TEACHERS’ SALARIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2192, 23 September 1907, Page 2

TEACHERS’ SALARIES.

PRESENT BASIS UNSATISFACTORY. COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME PROPOSED.

At a special meeting of the P.B. branch of tho N.Z. Educational institute, hold on Saturday, Mr. Woodward presided over a good attendance. In connection with the schome submitted by Mr. J. Alarshall (Matawliero) for the classification, promotion and payment of teachers throughout New Zealand, a sub-commit-teo presented its report. The result of tho committee’s deliberations was favorable to the proposal, and their recommendation that male and female teachers be placed on an equal basis undor the scale was agreed to. The scheme, as adopted, is to be submitted to tho Hawke’s Bay Institute, and thence, if approved, forwarded on to the N.Z. Educational Institute. For some timo past the Institute has been endeavoring to arrive at a satisfactory basis on which to as'k for a revision of salaries. Mr. Marshall, the author of the proposal now put forward, has put much time and. study into the subject, and claims that his scheme presents no difficulties. He fixes tho maximum salary tentatively at £SOO, with a minimum of £BS for certificated teachers. Ho recommends that four main factors should be taken into account in fixing salaries, each division representing 25 per cent, as follows:

Literary and other qualifications, 25 per cent, to be adjusted as follows : Matriculation or Junior Civil Service 5 per cent; D certificate 10 per cent; C 15 per cent; B 20 per cent; A 22( per cent; other certificates of use to a teacher but not ineluded in the above, such as technical certificates, drill, etc., 21 per cent. Teaching, tact, method, efficiency, personality, 25 per cent, as follows: Alark—s, 5 per cent; mark—4, 10 per cent; mark—-3, 15 per cent; mark—2, 20 per cent; mark 1, 25 per cent. Service and experience, 25 per cent as follows: After 2 years, 2 per cent; after 10 years, 5 per cent; after 15 years, 10 per cent; after 20 years, 15 per cent; after 25 years, 20 per cent; after 30 years, 25 per cent. Responsibility, head teachers only, 25 per cent, as follows: Staff of one or two, 5 per cent; staff of three to five, 10 per cent; staff of six to nine, 15 per cent; ten to fourteen, 20 per cent; fifteen and over, 25. per cent. First assistant—Staff of six to fourteen, 5 per cent; staff of 15 and over, 10 per cent.

Air. Alarshall points out that the teachers are greatly handicapped under the present system of average attendance. In his remarks accompanying the scale, he explains in detail how it' can be applied. “The scheme takes into account” (he informed a“Times”representative) “four main factors in arriving at a teacher’s value to the Department. It does not allow his salary to depend on any one or two of these, as does the present system. If a teacher i; strong in any one or two of these points he gets credit, if weak he suffers accordingly in percentage. It minimises the evils of favoritism, luck, or haphazardness .in determining appointments, promotions, and pay. Promotion depends on the teacher’s own ability, energy, experience, -and personality. As only 25 per cent, of the salary depends on the size of-the school it minimises the evils of canvassing and prevents bitterness and ill-feeling among rival candidates. Further, it minimises the possibility of a teacher's salary depending on or fluctuating with attendance, and holds out hope of promotion to aU on equal terms. At present for every

one receiving promotion there are 10 or 20 equally deserving candidates shut out, and it must ever be so while advancement depends on the size of schools only. No greater injustice than this "can exist in dealing with, any body of public servants. There are scores, aye hundreds, of teachers who have toiled for years in school and out of school attending collcgo lectures, gaining higher certificates, working up technical subjects, acquainting themselves with the most approved and modernised methods and practising them in their schools with the most gratifying results, who liavo then found, after a quarter of a century’s toil, that they have been following up a “will of the wisp” that has invariably receded to the distance every time it has seemed - to be within grasp. You may philosophise to such teachors about the inward consciousness of duties faithfully

performed and other psychological facts, but to endure and survive for half a lifetime.the wear and tear and disappointment of unrequited energy teachers need to have in thorn some of the stuff of which Stoics are made. The scheme is calculated to. develop the most zealous aims and ambitions of a teacher whatever tho size of his charge, and arouse him from that lethargic helplessness which is so apt to fall on the teacher for whom there is no apparent promotion or change in either work or pay. Objection may may be raised to tho low minimum fixed, but teachers would bo prepared to accept this in a scale that holds out certain hope of a steady in-

crease. The reason why there is such an outcry for a high minimum is that under present conditions there is often little hope of increase. Whatever a teacher's certificate or experience, unless he is the lucky candidate for a vacancy his _salary must remain the same. Thus it not infrequently happens that a man’s initial 'salary is the one ho lives on all his life anil dies on. Besides, if teachers are to have a scale gradually rising to a tempting maximum, they must be prepared for a law minimum. As a matter of fact very few would have to start with the minimum, as most trainees should gain, on leaving the training institution, a higher efficiency mark that 5. Moreover, trainees leaving it at the age of 18 would bo fairly paid even at the minimum salary fixed. A good feature about the scheme is that it can be adopted without any drastic change in the present mode of examination and classification of teachers- or in the administration of technical affairs. Teachers’ certificates retain their present form ; there need be no change in Education Boards nor in the Inspectorate, save that it might be wise to form—as suggested-—a Promotion Council to make tours for the purpose of granting efficiency marks. Everything else could remain in statu quo.” Questioned whether the scale would not add largely to the educational vote, Mr. Marshall, said that oven if there wore no actual increase teachers , were anxious to have the service efficiently classified.