TECHNICAL SCHOOL TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 80, 29 December 1920, Page 6

TECHNICAL SCHOOL TEACHERS

' ANNUAL CONFERENCE

REMITS ADOPTED YESTERDAY

The annual conference of the Now Zealand Technical School Teachers' Association was opened yesterday morning at the office of. the Wellington Education Board. Mr. R-. J. Thompson (president "of tho association and Ashburton delc- ■;. gate) occupied tho chair. Tho other delc- .. gates present were: , Auckland, Dr. O'Shannassy and Mr. H. Jones; Now Plymouth, Mr. A. L. Moore; AVanganui, Miss M. B. Robertson and Mr. L. Chappie; Wellington, Messrs. M. M'Willianis and E. L. Enting; Christchurch, -Mr. E. _G. Jones; Dunedin, 'Alisses M. AVilson 'and C. Neale; Invercargill, Miss M. Farquharson. spoko of the world-wide ; movement towards educational reform. Great men had recently arisen as reformers in other countries, and a splendid opportunity awaited in New Zealand tho man who couW took to tho futuro and turn his back on the past. New condi- ■'■' tions called for new.sjystem3, and if education was to be mads what it Bhould be, there would have to bo great changes. There had been a tendency on- the part of a great number of people to neglect the advantages of secondary education. Yet the leadership of tho country might in the future be in the hands of the class that had chiefly neglected such cdu- ■ cation, and unless secondary school work could be made to attract thess people and fit them for good leadership, the country would suffer. Technical education ... had not yet received.from the educational authorities of the Dominion,the consideration it deserved. He hoped that <lur■•ing tho next year much would be done "to enlist the aid of commercial and industrial interests in tho furtherance of vocational education. The sixth annual report stated that the membership of the association had in the.last five years risen, from 68 to 132. . "The executive has much pleasure," the .' report stated, "in painting to the many improvements in the conditions of technical teachers which 'havo taken place since last tho delegates met in AVclimg- ' ton. The bug-bear of capitation :ba.i gone; an endeavour is now being made 'to''pay teachers according to service and ability; hours of work are being made uniform and reasonable; and salaries are paitially adjusted to the increased cost of ■ living. The exeoutive- adds that the hearty thanks of the association are duo to Mr Parr (Minister of Education) for his sympathetic consideration of. the wishes of the technical school teachers and also to the Education Department for its endeavours to meet the technical teachers." . . Dr. O'Shannassy expressed with some Emphasis -his view that the technical •school teachers had no particular cause ' to be grateful for the grading that the "'Department had instituted. The fact was ■'he said, that the technical school teach- /.■ era.had merely got what was left over ' when the demands of the primary and the high school teachers had been met. '-'■ It was pointed out to Dr. O'Shannassy that the report recorded merely that nn endeavour had been made by the Department to meet the technical school ' teachers. •••,«.!.• -u 1 Dr. O'Shannassy.observed that vn nu opinion the endeavour had not been very ■• successful. • t '• The meeting proceeded to consider remits from tho various branches of the as- " sociatlon. The following quoted below wete adopted:— .. , •- 'That this meeting forward to toe aimlister of Education tlia thanks of the technical school teachers for his efforts - ' towards removing the grievances of technical school teachers, and express the '• hope that these efforts will be continued until salaries and conditions of service are to their satisfaction." "That senior free places be tenable at " technical schools until the age 0f.19, or such later date until completion of the ' course of study as may be recommended by the director of the school." "That the Department make up loss -~~in capitation caused through the compul'sory closing of technical schools by the Health Department." "That the Railway Department be asked to delete section IG, page 151, Hailway Regulations, and issue all tickets to " technical students under sections 13 and 14, page 153." "•'•':•> "Timt provision be made for adequate training in teaching methods for assist- ,• ants in technical schools."

"That the Department bo asked to grant a cost-of-living bonus to permanent clerks and caretakers in the employ of .technical school authorities for the years 1919 and 1920.'-

'"That the Minister bo urged to introduce legislation enabling the teaching Stan's to be represented on boards ot governors of technical schools." "That before tho provision of regulation H, relating to reduction of salaries, be brought into operation, the teacher concerned be given the refusal of'a position which will carry the salary received 'by him."

£ "That in any scale of staffing for technical high schools, one teacher 'be assigned to each practical class having an average attendance of 15, and one teacher to each theoretical class having an average attendance of 20.*

"That the proposal by headmasters in

■ Wellington to urge the Dominion Executive of the N.Z.E.I. to consider tho ■/. advisability of taking steps to merge the present institute into -a union bo en-

. dorsed by our association." This remit was the subject of considerable discussion.. It transpired that near, ly all the delegates were in support ui the remit as a stop in the direction oi strengthening their hands when making demands for improvements in their con« clitions. The, only arguments brought against the proposal wero that such, a 6tep would cause n "loss of dignity," and would not be in accord with professional status. These views, however, did not receive much support. It was argued that tho formation of a union would enable teachers to bring their case before the Arbitration. Court if necessary. It was merely, a logical extension and strengthening of tho present organisation. In connection with section 3G of the regulations governing the employment ol technical school teachers it was resolved that the hours of school services to be required from technical school teachers, except practical workshop instructors, .should, not exceed 25 per week and 3t hours per week for practical workshop instructors, the hours to be computed ni the following rates:—Between 9 a.m. and i p.m., ordinary■ time; between i p.m. and 9 p.m., time and a half. It was further Tesolved—(l) That school duties should include actual teaching time, and also time devoted to sports, drill, and . any other services required. (2) That no teacher should bo required to teach more than two evening classes per week, and that where a teacher took an. evening class his time-table should be so arranged that he would bo free iu the afternoon before the ovening class or in the morning following. The\onference will sit again to-day.