THE APPOINTMENT OF TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 19 September 1918, Page 7

THE APPOINTMENT OF TEACHERS

METHOD CRITICISED A SELECTION COMMITTEE APPOINTED _ At yesterday's ineotiijg of the Wellington Education Board Mr. G. London moved:—"That a committee- be set up to confer with the inspectors in regard to the appointment of teachers, such committee to consist of at k-ast three members to be elected by the board." Fn moving his motion Mr. London said there were many considerations that could be urged in favour -of the appointment of a helpful committee, vho would confer with tho inspector in connection with the making of appointments, now made hy the inspector and hurriedly passed by the board, with little or no consideration as to whether the best was being done for ' the schools, or the teachers. ' If his motion were.given expression to the committee would undertake to go carefully into the qualifications of all candidates for teaching .positions, and after consultation with the inspector take the responsibility of selecting suitable candidates for the positions to ho filled. ' Mi. J. J. Clark, in seconding tin: motion; said that the motion opened up a big question. On the school committees there was a great deal of dissatisfaction at the method of making appointments consequent on the committees, boing only allowed the choice out of two or three candidates, among whom was not included the one who perhaps was. most desirable.' If Iv!r. London's motion were carried it might have a tendency to remove the friction that existed on that account.

Mr. J. P. Shand thought the present method of. appointing teachers 'ia bit of a farce," as tlfc school committees did not see the. credentials of tho candidates, and. therefore knew nothing about them. 'As things were he did not see the necessity of submitting names at all to committees.

Mr. 11. A. Wright said he supported the motion, though.,, ho was of the ■ opinion ■ that alter twelve months' trial they would iind that they could not make any serious alteration in tho selection of teachers. Still, it would be an interesting experiment, and would certainly interest tlie school committees. After all .what did they know of the personalities of the teachers ! J They could look after, the credentials, ' but the personality and teaching abilities of candidates were, only known to the inspector. He believed that the inspector did tho very best he posuibly could in all circumstances. .-•.••

Air. 11. M'Calliini said that ho did jioi see what lurthcr tlio proposed committee could do. The buaru mado the appointments now. .J.'iie chairman.: Nominally. Jir. ■M'Uallum. "No, • actualjy." They could only continue to send on the three names to tho school committees. That was the effect of tlio wisdom of Parliament. The cominitteo could only be n advice.

Mr. C. J. Harkness referred to the dissatisfaction of school committees in regard to appointments. They felt tliiit they shwiiil have a little more say than was given them. He expressed surprise at, the progressive tone or thu board. Me had come down expecting to find the members very conservative, but was agreeably surprised.to find a healthy progressive tone, and a progressive chairman. Ho advocated the breaking down of all conservatism by taking, tho school committees moro iuio .their confidence

Mr. T. Moss said he could lfot support, the motion. At present the board, as a general thing, supported tlie recommendation of the inspectors, arid'he did not see how it would Ik otherwise if.they had a committee. T'lifi inspector selected the best men for positions on personal kiiowlodgo as well as credentials. Further, the inspector was not a servant of tho board, but was the servant of the Depatrraent, and was independent in ins attitude, and independence in such a matter was desirable. '■'■■.

Mr.. A. W. Hogg said the present method of appointing teachers was the result of from 30' to 40 years' experience. The.re had been occasions when he had disapproved of appointments, butl oir consulting the inspector, secretary., or he had always been given ample reasons for tho choicemade. .Ho did not think a better method could he devised than the one they had at present. v

The chairman .supported tho motion, and said that in doing so he was strictly carrying out the Act. .The'practice of tlie hoard in the mist had not been on idciil lines. Mr. M'Callum liad-said that thoy would be'cutting down the powers of the:board by setting up" tho committee. Nothing'of the kind. The appointments came before them at tho tail end of the order paner and were rushed throucrh at a break-neck speed. Tho crux of the matter was that there were those wlio took on jobs who had not the.time to devote to them. So, from month' to month, they had made about 20 appointments from possibly 200 applicants in from twenty to twenty-five minutes. They wished to consult with the inspector and to take advantage of all the information he could supply, but it was absurd to say that the business could be done worse than it hud been done in the past.' To put through twenty applications in twenty minutes

Mr. Moss: "I rise to a point of order!" The speaker said it "was mitrue tliat any information had over been withheld.liy the inspector. Whenever tliey liiid dosirod inforrastion they Imd liocn given,it. He thonsht Mr. Forsyth was ftoinff'a little too far in reflecting on the work of those who hiul pone liefore him.

Tho chairman said it was gospel truth, and lie could give specific instances if necessary. Ho knew_ quito well ..that In , , was treading ou tliin ice, but the times wore and tlie old_ system was not good enough, and it hnd to so by the board. When members were appointed to the lioard they undortogi* 'io do certain work, and as long .vs li was chairman lip was going to insist that members did the work properly. (Hear, hear.) Hβ would insist on the right of members to ask. the inspector ti'liy lie did this or that. Too much had been taken for granted in (he past—it was not going to he so in the future. Mr. Liuidon said in reply that ho was surprised to find that his motion bad bpcn interpreted ns one favouring school, comiiiiMws. Hβ had no snrli intention in framing the motion. He intended that they should make n|»'poinlnionbs in the same way thnt a private lirm or the City Council would. He did not believe that all the evidence in the possession of tho inspector as to the needs of the children was greater than that of the peoplo who were bringing those children into the world. The motion was then put and carried. The following was the voting:—Ayes— Messrs. Korsyth, London, Clark, bhard, Hiirknesis, and Wright. Noes —Mrsws. Moss, irCiilluni, Hogg, and Penny.