WOMEN TEACHERS MEETINGS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2767, 10 May 1916, Page 3

WOMEN TEACHERS MEETINGS

TEACHERS AND CITIZENSHIP. The annual meeting of the Wellington Women Teachers' Association was lucid in. the Education Department's buildings last evening, Miss Myers presiding. The annual report, presented by tho lion, secretary, Miss Williams, stated, inter alia, that an important advance had been made in regard to the status of the Association by the fact that it was now a. registered body. For this the Association was much indebted to tho president, Miss Myers, and tho late secretary, Miss Coad. Another forward step that was taken was the rapproadtwnent with the Workers' Educational Association, thus widening the interest and influence of their body. During the year tho Association had not been idle in war work.. Early in February a meeting-ted been called by the president to consider a sewing scheme to further the patriotic work of the schools. Tho scheme was approved by the board inspectors, and had been adopted in the Wellington district and by some others. It meant very heavy ™'k for teachers, and had interested the children, most of whom were working in their own homes as weli as at school. One or two changes in the membership and management of the Association had taken place. Miss Helyer, a former pre-' 6ident and vice-president, had resigned from th e teaching profession, and the Association wished to place on record its appreciation of her work for their society. In Juno Miss Coad, who had been secretary for two years, had resigned.: Ihey v-ere deeply grateful to her for all she had done for the Association. Ihis year a series of lectures had been arranged to be given to women teachers. miss Blaekburne had given one, and last evening Miss Bright gave the'second. It was hoped that by this means interest' might be stimulated in educational matters. Members were urged to take further/interest 111 the Association by attending meetings and getting other teachers to join. The balance-sheet showed a very satisfactory financial condition. Miss Myers moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, which was seconded by Miss Coad and carried after a little discussion. . -.- ■

Ihe following officers were elected :- Miss Myers president (re-elected); Miss Holm ami Miss Com], vice-presidents; treasurer, Miss Cooper; committee, Mifs S Mlss I)aviA '<"'. Miss Eob.mson, Miss Neumann, Miss Ziman. ' Miss A. Bright (Woodville) gave « Vicizenship. Only kingship, she maintained in the course of her remarks made higher demands upon' tC in' dindua than, did citizenshfp It should bea state of the highest honour om nn ß in r0I ?--\ m ? Am ?? ts ' from sleeking! ■ one in jrhich the oitben was free to serve his State, and be dissatisfied if he eot no speaker considered, were not altogether free from signs that some of their citizens, when performing public services ™nr« U ? e l alowcd -"df-intorest. to o c : ,cupy the first place. People were rather fP^ 0 . «}ink ; fiat the State was solely to benefit the citizen, instead of cultivating the old Koman conception that the citizen If„ t? "T? tuo T ? tat<wlt tho cost of !v f d i b « U was certain in 'hose <l,ijs that death was prefcralilo to disW v -T S? great of tiuo citizenship were the maintenance of iftft *h l>reSe r7s of the inviolability ofihe-State and the realisation that tho chef duty of the citizen, was to bo of service to the State. In a time in which we were looking to State advances, State SfiV ti Jt ,H a f P erha Ps somewhat difficult to, keep that conception in mind. Our rights as citizens were justice, free- !;'? liberty 0 f the'sub-' ifi* Ui J\ S r .' Bht of ™ to aw the. State in such emergencies as epidemics, war, and great disasters. In the life of the teacher there was necessarily a certain amount of isolation. It was the oldest and noblest profession £'„.T M- orld iu fo T., he or she ilad a nand in moulding the life of the nation-of the race. It was paid for sometimes in lone.liness, loss of home life, of society, anil .yet it was work that no other could do, and by the teaqher was moulded to a certain extent the national thought, as well as the moulding of the young citizen 60 t h ?,t he would later on renliso his re--S lb i'i faC6 - r *« : -feCM' of .example co inted for a great deal, and Miss Bright did not think that women were as a rule good citizens. Civic duties did not appeal to them. Benevolent work and reiorms did not elevate women into the ■^* nv £ of i nodel citizenship. It was a difficult matter for a woman teacher to take, part in ; pnblic' affairs ■ beyond voting, for her work would not allow for extra strain .A man teacher could enW.t h \ ordinary pleasures and hobbles of life, but it was difficult for the woman to do,so in addition to her teaching. _ In spite of thr war, teachers were apt .to keen m the old groove^for there were.still the old'catch-cries that existed'in pre-war <lays—the advancing of the old claims,.the preferment of teachers, their status, and so on. Was education to be the only department that ' should not suffer retrenchment? They, the teachers,, had to set the example in thought and in deeds, and, cut off as they were from activo citizenship, they had to find their work in developing in the youthful minds under .their sphere of influence their own highest conception of the duties and, privileges of citizenship,