A TEACHER'S CRUSADE

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1432, 6 May 1912, Page 4

A TEACHER'S CRUSADE

MORE PAY AND BETTER COXDJ TIOXS. <Dr t«lcKrapfe.-PrcES Association.) » Timaru, jray i. . The meeting af tbo Teachers' Institute to-day was attended by most of the prin- ( cipal head teachers, who dealt vigorouslyj witli certain matters which were charaoterisbd, 'iW grots injustices k> the proiW sion. Some of these were due to the muW tiplieatioii of .-.mall pc'ieols, which iucr-enw' «l tho total cos' of education while on-' stiriug only small salaries, ineflicienti teaching:, and unattractive conditions for both teachers nnd pupils. Tlic remedy for this evil was centralisation by the eoaveyaneo of (lie children to larger .schools. This was stated to have proved a suecosi in Canada and Victoria. • Three hundred small schools were stated to have been closed in the latter Suite, The result should be a reduction in the.annual cost, with better salaries, a more attractive profession, and a better rotum for the money expended. It was said to bo a disgrace to the coun* try that educated teachers be asked to go into tho back-blocks for Jt9O a,year. A. motion was pasted tlmt the minimum for a sole teacher should be ,£l5O. It was decided to start an active crusade for betterment by direct appeals to the Ministers and members of Parliament. The • executive was requested to arrsnige to' moot the Prime Minister ia Timaru next Saturday, and to ask the l local members of both houses to meet them. The institute will also ask the Minister for Education, when he comes south, to break his journey at Timaru to hear thorn, and to ask delegates to the Welling. ton Conference, on the Local Govensweut Bill, when selected, to meet them,