APPEALS FOR TWO TEACHERS

Southland Times, Issue 24840, 4 September 1942, Page 5

APPEALS FOR TWO TEACHERS

Members Of High School Staff

Appeals on behalf of two teachers, George H. Geddes and Wilfred Wright, employed at the Southland Boys’ High School, came before tlie Southland Armed Forces Appeal Board at Its sitting in Invercargill yesterday. The appeal for Geddes was adjourned sine die and that for Wright was held over. The appeals were lodg d by the Southland High Schools’ Board through the Director of National Service. It was stated that both teachers had volunteered for active service.

The secretary of the board, Mr H. T. Thompson, said it was practically Impossible to obtain teachers with a knowledge of science and mathematics. The Boys’ High School with a roll of 307 was one teacher short. The positions occupied by Geddes and Wright had been advertised, but no applications had been received Geddes was a territorial officer, and Wright, who had volunteered for the Air Force, was wanted by the defence authorities as a meteorologist. The teachers were valuable as instructors for the training of men who would ultimately go into the Air Force. Wright was a member of the Home Guard and took part in military cadet work at the school. An objection to the appeal lodged on his behalf was put forward by Wright, who said that, great as was the difficulty in obtaining ■ science teachers, there was a similar shortage on the technical side of the Air Force, and It must be borne in mind that the first job was to win the war.