TEACHING PROFESSION

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 390, 23 March 1937, Page 4

TEACHING PROFESSION

IRKSOME JIBES. Discussion on Lack of Male Entrants. “I have .no hesitation in saying that this school has produced morv teachers than any . pother school in the province,*’ declared Mr A. H. R. Amess, principal of the Stratford Technical High School, at the monthly meeting of the Board last nighti, dulring discussion of a letter from the Central Taranaki School Committees’ Association, stressing the need for more male teachers and also drawling attention to the apparently low academic standard of applicants.” Mr Amess said he had gone into the matter very fully and had token out a record of the number of girls and boys who had entered the teach-

ing profession since 1930. It v'as hardly a fair indication as the depression years had intervened, but it would be some guide to Board members. He had ascertained that during that period 24 girls and 13 boys had left either for the University or Training College. Th'at meant that 50 per cent, of the sixth form girls and 25 per cent, of the sixth form boys had entered the teaching profession in seven years. It looked as if the committee regarded the school as a training ground for teachers, but he was not quite sure how the criticism was intended. In Auckland the Taranaki students had achieved quite a name and were regarded as a particularly flue type.

Necessary Preparation. The committee, Mr Amess continued, wire probably not fully aware of the member of years that must elapse in a child’s life before sending him 3.\’?'ay for teaching. At least he would have to be in the si/.th form and in a number of cases parents were not in a position to keep a child at school for such a tfme. Then again, in -this district there was rather a foolish attifc tude. Jokes were heard that were rather .tiresome and no doubt some boys were turned away because of the attitude to I hie toaahing profession. Elsewhere it wa» not noticeable, but in this district th e public were rather sarcastic. Teaching v.an an honourable pro-

fession,, a nun her of years were necessary to qualify, and some natural aptitude had to b possessed. Other professions, medicine or law, were perhaps no more important. Medical men had charge of Ylie children’s bodies, but the teachers had the care of their characters. He rather regrebted the attitude of some of the public. Quite recently the schools were closed for an extended period, and he had heard a number of jokes which became rallur irksome. That attitude was met with from persons quite incompeitem to undertake the 'work and he hoped that members of the Board might do something to stem the tide of f lohsh criticism. Mr W. J. Polson, M.P.: You want to be a member of Parliament to know what it ts. Criticism Not Intended.

Mr J. H. Thomas said he u*as present at the. School Committee Association meeting and he desired to make it quite clear that no criticism of the Board was intended. They had regarded very seriously the dearth of male teachers and referred the question to the Board because at the present time the .position was so acute. No one disputed that there must be a certain proportion of males. Mr Polson: Is that general throughout the Dominion? There is going to be about 5000 or 6000 less children because of the birth rate. If the population stands still it does not

seem as if there will be any great field for the teachers. Mr J. McAllister (chairman) said ; that the teachers were a fine type of I men and would be tan honour to any ; profession. If. encouragement could be given in the early x stages possinly I more would be attracted to the process on. Very often a young man after leaving th. training college spent Ihis fir. t two years in Hu backbloeks, i here there .was no home life, and J to many i| was a depressing prospect, j He thought thiat Mr Amess was rathier s nsitivi to the ’attitude of thepu'bI l-e, as his own experience was that the teachers were rs well respected as any oth r section of the community. In all lines of business there vere those jibes. There were other professions where the benefits were i more immediate, but just how to get ! away from that position was a problem that was exercising the minds of j educationists. Like nursing, it seemi?d that teachers had to be inspired •by something higher than monetary irev-'ard. They had Jo be born teachi ers. j Earnings of Young Teachers. Mr T. T. Murray: Is the profession attractive enough? When a boy starts Qut in life he must have some prospects. The bare minimum wage now paid to a worker is £3 16s a week.

What does a boy earn? Mr Amers: At 21 he would earn about £lBO pel’ year. Mr Polson: He is grfeting less than the poorest paid worker. They should get a better reward and you (Have got to make it more attractive. The School Committees’ Association is to be advised that the problem hail exercised the minda of the Board and all educational authorities, and a suggestion was made that some inquiries be made with a view to making the profession more attractive to boys.