THE SCHOOL WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1150, 10 June 1911, Page 10

THE SCHOOL WORLD.

A WEEKLY REVIEW. NOTES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY Teachers and others interested in the administration of education arc invited to contribute notes for publication in "The School World." These should be addressed to the Editor, "The School World," The Dominion'. Wellington, and posted to reach this office not later than Wednesday in each week. Correspondents desiring enlightenment upon any Question in connection with the school work, or the general administration of the education system. . •are invited to submit these points to the Kditor for elucidation and reply, where anonymity is desired, it will be 6trictly observed. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Magister."- -There is no need for you to ilo it, but the circumstances of tho case seem to warrant the exercise of just sufficient diplomacy in asserting your position as to avoid the creation of that atmosphere of hostility which is invariably attendant upon a condition of armed neutrality. It is one of those unpleasant duties which can be done "very nicely" with a little tact. THE ROD AND THE CHILD. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AT PETO.XE. Considerable stir was occasioned at Petone recently in connection with Iho punishment of a boy at the District high ■school. The complete facts of the whole case have not yet been before the public, as the circumstances under whien the subsequent inquiry by the committee was held made it impos;iole for the whole of tin proceedings to bo reported, part having ueen taken in camera, and part in open meeting, 'l'he result was tnat the case was presented to the public in such a fragmentary condition that various constructions have bean placed upon it. Since the inquiry was ■ held, through tho courtesy of the parent concerned (Mr. C. H. Manning), tho chairman of th& committee ■ (Mr. M'Kenzie), and of the headmaster (Mr. Wm. Foster), the editor of the "School World" has been given, an opportunity of looking through the evidence of tho various parties, and is satisfied that no good purpose would I>3 served by reopening tho case, and reciting the evidence. In view of the-. misconception which appears to exist' with regard to tho finding of the committee, which was not fully reported, it has been suggested that, in fairness to tho complainant, the full text of the resolution might be made public. It is as follows:— "That this meeting, having carefully considered the complaint of Mr. Manning regarding his boy, und alter taking into consideration the state of the boy's health, as revealed by his father, sympathises with the parents . in bringing vheir complaint betore tho, school committee; further, .we coir sider, in the case of a delicate child, different punishment should have teen given, but inasmuch as tho state of . the boy's health was not reported to the headmaster, we do not consider ' any blame attachablo to the teacher, as the punishment would not have been excessive in the case of a healthy child;-however, we, as a committee, regret that Mr. (the teacher con-. cerned) did not immediately report the matter to-l'he headmaster." MR. FOWLDS DISAPPOINTED. TEACHERS AND FREE BOOKS. Some time ago a private interview took place between the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Educational Institute and the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, when tho' resolutions adopted by tho Teachers' Conference, which . t was held at llokitika in January last, were discussed. Mr. G. llogben, Inspector-General of Schools, was also present.' Particulars of, what took place during tho interview are now available.

11l his reply. to the representations of the deputation,' Mr. Fowhls dealt principally with the resolutions dealing with tho centralisation of tho inspectorate, the promotion scheme, and tho free issue of book's. Tho promotion scheme the Minister considered to be subordinate in importance to tho centralising of the inspectorate. This latter he considered to bo of first-class moment in a national system of education, and he thought teachers were wise in continuing to keep this matter before the public. He inir plied that that would be the furthest the Department was prepared to go. in tho •direction.-,of centralisation.

" The j&jUrfgT gave .frtic jexprossion to .his disappointment with, and disapproval of, tho'attitude that teachers have taken up in relation to the issue of free books. Ha pointed out that he had had to submit to three adverse votes in Parliament on the question,, and the present system had been devised to ward off what was the only alternative to it, viz., tho introduction of a uniform set of text-books. This, in his opinion, would bo calamitous. He was afraid that the objection of teachers to tho system rose from tho fact that they did not like tho little extra trouble involved.

With respect to the request for increases in the salaries of secondary assistants in district high schools, Mr. Fowlds pointed out, first, that the cost of tuition in these schools is already very high—as much as JCI7 10s. per punil in somo cases—and secondly, that the salaries of tho assistants are on a par with those of assistants in secondary schools. He ventured the suggestion that the only reasonable way to provide the increase asked for would bo for tho headmasters to forego the extra allowance of £30 at present paid to them, lie further pointed out that in thoso schools where agriculture is taken, special capitation is provided, which may be devoted to salaries.

The • institute's representations on tho question of teachers' certificates had been to some extent anticipated in the regulations now in course of preparation. Tho request for regulations on the subject of sick leave was open to the objection that compliance with it implied trenching on tho powers of boards, but it would receive consideration. So, also, would the institute's opinion on the simplifying of the school journal, though the Minister considered that it is only in the case of Part I that there is any room for complaint.

Respecting tho provisional certificates desired for teachers under 21 years of age, the Minister considered that these teachers had very little to complain of, <13 they were not debarred 'from permanent employment or from joining the Superannuation Fund —their only hardship was a 5 per cent, deduction I'rnm salary, which was not unreasonable -when their inexperience was taken into account.

The scholarship question was dealt with Eomewhat fully. Mr. Fowlds agreed with tho institute in thinking that tho free-place system might in time render the junior scholarships unnecessary. He felt, however, that the time for abolition had not yet arrived. Probably, in a few years, there might be a reduction in the number of the scholarships.