of the difficulty, of providing a regular or certain schema : of | ; •v' ::".*.' . ; ; '::'.'■"■-■■< -•■

Mr. Kogborj Admits Dissatisfaction. You know there' is a feeling of great disr satisfaction on the part of many;teachers?— i know there is with somo; ' ■;!. .'•.:■ '~■>;■.■ -'. Thore*is 'a , , feeling that :promotion-does not go as it should?—l know there are such cases;. .','■' . : . ■" . " :; : :y'\ ■-. /;'' ..'.;'.'■ ■ Is it not possible to- overcome the appearance'of;that by:providing that.where there are.'certain applicants for positions, the highr ost. qualified ■' men 'shall. ' get "Hhem?—The teachers put forward a scheme at the annual meeting in Auckland,? but; the. difficulties. are very great.in carrying such athinginto'practice. ;'They;said that if ateacherrby an as-, sossment of marks got.moro than four marks more than another teacher tho beards should appoint himin preference., It'might be pos-, sible that such ;.a teacher. might ■ not be suit able for a>. particular: school, , , and', any rule ; like;.-that,* unless it• took -into account local' 'circumstances, is.bound to break; down.. I could _giyeyou examples/ , I-; know; several cases in'my own experience l when I was ah inspector of tho board in North Canterbury. :A teacher who had been an engineer'was very 'suitable;for a. town school, but he had never. ; lived in the , .country,, and was totally unfitted for a' country school. \ Such a teacher- might, ■standfour marks higher than others, and ; if there wereian automatic system like that proposed the-board -would have, to', appoint him country school, for which he was' un-: suited, and the t6wn would suffer'a loss, while the country .school would not be. benefited;V"; That man, unless he had a chance in /could:-never' hope" for promotion?—Hn would have to wait a; : little longer;. , >• Whether '.he h'ad.hope of promotion or not;' the first con-' sideration is'.the'school.; ; ■'■"■,' "'■,' -.■■' I ' ';'"''.■ ■ ; There ;ha've been several schemesput before: the, pepartment by conferences of .teachers and individual teachers and members. .\Have you take.taken.these schemes into consideration\in framing -this Bill at all?—lre ; ad!them ■all.. I did not mould it on them'.. ;■ They, all mean :interfering -I with..'- the : 'power. of. r local appointment, and,l, am so , thoioughly ,cpaviricod that that is a healthy'condition that I have',never 's.uggested -,to the'.Minister, 'or. anyone,- any, .'scheme ' that- would interfere Wlth'it... . ■'..■■. :; ••>' ■■■'■ ■.::'■'■!:;;', C '/ - ; .."'.

.ParochlaHsm. ~:;;.: .. :>; -- ■'■■■■:- - : .' ■ Would [n.otthe School: Committees be likely .to ■ exercise, greatest-judgment: in selecting -,a~ teacher, seeing that, they have'[children of :tboir -own to be/instructed in. tho ; school ?— • That;.would; be a .source of strength, in. certain cases, and -also a: source-.-of weakness. :Tho' board ■ has'' an' interest .'in'- keeping ■'■ the whole system-.under. its control in : good .worfc .ing order, 1 and it, has'means of knowing, bet .tor than.fany .' committee the: teachers. best ■ suited for";any.i.particular school.:.,l'do'-not' see how y. any.;.committee could. baye"that knowledge. (.-,: In '■'regard to.canvassing.-on;be-:half T of applicants, I believe it would be.easier, to get at .committees thiin-Jlt would beto get at'the. board/1-dp not-think;:it'%buld be; a'strange thing for'candidates.to get aV.com-'. :mittees: on account of the latter, having an' unterest in'the children. ..be.'the ;common-'experience; of. all , parochialism.:;V,The. committee.have not the;knowledge 'to enable ■them ; .tb: choose.: the'best; teachers'. ; 'l'-'ln-nine cases'.oui of ten/the*moh who get on' .com-; .mitteos : have not'the knowledge/ and- experi-' .ence-.to advised; They may;haye : ,the-ability,' .but'-not;.the:'luiowledge; : .;'; •■'.--'■ 7..'.,- iY ;■ ,' :The, board ' might•'• send, on -fouF"names '■'■ to' ,the:;cpmmitt<io,,.stating length 'of ;sprvice..'in each caso. aiid.other and iheri: leave it to;,the..committee.tp make'.a'selection from. ;the four .'persohsvnominated?-4That . 'talcee; nvrajr -from the board' tho power" if ■ ap-' IMmtnient. '.-The; board would-have'only'the ; power, pfi.an,advisory -committee.' TTo limit the number nominated by.thebbard/and: give the. committee tho power ,of 'final ''selection would practically .make the; board nearly an advisory, committee. . The T power , to -make a transfer, must, imply the. power% control at , ppmtments... All. that the', board: is compelled.to,do is"!to,take into-consideration the recommendation of the.committee.-. / ; .;. : .

; A .boardih one case sent'in sis names'to.a' committee, ofj. persons regarded as most suitable, ; and the. committee, .for personal reasons ; recommended the third person in the listfor appointment. T -That.'candidate' was not so : suitable.as the first, and "second. in:the .list, but he was personally•'. known to a good many' people in.the:place,- and : irii order 'toMnake sure that the. first candidatoin the list should not.be appointed, : the committee v .recommehded as'their'secbhd candidate"the sixths in the list. .If. it had appointed 'the latter 1 the;board would have stultified itself, and yet that.'was /the" only.;alternative' left..' I .think :you; may rely 'oti the. common-sense of committees: generally-as: -against the feeling of one: or. two committees; . My own feeling in' regard, to appointments is to leave the power ,of appointment in.the hands of the.boards.. " .It .will be.noted.that the concluding paragraph vunder the .heading of "Parochialism , ? suggests the inference that, the Act, in" its /present form, .ignores 'the objection raised by .the ■ Inspector-General :withvregard ; to the ■ ..power !of "final selection," and\presumably icmbodied.in:theßill as originally drafted.; ■:. :. The. -hope.. is • freely ■'.; expressed' among teachers,. that, .the board .'will-put its own house in -order; have a more,consistent regard ior the,; recommendations of ■: its ..inspectors,; ■ and ;a'dopt' the. prerogative) vested- in it.by: the.ict, ; of sending one,name only■ to the committee, concerned'in any particular appointment. ■'. x' '.■-; ■,-.... :'";.-.,;. ..•'.. : ■iV.':-';;-.-'-^.'-.