TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 95, 16 January 1919, Page 8

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE

WORK OF THE YEAR THE EXECUTIVE'S REPORT The executive of the Now Zealand Educational Institute submitted its annual report at the evening session of the conference on Tuesday. Tho report read, in the main, as follows:— "The year that has just closed has been a very busy one for members of the institute, nnd the executive, in the report which it haa the pleasure to present, has to mention several encouraging features. Substantial progress has been made in some directions, and this encourages a reasonable hope of further progress in the near future. Early in the year the institute suffered a severe loss by the. resignation of the president, Mr. A. 2s'. Burns, M.A., who was promoted to inspector's rank. He is to be congratulated on. his wellearned advancement, but bis retirement was a loss to tho campaign in the initiation of which he had been one

of the moving spirits. . . . the result of further efforts to arouse the conscience of tho non-meuhers, assisted no doubt by the visit of the organising secretary to many centres, there is a substernal increase in the roll cf members. At the beginning of tho year tho number of active members was 3272, the number ' of honorary members 59. These numbers have increased to 3382 and 64 respectively. This means an increase of 110 activo and 5 honorary members. The roll is somewhat larger than this inasmuch as only two branches have returned tho number of their members on active service. There still remains a considerable number of teachers who have not yet seen lit to link up with) the institute. As a result of a larger share of the contributions being now allocated to tho Provident Fund, the amount now standing to its credit has been increased by £217. This has been further 'augmented by the -transfer of £170 from tho Lptial -Assistance Fund, so that the credit balance _is now £IoGS. Only one request for assistance was received during the year, and the necessary relief was granted. The ; demands for, legal assistance have not boon numerous during the. year, consequently out of a sum of £190 to be added to the fund only £23 has to be deducted for legal expenses incurred on behalf of members during the year. Six applications for assistance were received by the executive. . . . The chief feature of the year has been'the campaign carried out' by the institute throughout the Dominion in favour of a general forward movement in national education. Tho 'first step taken w:is tho appointing of Mr. 111. U. .lust, a former president of the institute, as organiser of the campaign. Circulars were issued broadcast to attract public attention to the question. Mr'. Just undertook a tour of the Dominion, delivering nddresscs in nearly every important centre and by personal interviews with representatives of all classes of.citizens, impressing on a very largo number of people' the urgency of tho reforms tho institute is advocating. Tlie result bus been better even than was' anticipated, and has shown that thoro is widespread among tho peoplo of New Zealand a. strong desire for better provision for tho educational needs of the democracy. Tho campaign has received powerful aid from tho Press. Hardly a newspaper can, be named that has not lent its support, and in tin's way helped to crystallise public opinion on this most important subject. The effect has been noticcablo in the largo amount of sympathy the movement has received from public bodies, as well as many different kinds of social organisations. School'committees and their associations have given unstinted help. Nowhere has the effect of the campaign been more evident than in 'Parliament. Probably never before has so much interest been shown in. education by members, both in the asking of questions and iu debate. That this awakened interest is real is shown by the ease with which the proposals of the Minister made their passage through the House towards the end of the session. Thcso iiicludd a>l,irgp]y increased vote for school buildings, substantial increases to the allowances to school committees, an interim addition to the salaries of teachers, an increased vote to tho Superannuation Fund, provision for tho establishment of. day-time, continuation classes, increased staffs, for the larger schools, jvnd other matters of minor These measures are regarded as merely,teimxirarv alleviations of the most pressing needs, aivl as sue!; are to be very heartily welcomed. The executive is of opinion that the hearty thanks of the institute should be accorded to the Minister for what has been done, which may be-looked upon as foretelling that general forward movement iu education of which this Dominion is.so much in need. Early in the year it bccainn known to the executive that in certain cases scholarships were being held in private schools, and a resolution of protest against this undermining of the nntional system was presented to the Minister It will bo necessary to watch this matter .carefully when further educational legislation is introduced: In this connection it is "ratifying to be able to record that, by recently gazetted' regulations, service in private schools will no longer be regarded as satisfying the conditions of the bond entered into on behalf of students in training colleges. At recent hv-electioivi the executive has stihmitted to candidates questions designed to ascertain their views on educational questions. The nature of the replies received lonvos little _occasinn for fear that there in any serious disposition on the part of the general public to encourage attempts to tamper with the essentials of the national system. The executive has addressed a letter to the Chancellor of the Uni-. versity in support of the proposed inauguration of a full course in education. The proposal has been before the Board of Studies, and is to be reported on by thac board to the Senate. The National Efficiency Hoard has been conducting an exhaustive inquiry into educational conditions, and ttie members of the institute have taken the opportunity of submitting evidence from the educational point of view. ' The report of the board will bo awaited with ■keen interest, as it may be expected to affect in many directions the reform in education that this institute has been advocating. For four years in succession the institute has held its annual meeting under the shadow of war. Now I hat the shadow is passing away it is fitting that we-count the scars the war has given us. The list is a long and grievous ano—and, let it be .added, glorious. When the war commenced Fn 1914 the roll of the male teaching staff' of New Zealand, from university professors down to pupil teachers and probationers, and including Native school teachers and inspectors, contained less than 2200 names. ' From that staff, with its additions in the interim, the enlistments ' up to December 31, 1017 —a year ago—numbered 902, exclusive i)f those rejected on medical grounds. These fdlow-teachersof ours have received wounds too numerous to be reeked of, honours not a few, and not less than Ifill of them have, as they would, have said, 'Gone West.' It may bo taken as an axiom that the character of thj. toocber is reflected in' the quality of the product of his school, and it is not 100 much to claim that u croat factor in the building' up of the splendid reputation of Now Zealand's Mildiprs has bren the kind of teaching they have recoiled in the schools. We,

who have iiot been called upon for service, will in a little while have tho privilege of welcoming our fellowworkers back to their homes and to their schools. The welcome to our returning brave will be cordial and hearty, but it should not cause' us to forget the sympathy due to the relatives and friends of those others oi : our fellows who will return no more." The report was adopted. .