TEACHERS' ANNUAL CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2753, 24 April 1916, Page 6

TEACHERS' ANNUAL CONGRESS

OPENING ADDRESSES

GRADING SCHEME

THE WAR AND THE SCHOOLS

The twenty-third annual meeting of tie New Zealand Educational Institute opened on Saturday. Mr. H. G. Cousins, M.A., of Auckland, president of the institute, was in the chair, and there were delegates present from every education district in New Zealand."

The Minister of Education (the Hon. J. 1 A. Hanan) addressed the delegates, and heartily welcomed them to Wellington. While those engaged in the . administrative side of education -were, he said, building up an ; efficient system, they looked to the teachers for that spirit which would so vitalise tho system that the children would feel the inspiration of high endeavour. (Applause.) He congratulated them upon instilling that patriotism into the children which had resulted in so many young men responding to the call of their country at tho present time. Their heartfelt sympathies went out to those teachers who had fallen, at the front, but that feeling of regret, wafi modified by the fact that/they had died fighting in the noblest of causes. The Crariing Scheme. ' One thing he thought they had heard something about ivas a grading scheme for teachers. _ He wished to see such a system established in the Dominion this year. For he had felt that some national scheme 1 was essential in order that merit in the teaching profession should be recognised. Tho conditions in regard to the appointment and promotion of teachers -were sucfi as to demand some reform, and lie wished it to bn plainly'understood that, so far <is lie was concerned, he was determined that a grading system for teachers should come into force this vear. It was not to be expected 'that'-the schema would bo perfect, but time and experience would reveal its defects and shortcomings, and it ■■would be for the Minister of the'day to see that they were remedied. If he remained Minister, tliey. would be remedied: He believed with ms friend, Mr. Caughley (whose appointment he knew would be justified by his work) that when the scheme was explained to them they would be'satisncd that it must be started this year. Delays were dangerous, and they should accept half a loaf if they could not get a whole one. A,step at a time in- the right direction was the sound policy for all reforms, and the existing anomalies' were .such that they should endeavour to bring the scheme into being as soon as possible, with the promise that weaknesses and imperfections would be reworking" 3 '^ 5, wero disclosed in actual

Other Topics. i _ e ?P re ?? (: d pleasure at seeing present Mr. Ranner, representing the teachers in_the secondary sohools of the country. He would like to see the secondary . school teachers , join the Education Institute and combine with other teachers m the endeavour to build up a model system of education in this wnrf ry f Wa6 c nofc satis&cd that the »'°! some ° f inspectors or some of our teachers could nob be ™ n V n UpoU- - „^ iear ' llear -) Ho vould like especially to see in this Gounod prtnnT® hv ?, m^ er6St in the cause ltlon - (Applause'.) It was not genoially realised: how valuable to the community was the work of teachers, tor there was a tendency now to put on the shoulders of, teachers miich work that ought to be done bv the parents in the homes He hoped that the deliberatioiis of the teachers would bo attended with benefit to,, the v profession and: to education generally. He was especially anxious that they should agree to a system of promotion by merit for teachers, tor he believed that the passing over of merit wtis a wrong not only to the profession but to the children (Applause.^ War Lessons. tomv ?' J t', Luk ®> representing , the Wellington Education Board, addressed the conference, mostly on the subject or tho JioGu for wore scientific teaching uicortain branches'of educational training to make good the losses of tho "war, and to make impossible the rise again to prosperity of our enemies. He also agreed with, tcachers that tho present system of,payment of salaries by average attendance was unfair. His remarks on this subject' were heartily applauded. Corporal Millies, now in camp, hut until recently Principal of the Auckland Training College, was invited to speak, and he addressed the meeting briefly on his experiences in camp, and oil certain lessons he had learned which he hoped to put to use if .he should ever return to his civil employment again. His most important remark? were on the benefit he had received from being in excellent physical condition as the result of tho training'in camp. Not only 'was lie stronger physically, but he found himself able to do much more concentrated mental work than lie could do formerly. This had taught him that more attention should be given to the encouragement and fostering of organised games for children, and to instruction and practice in physical exercises. If ho over returned to his school he would' certainly advocate this very much more strenuously.