SCHOOLTEACHERS' SALARIES

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1820, 5 August 1913, Page 2

SCHOOLTEACHERS' SALARIES

(To tho Editor.) Sir.—By direction of tlio Executive of tho New Z-eadaJwl Educational Institute, I have to crave the favour of spaco in your columns for a fow remarks on your loading article of July 29 on teachers' salaries. You frankly admit the reasonableness of the teachers' demands for an increase, but proceed to apologise for the delay of the Government in taking tho necessary steps to provide it. You illstance the increaso granted to tho railway sarvice (and others might havo been mentioned), as if these acts of justice to others were to bo accepted by teachers as a progress payment on their own claim. Teachers do not look on tho matter in that light. They knowt that in tho open market, and in comparison with otheT Departments, their services are worth much more than tho present remuneration. While in nearly oV,?.ry other calling that can bo named, provision has been'made to meet tho crowing cost of living, tho teaching servico luis been left where it was seven years ago, nncl is, us a mutter of fact, in a relatively wotso positiort than it was in then. But there is a much deeper reason than this for a. prompt and radical overhauling- of tho whole educational machine-fly. Our counftoy lias determined to mako tho fullest possiblo provision for defence against tho enemy that might attack from without. Thoro is equal, nay, greater, need for defenco against the enemy within, tho enemy Vtliat -Swears"';tlw twin forms of ignoranco and inefficiency. Tho fighting lino in defence against this enemy is the whole body of teachers in all grades of schools, from the _ kindergarten to the university, and it is essential to the national welfare that this teaching body should bo recruited from th& best procurable material. Is this essential being met? The answer to .that question is an emphatic negative, •and goes even further than that. . It is oommoai knowledgo among all those interested in the matter that a laTge proportion of tho yo-u-ng men now in the service intend to use it only as a steppingstone to somo more attractive profession. They find sropo and encouragement for "young ambition" in other servioes, and oaHings, but none in teaching. There are some 4-500 primary teachers in Now Zealand, and under .present conditions not moro than cne in seven of these can reach - a salary of J2OO, and none can reach more than £100. Can it be wondered at that the servico is unpopular among tho best young men and women? Your article rightly mentions other matters than salaries that demand attention. Consolidation of schools is ono among many. A promotion solieme, whereby somo principle of justice may be recognised and followed in tho appointment of toachors, tho staffing of schools, a council of education, to direct tho educational activities of tho community, some effort towards co-ordinating and correlating the work-of the different stages of education, kindergarton with primary, primary with secondary and technical, and each of these with the University, these are questions crying aloud for treatment. The executive of the institute is every day receiving additional evidence of tho keen disappointment among teachers that tho only word from t.lio Government so far on these important matters is, "Not this session." Now, while there may be justification for some delay while tho whole system of education is being reviewed by the Committoo of the House, the executive cannot see any reason for further delay in acceding to tho universal demjind for an increase in salaries. The executive has submitted to the Department a schemo of salaries which, while studiously moderate in its demands on tho public purse, would in the first place allay the present discontent, and, in the second place, would attract into the teaching service a larger number of tho right kind of young people. Thoro is no doubt that tho community recognises the national importance of education, and is quite prepared to provide the necessary funds.—l am, etc., ,11. A. PARKINSON'. Secretary N.Z.E.I. Wellington, July 31, 1913. [Wo did not suggest anything so foolish as that payments made to -railway employees or anyone else should l>o accepted by the teachers as a progress payment on their, own claim. We urged that, tho teachers' claims to consideration should receive the earliest possible attention, but pointed out that tho Government had only been in offico twelve months, and could not be expected to do everything required of it at once.]