STAFFING OF SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 49, 22 November 1920, Page 6

STAFFING OF SCHOOLS

DUNtDIN STATEMENTS REFUTED MINISTER EXPLAINS THE POSITION Tho Dunedin Education Board, at its last meeting, discussed tho'new regulations regarding the stalling of schools. Tho chairman of tho board stated that the regulations required that at least ono of tho first two assistants, two ot tho first four assistants, and three of the first six assistants in mixed schools ot Grado Cor 7 must bo women. Inis would mean that in twclvo of tho board s largest schools the present male fourth assistants would be transferred to odier positions of equal salary, una" wou ' d . b0 replaced by women at very much mureased'salaries. The regulations would make it possible for the staff of a large school to consist of fivo women and pue man. - The board decided to protest against vhe substitution of female assistants for malo assistants in the larger 6ClloolS. .. /LI TT The Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr) said on Saturday that the statements made by the secretary and the chairman of the board disclosed either a deplorable lack of know edge by the board and its officers, or clf.o a desire to mislead the public. In tho Grade 7 schools referred to at the board meeting, the Minister said that the three senior male assistants received under the old scale, salaries ot Grades 7, -5, and i, respectively, and under the new scale three positions carryin? these salaries nt. the increased rates were still available for these three malo assistants. There was, therefore, no foundation in fact for tho • statement made by the board that one of these male assistants would have to be transferred and that there was no equivalent position provided for the third male assistant. . , "The Dunedin chairman, when pointing out that it is possible for fivo out ot the first six assistants to be women, was apparently ignorant of tlw fact that under the old regulations all of the first six assistant* fonld be women.' Mr. Pair continued. "The Department has again and again been forced to protect the i-ishtfitl interests of highly efficient women teachers of over twenty years experience who. by the action ot certain boards, were often kept in positions inferior to those given'to young, inexperienced, single man. Tho Dunedin chairman's expressed opinions regarding tho value of the position of the infant mistress in a large school will afford somo amusement to educationists as coming from an official who desires to bo civen a voice in shaping educational policy. The 'Minister said that -he regretted I the fact that, ill-informed and unfounded criticism, should be so widely spread bv the Otago Board, though this was by no means the first instance of the like. In conclusion, the Minister remarked that the ignorance <lisnlnycd concerning eeliool conditions and tho absurdity of some of the views expressed at the board's meeting were not calculated . to make him rc<rret the loss of the assistance by way of consultation which tho board was so pager to offer, or even to demand ns ft right