WAR EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 191, 9 May 1940, Page 11

WAR EFFORT

Part To Be Played By Teachers MORE INTEREST URGED Fund Created To Assist Dependents The part to be played by teachers in the war effort was the subject of a long discussion at the morning session of the annual conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute in Wellington yesterday. In moving that during the war period the profits from the institute’s group assurance scheme should be devoted co the assistance of the dependants of institute members serving in the armed forces, Mr. R. Arbuckle (Matamaia) said that the conference had spent two days in discussing trifles. He understood that they had come to frame a war policy. So far they had constructed of platitudes a borer-cateu wheelbarrow without a bottom. Lhe institute should do something real ami tangible for soldier-teachers going overseas and for their dependants. Seconding the motion, Mr. L. J. R. Meek (Auckland) stressed the importance of adequate provision being made for the wives and families of soldierteachers. . In reply to a question, the retiring president, Mr. D. C. Pryor (Martinborough) said that the amount of money available from the group assurance profits would, he thought, be more than required. The motion was carried unanimously. Effort By Teachers. Moving an Otago remit that the annual meeting be given ample opportunity to discuss teachers’ contribution to the war effort, Miss V. Hayward, B.A. (Otago) appealed for a greater interest by teachers in the effort. If each teacher gave a pound of butter, a gift of 60001 b. of butter could be sent to England. She suggested that teachers should give 2/- a month from their salaries. Money might well be raised for the reconstruction of schools in war-torn countries. "I mention these things only as a basis for discussion,’ said Miss Hayward, “I ask you very earnestly to consider them so that this will be a worthy effort in a struggle that is going to be for our very existence.” “My own firm conviction,” said Mr. L. E. Tucker, B.A. (Egmont), "is that the teaching profession in particular and New Zealand as a whole have not realized what we are up against in this war. Teachers at present should have practically no interest except the war, in the sense that the war is the most important thing in our lives today. lam going to say that New Zealand is no more interested in the war between German and the Allies than she was in the war between Bolivia and Paraguay. A voice: Rubbish! ( Mr. Tucker: We can salve our consciences by giving to the Red Cross or by making articles, but what we have to do is to organize New Zealand. 1 believe that the successful prosecution of the war is even more important than alleviating hardship because, if we don’t win this war, these people are going to suffer much more. After the last war the returned soldiers got a fair spin. Mistakes were made, but the treatment of returned soldiers was not only just but generous; and it will be so after this war. We have been talking about making provision for young teachers, but in my opinion the place of many young male teachers and the young men of New Zealand generally is in the armed forces.

The president-elect, Mr. D. Forsyth (Port Chalmers) said it was hardly fair to suggest that teachers had not wakened up to the importance of the war effort. It was not correct,to suggest that teachers were cowering away and not doing their part. He knew of dozens of teachers who were in war work up to their necks. Some, too old to go to the war, were training territorials and others were doing social work of various sorts. They had been told by the late Director of Education, Mr. Lambournc, that the great task before teachers was to carry on the training of the children aud to see that those children were protected from the worst phases of war conditions. Mr. Forsyth said he did not suggest that teachers should not do more, but if they carried out Mr. Lambourue’s suggestion they would be making a constructive effort. Mr. T. Murphy (Waiapti) and oilier speakers urged the full co operation of teachers in the community effort for patriotic purposes.

Miss M. E. Magill, Dip.Soc.Se. (Tawa Flat) said that Miss Hayward’s suggestions meant the creation of a separate effort by teachers. In her opinion, it would not be fair for teachers to remain outside existing organizations which were doing patriotic work or to withdraw .from them in

favour of their own effort. Teachers were working for patriotic purposes, though they did not get credit as teachers. Did that matter? Iu her opinion it would not be wise to divert tlie energies of teachers from existing channels. Miss Hayward said that there was no question in her mind of divorcing teachers from tlie work being done by local bodies. She gave notice to move that the conference recommend a levy of 2/- a mouth on the salary of teachers. Mr. U. Butting, M.A. (Otago), gave notice of motion that in each district the institute set up a committee to acquaint soldier-teachers of their superannuation and other rights and to make itself familiar with the position of their dependants.

Mr. Tuck gave notice of motion that the conference approve of the principle of compulsory military service. These and other remits dealing with war service will bo discussed at a later session of the conference.