THE TEACHING PROFESSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 7 June 1907, Page 2

THE TEACHING PROFESSION

INTKItVIHW WITH THE MINISTER. Mrs Dowling (secretary). Mr O. Johnson (president.), Mr F. 11. l'enlington and Mr Mcllrov, representing the Taranaki branch of He Teachers' Institute, waited on the 'Minister for Kduealion on Thursday morning iu connection with the movement for the betterment of the position of school teachers. Mr Johnson said the teachers were grateful to the Department for the colonial system of paying salaries, which had been of groat, assistance, and also for the provision of a nucleus for the superannuation fund. Hut still the teachers felt the need for reform. Ee-

forms were being instituted all round, and if was but natural that teachers should endeavor to secure reform. In the interests of education they must look to the future, and .that being so, they must expect the youth of the colony to come forward and take up their part of the work. Tint what inducement was offered them? They had to spend six or seven years in downright hard study, then they found their work was only commencing, and not that they could rest on their oars. They had (o be continually adding to their library, and how wore they to do (his on the poor salaries received, particu.ilrly those teachers in 'flu bock-blocks! 'The cost of living had increased considerably during the last eight or ten years. Chances of promotion were few. There were about fifty-six positions in the colony where the headmaster received from £301) upwards, and about two hundred and fifty where the salary was of £3OO, and there were seven hundred qualified teachers waiting for these positions. The most burning question from ateacher's point of view was that of payment of salary being based on average attendance. There were many causes which interfered with attendance, and over which the teacher had absolutely no control, and it was unfair in base salaries on (his. Payment shond he made on the average roll. They had to work for the whole of the seho'l-

ars, and why not, then, be paid for the

whole of them? Another matter they were desirous of. bringing before the Minister's notice was the compulsory attendance clauses, which were very unsatisfactory, Mr Penlinglou dealt with the need for reduction of the number of grades. At 'he present time there were thirty grades, and the institute, together wilh many other institutes in different parts of the colony, had come to the conclusion that six or seven grades would be insufficient. Some of the salaries they would suggest for the smaller schools were considerably in advance of the salaries at present being paid to them, but, taking into consideration' the difficulty education boards experienced in finding leachel's to fill these positions, thev felt greater inducements should be ol'l'ered to the jback-blocks teachers. The Institute suggested an annual increment of Ci for every year of efficient service until the 'maximum was reached in that particular grade. House allowance, thev took it,

would remain as at present, and a teacher who had been engaged at a school, say of No I grade, should not be lowered to No. :t if the average attend-

ancc of his sclni.il decreased, lie should continue in tin' same grade his qualifications Mild experience lin.l entitled liim l.i until ill.' V.ducation Hoard would be in n position to gel liim :i school of (lie same grade, ami where he would do the work entitling him to the sum.' salary. Mrs Dowlhig espoused th... cause of'the sol,' assistant, in I lie country school, mid asked for im increase of salary, 'i'his teacher, she snid. was the mainstay of Iho school, inasmuch as she laid ' the foundation for the whole school course: she had four ov five, classes to leach, whereas the assistant in a large school had hill one: and further, she had to eh the seii-iii.. lo tho girls in iiie school. Added to this, she had nor the advantages of improvement Ihe means for study, and had to sulfei- the loss of home life, and often even of congenial 'society. The case might he briollv stated (lins: a giil gains a scholarship, studies, iiiati-i.-ulale. goes through a course of training as piij.il teacher at. a verv small salary, spends most of her evening? in passing through a wider Held of sludv. and then hcc.mios a cortl-licntr-il and qualified teacher, lo And herself earning CSS lo .CllO a year. One pound a week of this is paid for hoard, leaving from C3:l to ITiS a year, a wage easily earuod nowadays l.y nu unskilled laborer or douiesli'- servant. There was

a feeling anions the teachers dial the salavv shnnld nol lie less than Cl2O. Mr Mrllroy dealt with the need for a colonial system-for promotion. At present many teachers ospeeinlly llinso who had pnl ill years in a country school, , were not aide to improve llieir positions , owing 'o distance from tho universities and colleges, and often local conditions ; anil Inlliienees entered largely into appointments, and the best teacher, as a result was not always appointed. This , (ended lo dishearten nianv of the best . teachers, and induced them lo leave die '. profession. They would suggest, that [ a pvoper system of appointments and , promo! ion would he on the basis of efli- «

cicucv.lengih of service, and ndaiumenls. and thai the teachers of New Zealand be graded according to eliiciency. length of service, and literary attainments, this grading to be unmuilly revised by a

board of classifiers coiisisling 0 f equal minilicr of ii!Hjn!c-t«irrt and teachers and members of i-diu-iili.in boards. There would lit; no iu.i.,l for 1 rds t„ i„, ;,|u»lished to allow the scheme lo work, for when a vacancy occurred Ihe boards c'oiilil select from the |>roniolion list am! forward same to the school committee for final selection. Many advantages would he it rived from such n scheme and he I'"'! "» hesitation in saying Ihat Ilia pre-;, ut system was working delrii dally lo the securing of a HU|i|j!y of male I'M: hers, for our you!lis preferred enter- ■»;.' olher professions (ban that of ihe un,I,TI''"(I ' irregularly promoted teach-

-\r I'.iw ,1s expressed bis pleasure at i.aiiig met the teachers in order lo ob-l-milheu- views. He recognised that the sys.om ,„ regard to Ihe mailers brought lorward was not, nei-fecl be „ ~,...,. ~„,„ jor well-Ihoughl-n„l suggestions { J\,„ provcmeul of the position. He was

pleased tint the deputation had r,v„g. nise.l (he benelils accruing from the two refin-ms im-iiliimeil by .Mr .lolmston. The extra amount paid under the colonial system, the superannuation scheme, and the training colleges he remarked thai no other profession was educated for nothing, while obtaining £4O or £SO a year for being educated, lie asked the deputation to put its requests in writing, so Hint Uiey might be the better considered. They were under n misapprehension as regards the standard of payment.

Salaries were not paid on average attendance. Tlmt merely fixed the'giiide of the schools. He could not see how a teacher could go on receiving an increment for every year's service. Colonial promotion was directly contrary to the fundamental priuciple'of local control, which was the strong point of the educational system of the colony. He h-.ul ideas of his own with regard to possible improvements, but then he had lo convert Parliament before he could put his ideas into operation. There were two opposing questions—that of centralisation against local control. As the present scale of salaries had been adopted after exhaustive enquiries by a Royal Commission, he thought it would take a very strong case to brum about any alteration. The sole assistants' status had not been brought under his notice before, but be thought there was a "see-saw" attempt to improve salaries -one grade complaining as soon as another got any advantage. He was strongly in favor of reducing the number of grades, and if they did not see hiin taking action in the coming session they could realise it was just a question of giving it full consideration. He was perfectly in sympathy with any modification of the present scale that would socure to each section a fair remuneration. He did not think the time had arrived when they could remove a teacher from one part of the colony to another He could quite see from the teacher's . point of view it possessed many advantages over the present system. He would give the question careful consideration and if spared in his present position he , would, he hoped, be able to effect some improvements at any rate