TEACHERS' CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 194, 6 January 1913, Page 7

TEACHERS' CONFERENCE.

SATURDAY'S SESSION. A BIG DAY'S WORK. A large number of remits were handled by tile Conference of tin- Now Zealand ' Educational Institute on Saturilay. The president. Mr. J. CaughJey, was in the chair. Tlie committee set up by the Tnsti.tute to consider the report of the Education .Commission, submitted its Teport which was amended in some respects and was finally adopted in this form:

Your committee begs to submit the following report as the result of its deliberations. Our task proved one. of considerable difficulty, as so much had to be done in the very short time at our disposal. We were delighted to find in the report recommendations of reforms advocated by this Institute for years past. Your committee took into consideration only tlio.se portions of the report not dealt with by remits appearing on the order .paper. (1) Education Boards.—Your eommitteae approves of the proposal to reduce tiie number of Education Boards to four as suggested by the Commission: members of these boards to be elected on adult suffrage; the boards to have the right of controlling primary, technical and secondary education, as well as native schools within their owa districts.

(2) School Boards.—Owing to lack of time, your committee was unable to give this proposal the consideration its importance deserves, but. speaking generally, we favor most of the ideas set fortli under the, heading . It does not seem to us that February is the best month for the election of school boards.

(.')) Cost of Education. —The only portion of the report under this heading that your committee would refer to is the reference of the Commission to the increases in teachers' salaries; and we recommend the Institute to support most heartily the statement that no one can justly say that the sums now granted for these purposes are sufficient.

(4) Administration of Central Department.—Your committee strongly approves of the Commission's recommendation that there should be simplification of some returns ajid abolition of others.

(5) The Training of Teachers.—ill that your committee has to say concerning this paragraph is that in our opinion the present 'shortage of teachers is very largely: due to the poor prospects of material rewar.ds for teachers as the years go on.

(6) Staffing of Schools.—Your committee shares the 'regret of the Commis-' eion thatMn our larger schools are still to be found classes of 60 or 70 or even' more in charge of one teacher, and recommends that remit 39 'be adopted! Tihis remit provides that the Executive of itJie X.Z.E.I. be .urged to agitate for' the introduction o* the additional staffing as provided for by regulation. (7) Manual and Technical Instruction. —Your Committee as strongly against' the method of payment of capitation Ko handwork classes and recommends that the present capitation system for manual work in primary schools should be discontinued in favor of definite allowances for material, etc. ■ ■ . : '

(8) Trend of Education.—Your committee tfarnily approves of the remarks of the Commission under this heading 1 , and in view of these remarks regrets that there should occur in' the report mention of abolition of D.H. Schools, for in these schools the bias suggested by the Commission might easily be given." '■ ' ■./

(9) Demilitarisation of Junior Cadqts'.' —Your committee thinks that tile Ins,ti T ' tute should express regret at' the 'demilitarisation of the Junior Cadets.

(10) Education of Girls.—Your com-j' mittee approves "generally" of .the Commission's remarks on : the. ; of girls, and approves of the principle o,f. differentiation in the courses of school work required of our senior boys and girls. > ' ■ .'. "•_ > (11) Sex Physiology—The Institute! decided to approve the recommendations |, of the Commission up to a certain point, j as shown by this extract from the, report: "Evidence has been given upon the question .of tenoning, sexual physi,-. . ology to the older boys and girls in our primary and secondary schools. Tin*, general opinion appears to be that something of the kind should be undertaken, but there is much diversity of view; asto when and -by whom, this instruction,should be given. The Commission agrees, that advice should be imparted to all j boys and girls at some time before they. finally leave school—preferably by parents." I

(12) Scholarshiiis and Free Places.— Your committee thinks that the report of the Commission under this heading should be endorsed and that remit 22 of ISII2 be rea/lirmed. This remit is: '"That the time has arrived When all Junior National and Education Board Junior Scholarships should be abolished, and the money so saved should be spent in paying the lodging expenses of those children who are ihighest on the list of t!ie Junior Free Place examination, and who require to live away from home in order to attend a secondary school."

(13) School Buildings and Playgrounds.—Your committee regards this section as one of the very important parts of the report, and advocates that the Institute should strongly support the recommendations of the Commission.

(14) Consolidation of Schools—Your committee warmly approves of the recommendations of the Commission as regards the consolidation of schools, and is glad to find that the Commission has stated the position so strongly and so favorably. The Institute views -with pleasure the ■action being taken by several boards to give effect to these recommendations, and hopes that local pressure by committees and others may not be the means of preventing further action in this direction.

(13) Private Schools.—Your committee thinks that the recommendations of the Commission regarding private schools should be strongly endorsed by the Institute.

