EDUCATION MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 18, 16 October 1919, Page 7

EDUCATION MATTERS

POSITION OF COUNTRY TEACHERS

BETTER CONDITIONS DESIRED

Matters connected with- educational policy, particularly the need for attracting teachers to the country districts, wore discussed nt yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Education Board. The chairman (Mr: T. Forsyth), in reporting the result of the recent conference, of education boards, stated that an Education Boards' Association had been formed, of which he had been appointed the ■ first 'chairman. It had also been suggested that questions should bo formulated for submission to Parliamentary candidates. ...In such matters the association would work in co-operation with the Educational Institute. ' Mr. T. Moss: It seems strange that you should enter into politics. Mr., Forsyth: "I am not entering into uolitios." He'thought the move on the part of tho association would prove beneficial to the education system of the Dominion, livery member of Parliament was now taking an interest in education, and noVer before had so many members approved of increased votes for education. ■ Mr. I?. M'Cullum, M.P., said the board wna indebted. to Mi\ Forsyth and the other Wellington delegates, Messrs. G. L. Stewart and G. London, for the work thev had done nt the conference. The time had arrivMi when the boards of the Dominion should assert themselves. .Although! it* had often been suggested that education' boards should be abolished, lie thought they were n very long Aviiv. from fto. timo when the boards would he done, away with. He moved that the board express its appreciation of the services rendered by Messrs. Forsyth, London, and Stewart-at the conference. A Forward Movement. Mr. B. P. Rishworth seconded the motion, and said it seemed to him that a forward move in connection with education fin this country was being made. Ho thought they should be alive to the faoi that , they could influence public feeling, and that they could give a little lend, on educational matters. Many people were voicing qpinions on educational affairs iii a way that showed an utter lack of the requirements of education in the Dominion. If they could help to frnmoan educational policy for the guidance of members of Parliament it would bo a "jolly good tiling for the Parliament of tho country;'-' .Mr.C. I, ■ JTarkness remarked that it seemed to him that tlfo conference, did not: iio sufficiently far into the housing auestion as it affected teachers. Mr. Forsyth: You are on thin ice there. . . ' Proceeding. Mr. Harkness said that, .unlike tho Railway Department, the Miration Department made no provision fqr housing its staffs in country districts. There were cases in tho couii-' trv where teachers hnd had houses' sold over their heads two ot three times. lie thought it was time that a comprehensive housing scheme for teachers was prepared. They should not cater for headmasters solely,' , but for nil teachers. Mr. Fqrevth: The only 'thing in chniitt'.tion with housing is that the ivgument is not all on our side. .Throughout tho Dominion thorp are scores and sc.nr?3 of teachers' residences lying unoccupied. ...'•• Mr. G. London put in a plea on behalf of tha country- teachers. In the future the Ifoard should seek to attract to the country schools, by offering higher emoluments, a hotter cinss of teacher, who should be encouraged to stay in the country. They ought to got men who, fiulv alive to their responsibilities; and in lore with their work, were not concerned about netting- better jobs. The tenohinp profession should have representation on the education boards. While the bnards excluded the teachers they were defective and not properly representative institutions. Sooner or later, to meet the discontent 'in the. teaching profession, and to keep the boards as democratic, institutions, .the teachers' would have'to be represented' on the boards'. Mr. J. P. Slwudsajd his sympathies were very- largely with the. country, teacher. The claims on a country teacher were more severe than on a town teacher, and some inducement should be eivon. or something should be done, by wav of increasing tho emolument of the teacher in the country to attract men and women to, go then , . At present thev "could not-secure teacher* for iho country.- ■ Mr. E. H. P,enney consideied it to be a foolish policy to crentn big schools, because it tended, to overwork (lib teaolicrs. Where they had n school of sixty pupils .aid two first-class teachers, then the conditions wero iilenl for efficiency m teaching. Too much'.attention was (.evotod to the bis schools, whereas the troiiil. ontrht •to be in tho direction of hulpintr tho smaller schools. Mr, T. Moss said that not only coun-try-teachers, .but students in Hid trainin:; were applying for positions in the towns. Something should be norm to encourage young people to commence (heir.teaching , careers in the country, schools. >. A Discordant Note, .'< Mr. A. W. Hoirg: On this board the country 13 not well represented. The chairman: Oh, yes, it is, Mr. Hogg: It is a metropolitan board from end to end.

. Hip chairman: You are from the 'Wairarjipa. «ind it is well represented. Mr. Hogg; contcudetl that distinction \J;m made between the rii-al and city districts. Thero were twelve members en tho Wellington 'Kducntion Bonn! and the bigyest prpporfion represented the 'city of 'Wellington and district. Wairarnim.liad only two representatives on Win board-Mr. Jtosis and himself. Mr liojw complained that the board was . lxninel bv red tape," w.\\i the result that country requirements- received no attention. School committees had no I*™! 6 -' to spend even a few shillings without ...the ..authority of. the ' board, lial should not ba". so. ,The reason .H'hv there was dilTiculty. in gettiii" teacheri for the country "was that in many Tj.r.ces there wm no accommodation, not e\fi! a whare that wmil.-l cost a few ,l«mnels to erect. The .Education Dejiiirtmenr, by its.policv, was n'stiimblii"'.blcck- to prapress ii\ ediiont'on in the Dominion, and while they hnd such a "cumbrous and sleiipy-heaeled" Depn-t-' went thinra would never be nny betK. "Since- I hnvc been on .ho' board" rommented Mr. FovsyHi. "thero lrv-er line been any discrimination shown between town (ui<i countrv inrmbers. All tho weight has'ne»n in favour of vh» twintrv ilijtrints btwans" wo do re'eognisp that thov suffer from (K?nbilit''t.|=,. °T)io town kibWi huve been o|ip.n-inim!pd awl cenerous. - '

Mr. Moss snid that an n. count-y member he had always rpf-ived courtesy from otVv mi'inl>r-s of Hip bwd. nnd niiy t-him Hint-IV cnniitrv had-made had al"-nvs receive-;' fnir treatment.

Mv. Frirsyth cn-'d tlint if any member of the beard did not understand anything Hint was done it was entirely his 'mvn fault. The whole nroceduro was open to any membn", and nothing was dono that was,not ndinned by Hie members. It was a little unfair to sny that th? cwintrv by rfnbon of small rep"rcsen-i tnt'on nhl nnlTer thereby. Tlu- iT-tif.u proposed by Mr. M'Cnllum nils cirripii. , ;