CHOOSING OF TEACHERS

Evening Star, Issue 20052, 18 December 1928, Page 13

CHOOSING OF TEACHERS

RIGOROUS ELIMINATION [Special to thb ‘Stab. 1 ] CHRISTCHURCH, December 17. A denial of the accuracy of the impression that many children who, though having no special aptitude for any trade or profession, continue their secondary school education beyond the matriculation' period, take up the teaching more or less as the last resort because they can find nothing else to do, was expressed to a * Sun ’ reporter to-day by Mr C. R. Kirk (secretary of the Canterbury Education Board). Mr Kirk explained that everything possible wase done to ensure that only the fittest children were admitted to the teaching profession. Not only was the scholastic career of an applicant fo- probationership taken into account, but he was personally interviewed by the board, medically examined, and reported on by his head master when he had begun active work as a teacher. “It is quite a mistaken impression that we get the ‘ duds,’ ” said Mr Kirk. The applicants for probationerships m 1920 had already been interviewed by members of the Education Board and by the senior inspector, Mr M. M. M’Leod. “ Each interview lasts from five to six minutes, and a very fair idea is obtained of the applicant’s qualifications and personality.” The medical examination was in progress at the board’s rooms to-day, under the school medical officers (Drs E. Baker M'Laglan, and R. B. Phillips). Both in this examination and in the interview unsuitable candidates are weeded out. There is a total of 154 applicants in the North Canterbury district, part of these having already been examined in Timaru and other centres. This total is smaller than last year’s, which exceeded 200. Of the 154 applicants, 104 are labelled Grade A, because they have higher leaving certificates from secondary schools. The remaining 50, who have gained only their matriculation, are the B grade candidates.' Although the Education Board has at present only ninety odd vacancies it is practically bound to ap point all of the A grade candidates, st bject, of course, to the medical examination. Hence there seems little piospect of the grade B candidates gaining positions in North Canterbury, at any rate this year. Their only hope is that another education district will find itself short of probationers, and appeal to the Canterbury Board for additional candidates, when those in grade B may bo appointed.