TARANAKI TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 137, 19 September 1910, Page 2

TARANAKI TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

A general meeting of the above Institute was held at Stratford on Saturday. There was a good attendance of teachers, " Mr. Stratford (president) being in the " i chair. An apology was received for the ' ■ absence of Mrs. Dowling. Six new members were elected. It was resolved that the secretary deal with routine correspondence, of which there was a large amount. ' It was resolved to thank the general 5 secretary for his letter explaining the Institute lawyer's view regarding transfer of teachers. Counsel holds the opinion that no teacher can be transferred without his consent, and it was stated that the same view is held by the Chief Justice. Mr. .Evans' letter re superannuation was made the subject of a remit to the annual conference. The president announced that a depu- '; tation consisting of Messrs. Dempsey, | Tvrer and himself had waited on the Education Board to lay several suggestions before it concerning the classification and promotion scheme. It was re- , solved that the various suggestions, as follows, be forwarded to the Board in writing:—(a) The promotion scheme is in general approval, assisting, as it will, towards a Dominion promotion scheme and the extension of the district, (b) The classification necessary for certain promotions is too high; there are no teachers in the district with the certificate necessary for Grade VIII. or higher; therefore the scheme defeats the object for which it was introdueed. A CI certificate should be a sufficient qualifica- » tion for any primary school in the dis--1 trict. (c) A more definite system of awarding the marks would be welcomed. Thus, for teaching efficiency there should ibe a fixed value attached to each figure of the certificate awarded by the De- > partment. Four marks are suggested for each figure, making a total of twenty > —thus leaving twenty marks for the recent estimate of the inspectors, (d) As j A 1 and B1 certificates are grouped in the scheme, it would be advisable to ' group them for marks, and arrange ceri tificates thus: Eo, D 9, Cl2, A or B, equal 15. (c) The marks for environment , should be deleted and given for special certificates or for service in the backblocks. (d) Each teacher should have the average marks\ for his grade given to him, and his position for promotion, ! so that he may know his standing, (g) L An appeal board should be appointed, so that teachers may appeal when they are disrated. Such appeal board might consist of two members of the Education Board and one teacher, (h) Marks should be given for provisional certificates, and young teachers should receive every encouragement. (i) The low marks given may militate against the promotion of the teachers of this district. The following remits for the annual conference at Hokitika were passed: (L) That a provisional certificate be granted without fee to all teachers who pass a certificate examination before the age of 21'. (2) That the salaries of secondary assistants in district high* schools should be increased. (3) That inspectors 'be appointed and controlled by the Education Department. (4) That the Minister of Education be asfced to institute a Dominion promotion scheme. (5) That an appeal inspector or a teacher whose services shall be available in those distriets where there is at present a promotion scheme, ibe appointed by the Department. (6) That the expenses incurred by a teacher 1 transferred from one school to another at the instance of an education board, be defrayed by such board. (7) That teachers who omitted to join the Superannuation Fund under the original Act should, on payment of contributions from January 1,, 1906, together with 4 per cent, interest, be entitled to all the privileges of original members under the' Act of 1906. The president (Mr. Stratford), the secretary (Mr. Mcllroy) and Mr. Heatley were elected delegates to the annual conference. The Institute nominated Mr. Valentine, of Timaru , for the office of treasurer of the Js.Z. Educational Institute. Mr. Tryer gave notice to move that the first meeting in 1911 be held at Inglewood.