TEACHERS OUT OF WORK

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 630, 5 April 1929, Page 11

TEACHERS OUT OF WORK

“PATHETIC AND SAD” PARENTS’ VAIN SACRIFICES According to figures submitted by I the secretary at the meeting of the Auckland Education Board this mornI r? S i'i 104 students from the Training j College have never received permanent teaching appointments durm at the years 1825, 192 G and 1927. Mr. T. U. Wells said he had had i cases of a most pathetic nature Drought to his notice during the last jew weeks. Some of them had only j had temporary employment during the j last two or three years. Ihe position is really a most seriJ ous one,” said Mr. Wells. He knew I?, p^ re “ ts . who had ke Pt children at the Plaining College at considerable J expense and then found them un- ! at >le to obtain appointments. One or I f wo girls had been forced to look for domestic employment. “While no one on this board looks down on domestic employment,” said Mr. Wells, “where a family has made a sacrifice in order to keep their girl at school for a higher leaving certificate course and then for a further two years at the Training College, surely the least that the parents can expect is that that girl should receive employment.” “WORSE THIS YEAR” The position was more acute here than in the South, said Mr. Wells. Auckland seemed to be the promised land for teachers. Another contributing factor was the hard times which had prevailed during the last two years. In prosperous times there was a larger number of marriages. It was difficult to know how to grapple with the position. The number of entrants to probationership should be cut down. “We were assured by the department a year or two ago that the position would work itself out by 1929 or 1930. It is not doing so. ! "My impression,” said Mr. Wells, “is that the position is even worse this year. We should make strong representations to the department.” Mr. James Boddie said there was an increasing number of boys and girls coming forward and applying for entrance to the Training College. The case seemed to be hopeless, but no difficulty was insurmountable. “Mr. Wells has put it as pathetic and sad," said Mr. Boddie. “I cannot find words to express my feelings.” After further discussion the board, ion the motion of Mr. R. Hoe, dej eided to draw the attention of the Minister of Education to the position, recommending that the number of pupils in a sole-teacher school required before an assistant is appointed he reduced from 36 to 30.