EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 233, 26 June 1919, Page 8

EDUCATION

QUESTIONS DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL STATUS OF PROFESSION THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR The meeting of the Council of Kdneatiou was continued yesterday. Dr. Anderson, Director of Education, presided. Mr. E. C. Banks inovad: "That the Government be congratulated on raising the salaries of junior teachers and Training College students J230 a. year." lie said that the result, of the increase was already apparent; there were more young teachers offering this year, and they were of the best material. Hβ believed Hint the best method of improving the profession was to attract tho best young peoplo into it. Professor JlacMillan Brown seconded the motion.

The motion was generally .approved. It was pointed out, however, that no sooner had teachers', salaries been raised than other departments of the service gave more than proportional increases. A suggestion supported by the Director was made that there should be moro uniformity of rewards in different branches of the Public Service. The Assistant Director ami that although there was a surplus of applications of juniors in some districts there was still a shortage in Wellington, because of tho very many opportunities offering to young people of other employment in the 'Public Service. Dr. Anderson assured the council that the authorities were- not unaware of the need for improvement in tho pay and tho improvement in conditions of the teaching service. The difficulty was to devisu a scheme which would give opportunity to tho good teacher and.would not encourage the bad teacher to relax effort. Mr. T. TJ.. Welle suggested that there i should fee added to the motion • a clause to the effect that the salaries of entrants to , the teaching profession 6hould lie maintained on a level equal to those salaries paid in other branches of the service. . >■ This was added to the motion.

The Unfit. Mr. B. M'Callum, M.P., said that hp was . still of opinion that niore supervision should bo exercised over young people entering the profession in order that the unsuifablo might be weeded out. He said that if any proposal were made to increase the salaries of headmasters of primary schools he would not support it. Hedged round as they were by the Appellate Court, he w,ould not agree to pay more to primary school headmasters unless the payment were to bp in the- nature of an efficiency wwe. Undoubtedly a march had been stolen on the Legislature by the headmasters when they got this Appellate Court. Ho admitted that teachers gen-' erally were not paid (-nough, but there were some primary school headmasters who were "too jolly; well paid"—(hear, hear)—because they were not doing their wort. Mr. Wells said that the Appellatn Court did not protect inefficient teacljcrs, but not another member of the council supported him in this declaration. It whs the general opinion that it was far 100 difficult to get rid of the inefficient teacher. Mr. Caushley paid that the root of the trouhlo was in the method of .appointment and in sectional control of appointments. Thoro were many anomalies at present, soma of them created by the additions made to snlaries of teachers without first redistributing the teachers. Tliis redistribution could never be done without central control, so that those! who would have Sectional control must realise that they wore standing in the way of reform. At present it was not possible even to put a etop on the promotions of inefficient teachers.

Dr. Anderson said that he believed it would lx) ixissiblo to get . bettor young poonle for the profession. - The motion was carried.

The Position of Director. Mr. E. C. Banks moved: "That six months before Dr. Anderson retires the position of Director of Education bo advertised throughout English-speaking countries at a salary of ,£l!)flO; and that in tho event of a New Zealander being appointed ho be given twelve months' leave of absence in order that he bo allowed to go abroad to get information of education in other countries." Mr. Banks said that he was not concerned as to whether a. local man or an imported man got tho position. All his concern was that the best man should get it. He urgod that .£ISOO was not a. large salary to lie paid in view of the importance of the work. Big business firms paid to managers from .£IOOO to J.'5000 a year. He himself was a director of the New Zealand Farmers' Bacon Company, and this company paid a manager .£I2OO a, year—for dealing with pigs! For deal; ing with children a man was paid "a beggarly .£850." Mr. Banks urged that aJI subordinate officers should be adequately paid, and he mentioned such salaries as ,€I2OO to the inspectors for secondary schools and technical schools.

■Mr. Wills, seconding tho -motion, saio. that tho anomaly of the present, position was shown from tho fact that the holders of soma, of the subordinate positions in education were now better paid than We present Director. .Some secondary, school headmasters received a year, and the head of the Auckland Technical , School received nearly .£IOO3 a year. A New Zealander.

Dr. Anderson urged the council to adopt a motion in more general terms, beeausb tho motion in its present shape seemed to dictate to the Public Service Corumissioner. He was prepared to support (h<> principles of the motion. He was afraid that it would be difficult to get a man in Britain or America, at ,£ISOO who woiik! fill the bill. Probably it would be wiser to take a New Zealander, a man who was known, and a man who could develop. A man coming from abroad would need years to acquire knowledge of the New Zealand'system.

