SCHOOL TEACHERS CONFER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 95, 16 January 1919, Page 6

SCHOOL TEACHERS CONFER

AMENDMENTS TO EDUCATION ACT ■ DISCUSSION COMPLETED - THE APPEAL BOARD ; The New Zealand Educational' Institute resumed its session yesterday morning. Mr. A. Erskine presided. The discussion of proposed amendments to the Education Act was proceeded with. Mr. Erskine moved: "That tho expenses of the Department and the National Education Board, funds for buildings, maintenance, salaries, supplies, continuation classes, grants iu aid of medical and ddital inspection and treatment of school children shall be drawn from the Consolidated Fund; and subsidies shall be paid on all gifts and bequests and on grants from 'local bodies." He said that the institute had traversed all tho points it wished particularly to impress upon the people, tho Government, and the Minister, and some such resolution as tho above was necessary to indicate tho institute's desires upon tho matter of funds. There would have to bo a greatly increased expenditure upon, inter nlia, tho medical and dental inspection and treatmont of children. Provision was made in the resolution for something quite new —grants from local bodies. The resolution was based upon the assumption that in the future a much greater interest would ho taken in education in this country.

The motion was carried

Administration of Teaching Staff. ( Mr. H. A. Parkinson moved: "That the teaching staff shall be administered for the education board by a staff board, to consist of the superintendent, ono other member of the board, and ono member elected by the New Zealand Educational Instituted at its annual meeting." Mr. Parkinson observed ■ tiiafc often it would be very advantageous to the cause of education if certain primary teachers could be moved into tho secondary sphere or secondary teachers into the primary sphere. Many nspful movements would be possible under tho scheme proposed. Tho proposal for a ataff board' was the outcome of the desire of tho" institute for a. united service. • . . ... . Mr. Hall asked why the institute should not go straight out and ask that' all appointments of teachers ue made by the Piiblic Service Commissioners.' He thought that that would bo just as sensible as the present suggestion, which ho did not consider was a very good one. He moved that tho discussion" be adjourned till the report from the committee on the Rational Education Board was brought down. The institute woild then know how the proposed board was to be constituted. ' Mr. Parkinson accepted a suggestion which made his motion read isimplv: "The teaching .staff shall be administered by the education board. Mr Hall then withdrew his amendment, in favour of the motion. After tho meeting had gone a little 'further into the matter it was decided that the motion was unnecessary. L!ie institute therefore proceeded to the nest business. Teachers' Appeals,

Mr. Parkinson proposed the following motion: "Sections 138 to 146 inclusive of the Education Act, 1914, shall subsist as heretofore. Any teacher dissatisfied with any ruling or the education board with respect to 'his grading or salary, or,promotion or transfer,'or dismissal, and who is a member of an incorporated society or teachers, shall have the right of appeal to an appeal board to be constituted. ' The appeal hoard shall consist of three members—a Stipendiary Magistrate permanently appointed li.V, the Minister, one member appointed by tho education board, one member elected by the members of incorporated, socivties 'of teachers. The decision ot the appeal board, shall be final and binding on all parties." Part of the above proposal, said Air. Parkinson, was hypothetical, as it depended for its effectiveness upon the acceptance of certain other demands that were going forward from tho conference. The objection • likely to be raised to a Stipendiary Magistrate s sittin" upon the board was that the legal forms of procedure and requirements as to evidence would have to be followed; but it was not so. 'It was one of the complaints of the existing appeal board that its >findings, were r-ot binding, and in (some cases were not even known. That was the reason for the clause in the motion: "lie decision of the appeal board shall, bo final and binding ou all parties. Mr. A. J. Shepherd said that' the present position of Auckland teachers with regard to the appeal board, was intolerable, and the teachers must have a board that Wiis free and independent, the deliberations of which ■were open. • / Mr. W. Endey said that present indications showed that even if; the-pro-posals embodied in the motion were not put into effect, some changes would tako place that would make the appeal board a different thing from what it had been in the past.: Mr. R. R. Hunter thought that under the present style of procedure the teachers were trea'ted like children.

