LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 287, 28 August 1920, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

GRADING OF TEACHERS

Sir,—ln your -issue of Saturday last, Mr. H. A. Parkinson, secretary of tho N.Z.E.1., comments on statements made by me at the last meeting of the Education Board. The bulk of his arguments are intended to prove that hoards should be abolished, ns they have been more or less a pest since they were first set up in 1877. Mr. Parkinson states: "Almost, any system would be preferable to the methods that have been in vogue amongst education boards ever since they came into existence." Even if it were'admitted that a number of teachers are in receipt of salary less .than others who are .graded higher, it does not at all follow, as Mr. Parkinson very -well knows if he has given any consideration to the matter, that therefore the administration is I necessarily either corrupt or incompetent. If he has not considered the question in all its bearings, he is not entitled to speak. If he has considered it, lie knows that besides board administration there are a number of other important factors leading to anomaly, such as legal enactment, roculaUon, location of employment, individual preference of the teacher, desire to be near university, etc.; hut one looks in vain in his written communication for a frank and candid acknowledgment that any other condition exists than the failure of boards to staffs as graded, and positions as scheduled, in exact parallel agreement— this in a period, be it observed, of unique difficultv.

Now, Sir, I humbly submit that whatever may have been the attitude of boards fortv years ago is beside the question, and I can assure him iny board has, during the past few years, ilonc- its utmost to ■ improve the national system, and, incidentaliv, the conditions of those serving under it. I fully recognise that, tho pivot of the system is the teacher, and it has been' mv aim during the past two years to do all in my power lo improve the' condition* of service for all our teachers,' from the lowest paid class —the back-block school teacher— ( o the highest paid citv headmaster. It has been n matter of'satisfaction to reee-'ve from teachers of all grade* arfciiAwledn. Hient and thanks for my attitud" and ef-' f.--*- n" Hipir Mia". Mr. Parkinson states: "In practice the grading has Attained a verv satisfactory sh.ndard of evenness in the various districts," and I should be extremely del ; «lited to know tha'- this opinion Was <uivthin? like unanimous amongst the rank and fie ff teachers. He further states "that over Bfl i>nr p»h! teachers ar; members of •t-he N.Z.E.1.," but ns I represent'and recognise no mii'ticulnr class or .section.' I ricsip- also to hw Die views «t the other «t 7>r ™nt. This was my idea in supresting that Ine'Wellington Board should l'self take a direct vote from nil its teacher* - whether they arc Members'ol the N'.ZTI. (i r net.

At Ihe conclusion of the recent conference n:illed by the .Han. C. J: Parr to consider the cioding scheme, I was fnyitcd to sneak on behalf of the educaIjon boards, nnd saul I was confident mat the boards would welcome any fair j'.ml reasonable scheme of grading .is a tons of Dominion promotion, provided it was proved that ■ the basis of such scheme was acceptable to the majority of the teachers. The boards fullv recog'mscd the necessity for having a satisfied stall ot teachers, as it is of vital importance to boards nnd teachers alike tlmt tiKwo matters of appointment'and promotion should be satisfactorily settled. I reminded the conference' that sufficient evidence had been brought: forward by the various speakers to! justifv fully file action of the boards in hithe'rto refusing to accept the marks of the present grading scheme as anything like a fair and sound basis of promotion. I pointed out that, in any system of grading, latitude must be allowed to meet the case of ft position, the circumstances 'of which called for some special qualifications •in the teacher.

.Moreover, I said that, personally, I was prepared to go further in regard to the scheme, and 1» quite agreeable to the placing of appointments under the control of some central authority, provided such a plan, implying m it undoubtedly would, a system of general transfer, met with the anproval of the teachers as a body, though I was confident, from what I knew of the minds <f a very large number of teachers, that the majority of them, would' prefer our' present system of appointment to one of transfer only. I think the above will enable our teachers to see exactly where I stand in relation to the prnding scheme. In conclusion, I should like to add that I am prepared to join hands with tlw N.Z.E.I. in anything that can be done to further improve the conditions of the service, and, particularly, to have them brought more into lino with those now obtaining in. other branches* of- the Public Service—l am. etc., •

THOS. FORSYTH, Chairman, ■Wellington Education Board August 23, 1920.