EDUCATION REFORM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 85, 5 January 1920, Page 7

EDUCATION REFORM

TEACHERS CONFER REMITS DISCUSSED BY INSTITUTE The New Zealand Eduoational Institute resumed its sessions od Saturday moraine. Mr. 0. E. Munro (president) occupied the chair Grading. Mr. P. A. Garry (Hawke'e Bay) moved: "That no system of grading and payment of teachers will be acceptable unless based upon efficiency and service alone. Mr. Garrv said that he had a little diffidence in moms the remit after what the institute had hoard on the previous evening from Mr. Caughley. Ho believed, however, that it was right ior the institute to ropeat its' statement of tho onlv way in which, m its opinion, the teaching profession could bo made contfliitfid Mr. '.T. D. (Auckland) seconded the motion. Mr A. J. C. Hall (Auckland), moved an amendment: that the words "and service Bhould be deleted. Tenders should, in lue opinion, be (traded and paid upon einciencv alono. , , Mr D. M'lnnesß (Auckland) seconded the amendment, which was lost. Mr Garry withdrew his motion in favour of ono proposing that a committee should be set up to report upon grading. The latter motion was earned, and the committee was duly constituted. The Back-blocks Teacher. Mr. J. P. Wilson (Grey) moved: "That when a new schedule of salaries is being framed, the Department be asked to take into consideration the teachers in the out-of-the-way places by extra granta or by the guarantee of a transfer after three veare." . . Several delegates questioned whether the schemn proposed was practicaWo. _ Mr P. A. Gary eaid that experience in Hnwke's Bay tended to show that the remit was unnecessary. He airreed with the principle, provided that the facts were as the remit would lead one to believe. But in Fawke's Bay the difficulty seemed to be to keen teachers lons enough in oue locality. Transfers were so freouent that thev seeded likely to prove detrimental to the interests of the school chil"t'lras moved: "That all the words after grants' be deleted. This amendment was carried. . The motion was finally carried in the followimr form: "That when a nw (schedule of salaries if beinp framed by the Department, preferential treatment in the form of extra franfa be accorded to teachera in out-of-the-way places Welfare of Girls. Mies E. A. Chaplin (North Canterbury) moved: "That in every large school (Grade 5 and upwards) the responsibilities of thn senior class mistress shall include (a) 6pecial attention to the health, morals, and manners of the girls, (b) the general supervision and teaching of a correlated course of lessons in elementary physiology and hygiene, and (c) the general oversight of all matters which specially affect the welfare of girls j such mistress to have a status and salary equal to that of the infant mistress. Miss Chaplin eaid that in England and bcotland "mixed" schools had a mistress whoso duties were similar to those mentioned in the remit. Miss M.' Smith seconded the motion Mr. C. AV. C. M'Donald (Otago) said that it was a very badly-organised school in which there was not already proper oversight of tho girls. All the lady teachers in each school were concerned in the matter. The responsibility was too much for one teacher. He deprecated what he described as an attempt to create new and false positions. Mr. F. A. Garry moved in amendment: "That the word 'senior* l>9 deleted, and 'mistresses' substituted for 'mistress ; nnd that all words after 'the welfare of cirls , be deleted." Mr ft. M. Henderson (Horowhenua) seconded the amendment. Mies N. E. Coad '(Wellington) opposed the amendment. Women teacher?, she said, were being excluded by artificial barriers from spheres of work in which thev could br< most useful. Miss Chanlin said that she was disappointed with the tone of tho discusvsion. She would have thought that the married teachers, at any rate, would have rccosnised the necessity for such a remit as she had moved. There should be in charee of the girls a woman teacher, to whom mothers could come in order to discuss matters that they would not bring up in the presence of a man. She claimed that tho matter was not the narrow ono that some of the delegates had represented it to be; it was something thai; touched the homes of all. . The remit was lost, and tho amendment moved bv Mr. Garry vas carried. Domestic Matters. A Maiiawatu remit recommended the appointment to the executive of "nine non-official members (in place of the present sixV one to be elected by tho members of the institute resident within each education district." The object of tho euestestion was to secure for caca croup of branches comprised in one education district direct representation upon thn executive. The remit was lost. . | The executive was granted permission to co-mit two or more members to assist it in its deliberations during tho coming year. Various Remits. The following remits were adopted:— "That capitation for manual and technical subiects be abolished; all requisites for these subjects to be, supplied as reauired." , , ~ "That boards should have wider powers in allotting staffs to schools in cases of emercency "-(Otago.) "That no class in the infant department shall consist of more than thirty pupils, and that a qualified assistant be provided for each class. , -(Mas.erton.). "That sewing count as a handwork subject for airls."-(Wellington.) "That in tho event of a teacher receiving a new appointment,, removal expenses Bhould be paid.'MHawke's Bay.) "That men teachors with forty years service and women with thirty, should, on retirement, bo allowed six months leave of absence on full pay, or twelve months on half m, the same to come into operation m January, 1930. -(Pov""WT assistant teachers bo substituted for pupil teachers.'MPoverty Bay and 'That tho New Zealand University Senate be asked to mako education a subiect for honours." 'That the syllabus for teachers certificate examinations should bo revised. —(Taranaki.) , , "That teachers, pupil teachers, and probationers employed in country schools, while attending drawing and other classes held in centres, be paid tho actual expenses incurred by them in doing so. - ■ Tho institute adjourned till this mornintt.