Mr. Parkinson asked if it was a fact that the teachers' representative on tho board was made to promise that he would preserve silence as to the deliberations of the board. A teacher present who had sat on an appeal board assured Mr. Parkinson that he had never been asked to give any promise of tho sort. Mr. Just said that if every member of tile board were to be allowed to disclose anything lie choso of tlio deliberations of tiie board, some teachers might bo sorry for it. Mr. Hall said that an appellant had been practically told in Auckland by tho Grading Appeal Board that he need not state his case even, as his marks were to be restored. Vet later he had received through the post an intimation not of the same sort. That .was the kind of thing that the teachers should be protected against. Mr. Hall wanted to know who was responsible for the alteiation of what had practically amounted to a promise to the appellant. . - Mr. Low (Manawatu) said that his branch opposed the principle of allowing tho senior inspector to sit as a member of the board, but thought, that thn inspector, instead of sitting in judgment on the grading which he himself had made, should gtvn evidence as a witness before the board.

Mr. B. N. T. Blake (Wellington) said that he liad spoken to a number of appellants and r!1 had said tiiat they had received the host of .treatment from the senior inspector, but their complaint ivns against the w>turn of tho procedure and the attitude of the assistant-director.

Miss C'hnplin moved in amendment of the riiotion that there be one mnn selected to represent the men traehors mid one woman -to reinvent Mm women teachers on the board. The women teachers should be assured of representation. Mr. Parkinson agreed to incorporate Miss Chaplin's suggestion in his motion.- It was understood, of course.

that the man should sit on men's cases and the woman on women's cases.

An Auckland delegate explained that while Auckland teachers found that the inclusion of the senior inspector in the board was right enough in practice and in their case, they disagreed with the principle. * Mr. Parkinson thought'that a Magistrato was just the right person to bo chairman of the board, ' because of his peculiar qualifications for the weighing of evidence. It did not matter that ho would not be an educational expert. The following amendment was proposed by Mr. Garry, and was carried:- "That after the .words" 'one member , in* the phrase 'one member appointee! !'y the Education grading officer' be inserted." The motion as amended was carried. Mr. Erskine said that the order of discussion of proposed amendments for an Education Act had been completed by the discussion of the question of the appear board. All that remained now was for certain committees to report. Publicity Desired. Mr. Garry moved that the executive prepare a popular exposition of an Education Bill incorporating the principles affirmed by the institute. Mr. Combs seconded the motion, and it was carried. ' Public School Buildings. Mr. W. Phillips (Otago) presented the report of a cohiniitlee set up to inquire into what was . especially desirable in the site, building, and furniture of the public school. The report was as follows: — "Site: The minimum area of the site for school buildings should be five acres/ and wherever possible such' site should be in the vicinity of a , public park or -.recreation ground. The grounds should - be properly fenced, suitably laid out, and well drained. "Buildings: The buildings'should be so placed that direct sunlight may enter all class-rooms at some period of the day. The schools should he planned by specially qualified architects. School rooms and verandahs should be so built as to afford provision for open-air teaching when, tho climatic conditions permit. A minimum of 14~square feet should be provided for each pupil. In larger schools the kindergarten and infant departments should be provided for in a separate building and; a separate playground. In the larger schools provision, should be made for an 'assembly room, retiring ' rooms for teachers, head teacher's office., and a luncheon room. Special attention should ,be given to ventilation, heating and lighting of buildings, according to situation arid locality. Booms should be so constructed as to facilitate frequent and thorough cleaning according to tho most approved hygienic methods. Lavatory accommodation should be adequate and so planned and provided for as to promote cleanliness and modesty. As a general rule separate accommodation should be 'provided for the infants. All school play-grounds should he provided with sufficient shelter accommodation.v

"Furniture: All class-moms should be so furnished as to provide for tho ; health and comfort of the occupants, and to facilitate efficient work. SinsJo adjustable desks should be provided, complete apparatus should be supplied, and renewed and modernised from time to time. Due importance should be attached to the aesthetic aspect in the interior decoration of schools. All teachers' rooms and the luncheon room should be completely furnished.