Mr. F. 11. Campbell said he would not support the motion. He was strongly of opinion that the appointment should so to a New Zealander.

Professor MacMillnn Brown also urged that it would bo wiser to appoint a. New Zealander. The choice of n man from abroad must be something of a lottery. He also strouglj supported the proposalthat the salary should be raised considerably, and he would not <say Hint •21500 was the limit that should be eel. He would not oppose the scheme to adverlisß abroad, but he would advise great caution in the selection of a man from abroad. Ho thought Die appointee should be a man who knew the whole gamut of the present system in New Zealand. Miss Butler said that if they were to stipulate that the appointee should be familiar "with ."the whole gamut" of the New Zealand system, this would limit the choice to two or three men round the present Director. No other men in the country knew tho whole., system} ruough they might be good meiii in their departments. A New Zealander might have as much difficulty in learning all about the system as a stranger lvotild have. Mr, M'Calluin said lie would favour the increase of the salary now. In its present form the motion was a reflection on Dr. Anderson. He argued that a New Zealandor ought to be appointed, being satisfied that we had good enough men here. He would not oppose advertising abroad, but he feared it would be wasting money on advertising./ He stated Ms view by quoting a much-quoted Irishman: "I'm open to conviction, but show me the man that will convince me." lit also would not hear of the appointment of anybody from America. 'Godjielp us from Americans." he said. "They didn't como into the war soon enough for me—and n, lot of other things." At length Mr. Banks amended Ins motion: "That the position of .Director of Education should carry n minimum salary of .£ISOO a. year, and that also the chief' inspector of secondary, technical, and primary schools should receive .£I2OO ii, venr; Ihiit in future any Vacancy in the directorate bo advertised throughout English-sneaking countries, and that if a New Zoalander bo .appointed he be given twelve months' leave of absence in order to make' a study of education as established abroad." . .' . In this form the ;notion was carried unanimously. Policy Questions, Mr. E. M'Ctt-Uum-moved: "That in the,

opinion of the council it is advisable that amendments in the Education Act on matters on which the council has not had an opportunity of expressing an opinion should, before being introduced into Parliament, bs subfiiitfed to and considered by it." He urged that the council was a body unpointed to advise on questions of policy and that therefore it should bo consulted about legislation. Dr. Anderson pointed out that to have too much consultation about legislation was an obstacle, and it would increase the difficulties of getting legislation through to increase the uumbsr of bodies to be consulted. Time after time education legislation had been headed olf because the boards had not been consulted.

The motion was agreed to. Mr. Hamilton moved: "That owing to the .national importance of securing a sound course of instruction in history iii tho primary and secondary schools, steps be taken to make better provision for it than at present exists." The motion was carried after some discussion. . •

Committee C reported having considered several motions. These, in their original form or in a form suggested by the committee, came , * before the council for discussion at the afternoon session.

The council adopted the following resolutions:

"That the council reaffirm the resolution passed last year, 'That no child should be taught in any room with less than 12 square feet floor space,' and ask Parliament to grant .£500,000 to provide the necessary accommodation in the primary schools." "That, where available, the minimum amount of land for a school should bo four acres; that in cases where there are moro than 400 children attending school there should lie at least one acre of flat land for each hundred children attending the school, and the Government be asked for an interim grant of .SoOU.IKJO towards carrying this out." "That in any new lnrge school proposed to be erected provision should be made for a suitable room for the use of the school dentist and doctor." "That in view of Hie present conditions a further increased capitation allowance should Ik granted to school curuinittees for incidental purposes." "That where the provision of school sites and playgrounds, whether now or additional,, is necessary, tho full cost should be found by the Department, unless there is money available for the purpose out of the general funds of the board." . .

Dr. Anderson moved Iho atloplion of the following motion:— "That in view of the national importance of manual and technical instruction the cost of sites for building* lor such purposes should be provided by the State." Mr. Strong suggested that the clause he referred back to the committee for further consideration. , He would not support anything tending in the slightest decree to reduce the amount of money available for furthering the efficiency of primary schools. The resolution ,in its aliove form would have a tendency iii that direction. He thought it a distinct advantage to education that private individuals nnd public bodies should consider themselves called upon (o contribute to the cost of technical high school sites. It would bo a pity to discourage local generosity and local inter-

est. ' The council decided not to refer the clause back, but several speakers endorsed the.views that Mr. Strong had expressed. Mr. Hamilton, the original framer of the motion, was permitted to amend it by.adding the words: "In all cases in which local provision for sites by means of donations or otherwise is insufficient to meet all reasonable needs." ■The amended motion was carried. The council adjourned till 10 a.m. today.. . . ' '