NOTES ON EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 280, 7 August 1909, Page 14

NOTES ON EDUCATION.

';..;, (Br SocitATEs.) '.'• ,

'".TO AFFIRM A PRINCIPLE." First-assistant teachers in,, the, service- of the Hawke'B Bay Education Board aro somewhat exercised m their minds over a notice of motidn which, has' been sot down - for discussion at the board's -meeting on Monday next.- The motion is: .'"■'., .'".'. "That .this board affirm the principle that'.no' class teacher be ;eligible for the h'eadmastership of a school' higher, than : Grade'ZVl;"-.; •- ■*■" v.; 1 ;-'- .- On the .face 'of it, : the, above "motion im-plies-a line.of policy which I cannot: believe the Hawke's Bay Education. Board will adopt.' .A;' class teacher .is a '■■ memberjof the' assistant staff of a school. ■ Schools in Grade, VI are staffed on an, average at-tendance-of from 121 to 200, and the headmasterships :are .worth from £240 to'£27o a year. : The.inext; grade ranges, from 201 to, 800, in average attendance, and the headmaster's salary from £270 to £310. According to? the strict interpretation of the motion, candidates for promotion,, who, at the time 'of application, ( bold assistantships ,will be considered ineligible for schools above Grade _VI. For example, a first-assist-ant master in a school in Grade X, whoso salary-ranges from £270 . to £290, would be denied the privilege of seeking a headmastersbip. in a 'school carrying an exactly similar'salary,'besides being shut out from tho competition for -more highly-rpaid head-; masterships.'-:- ■-;-,.. - '•■',:'''•'•'■,' ... If thatis' what the mover' has in his mind, .then, I readily agree that , assistant mastersr-particularly first assistants—in the Hawke's Bay • education district, have just cause for concern. But' L prefer to believe that something very -different" intended to be conveyed;:':\V'hat the mover probably .noclass'teacn-er.-'whp has riot'had previous' experience;, as;a teaohor in oharge-of a school 'should'be' considered eligible for: appointment to, a school aboveGrade VI. . If he moans that;-ti'en on safe ground,: and ideservos; credit for'.seeking to .emphasise a' principle that is' frequently ignored; by- Education. Boards. 'Experien'co has shov;h that the best class teachers do not necessarily mako thp,:-bestrVadniiriistrators when placed'in charge-of; schools-,;, and, it should be a- cardinal] principle- of'professional . advancement; tlja't'-; administrative experience ,in:sinaller;schools.'shotild ; be shown wJien-'ap-pointments'^for'v;important'' headniastersliips aro' under cbnsideratibn.';-:,"lt,Ms'Vnot ; clear,, ■ however;'that .iJiisfis;jjheipnnciple';cpnterided ; for in the motioii intquestion,' and Hawke's Bay .assistants;'have.''therefore.'some ■ reason ■ for theirVaniiety bn'Jtho'pomt.;-; " ;-.-;',