''In conclusion, schools and surroundings should be such as to form a centre of local interest and pride, a stimulus to the aesthetic, and an inspiration to the community." The report was adopted. Mr. Combs moved that'an area of from five to twenty, acres, as was found practicable, should be provided for teachers in country" districts

Mr. Curteis moved ,an amendment: "That in general the country school area shall be at least five acres, to be divided] up into a play-ground, gardens, an area for children's horses, and a residential area where tho teacher may, if he or she dcs'res, fcwp a horse or a cow; no portion of a globe shall be allowed to be leased by the education board or the school committee." '<

Mr. Combs withdrew Ins motion upon Mr. Curteis's insertion .in the amendment of the phrase- "five to twenty acres.", . ■" Mr. Curteis's motion vras carried. Teachers'- Wltiows. Mr. ». D. Steadman (Southland) moved; "That as'the pension for widows and children of deceased teachers is totally inadequate, immediate skps be taken to.'have such pensions substantially increased." At the same time as the above motion, which was a remit from tho Soiithantl branch, was proposed, the two following remits from Manawatu and Taranaki respectively came, before the notice of the meeting:'"That the institute take steps to place the widows of teachers in a much hotter position under the Superannuation Fund tlian they we. at present"; and "that the superannuation allowance to widows be not less than £39 a year." ■ The chairman said, in the course of _tho discission, that in 1917 there wore *iriiiety-four widow.? who came under tho scheme, and the amount paid to them was £1705. The payment of £18 p tlic widow was a very small amount. The teachers' fund was not a very strong one. . Over the period covered by two actuarial reports (and the reports' were, triennial) the amount hv which the' Government .contribution fell short of the actuary's recommendations was £58,00(1. The Southland remit was carried. Election of Officers. The election of officers for the new year was the first' business of the evening session. Tho various offices wero filled a's under.: —President, Mr. C. E. Muiiro, nominated by Auckland, Taranaki, and North Canterbury; vicepresidents, Mr. A. Erskine (retiring president) and' Mr. W.- Phillips (Otngo); treasurer, Mr. J. E. Purchase, M.A.; non-official members of the executive, Miss N. E. Coad (Wellington), iIL W: H. Newton (Thames)'; Mr. R. L. M'llrav (Turnnaki), Mr. J. C Webb (Wellington), Mr - F. T. Evans (Christchwcli), Mr. B. N. T. Blake. (Wellington). The following motion, pr.dpo.spd by Mr. Hunter,, was carried: "An original contributor to the teachers' superannuation scheme/who is sixty yen's of age,'. and hlis forty years of service within the' British Empire, shall be allowed to retire on an annuity computed on his service, in New Zealand without any deduction;" Remits. The following remits were approved by the conference:— "That restricting the maximum marks for organisation in the case of certain classes of teachers is doing a wrong to the teachers concerned and disparages the capability of the experts entrusted with the work of awarding such marks, and if safeguarding the. nllotment of marks in such cases is thought necessary, the ■confirmation by n second inspector should be substituted for the impossible barrier raised by the present restricted maximum'."—(Auckland.) "That after twenty years' eiuwnt i service teachers be granted six mouths' leav'e on full pay or, twelve mouths on half-pay."—(iWaiiiiki.) "That i'or the moral and welfare of tho Dominion it is essential that some instruction in sex physiology should lie given in our schols as part of the physiology and health coiivse."— 1 (Southland.) '. ■ ■- .

"That teachers' residences, generally among the worst in the district, be equipped in a. stylo more befitting the dignity of the- position of the teacher. That bathrooms, hot and cold water, and electric lighting where possible Dβ installed."—(Nelson.)