SCHOOLS AND THE PEOPLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2106, 23 March 1920, Page 1

SCHOOLS AND THE PEOPLE.

THE INEFFICIENT TEACHER. Pungent criticism of the neglect of education in New Zealand marked the closing passages of Professor Hunter’s address to women teachers at Wellington oiv Wednesday. New Zealand had money for everything else hnt schools, he said. There was plenty of money to lie found for picture, shows, but hone for a proper cinematograph apparatus for the public school. If there was a tine building to be seen in the city it was a business house or a meat store, or something connected with the making of money; never a school. The most important force in any community did not lie in hy-dro-electric , plants or freezing works, but in the young people of the coming generation and their schools. To put the education system of Ihe Dominion on a proper footing would lake at least .C5.000,000, yet because the people did not understand and were not enthusiastic the money was not forthcoming. The worst effect of the present system was the deadening of enthusiasm. The nation appeared to regard property as ..of more importance limn humanity. A man who wa.s to practise as a lawyer, a doctor, or even a plumber, had to be f|ualifted, certilicaied, and licensed, because the public demanded that he should he efficient, hut out of 4,710 teachers in ' the primary schools of Nov; Zealand I", 300 were uncertiliValed —25 per cent. When the financial crash came in this country, and he was sure it would come,- they would find people crowding into the teaching profession because .no qualilicat ion • was required. The whole system bad a debasing effect on the profession, and good teachers wore driven out, just as bad money drove out the good. It was hopeless to look for improvement under presold but; teachers should shake off their own fear unci face the facts. and seek remedies.