(l(i) Children and. Street Trading Vonr ('i)ininitti'e is greatly pleased that tin; Commission should liave embodied in its report reference to this subject, and recommends the Institute to strongly support the Commission in directing attention to the evils referred to. in the opinion of the X.Z.E.L the time has arrived when legislation should be enacted in order to prevent the evils referred to in par. 1. page 24, of the report of the Education Commission.

Finally, your committee recommends the Institute to place on record its conviction that the present syllabus has played a great part in the educational progress of New Zealand, but wishes to point out that it is now about nine vears since its introduction, and that the Koyal Commission on Education, th:: Education Conference of l!)1l). and the New Zealand Educational Institute have indicated that its complete revision is nece-sary. The Institute therefore, believes that in the best interests of Education the rcvi-iun should no longer be dclaved.

SEWIXC SYLLABI'S. 'the report of tile special committee of ladies on the sewing sylhrbus was received and consideration deferred till next meeting. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the committee (Misses Hawkins and Newman, of Auckland),

for their valuable advice in the maV ter. RAILWAY FACILITIES FOE, CHILDREN. The Conference unanimously passed a Marlborough remit, strongly supporting the recommendation of the Education Commission, concerning railway facilities for children attending school. A VEXED QUESTION. On belialf of the Ilawke's Bay Institute, Mr. Thomas moved, that the publication of inspectors' reports, which are critical and confidential reports to boards and committees, be made illegal. Tn addition to the reports being published in newspapers, he strongly objected to them being read at householders' meetings. Several delegates strongly supported the motion, pointing out the iniquity of the practice, not that it obtained in all districts, and it was carried iyPROBATIONERS.

A remit from Wanganui recommended that the Institute should endeavour to procure an alteration in the regulations regarding probationers, so that the appointments could be made at 15 years of age, with a three years' term of service. In moving it, Mr. Thomas urged the necessity of "catching them while they were young," while they were still at -Hiool, and before they were attracted to other professions. Mr. McDonald hoped that the remit would not lie passed. It was a retrogressive step, and it was folly for mere children to commence teaching duties. I'o lower the. age would be suggestive of rushing children into the profession before they had sense enough to look around elsewhere. The remit was lost. TEACHERS' RESIDENCES.

Two remits were devoted to teachers' residences. On behalf of the Auckland Institute. Mr. Lamb moved: That the Minister be urged to replace the many unsatisfactory dwellings of teachers with buildings of higher standard and that modern conveniences be immediately provided for all dwellings needing them. The mover remarked that in the country districts it was a well-known fact that the residences were in very bad condition. Some of them were lean-tos. He knew of one case of a "residence" of two rooms inhabited by a teacher, his •wife, and four children. This was not exceptional. All teachers were very desirous of going into the city, and there ought to be some inducement for teachers to- take up service in the country. It was a question which concerned the majority of members of the profession. Mr. " Ambrose seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously, and endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker.

Mr. Lamb also moved, that modern jconveniences- be immediately provided for. all dwellings needing them. There .were,., he. said, scores of dwellings without these conveniences. Every cottage torday,. however modest, was looked upon as incomplete without a bathroom and a wash-house. The speaker deplored,,- tjie-fact that the Institute should haver to pass the same remit year after year without effect.

,'The motion was seconded by Mr. MeXaugkton, and carried without dissent. ABNORMALLY ' DEVELOPED CHILD- ■■ ■' • ' '■' ' REN.

( ''That, special provision be made in each centre for the teaching of abnormally 1 developed children," was moved by 'Mjss Jjawkihs (Auckland). She thought that, in, kindness to the children they required special treatment by themThey, would be made better .citizens, lives would be hap,'pier, 'They'nleed not all be lumped together, ■''[ ',' '" r 'Mr.. in seconding the motion, Said ifurt tlierc was already one school 'b'f .'the k'ind'in 1 the Dctninion, and it was ,-dpjrig. good, wprkj; ■ It would be unwise, .however, to have one big school to serve-the-whole, of'the Dominion. It would he. far better to have a number of small • schools in different parts of I the country: Parents with children af-flicted-in .the direction indicated natur- \, ally did not -like to place them in the school's in -question, if it meant sending thein away a considerable distance to the other en(Lof.,thc Dominion. The -sneaker .suggested that the motion should hj« altered-. to read, "snh-uormaMy".-children, and with this amendment the remit was carried without opposition. ~ ■■•'' TEACHERS' LIVE STOCK.

'lt was moved by Miss Coad (Wellington), "That in connection with schools in country, districts, sufficient glebe should be provided for the teacher in residence." The purpose of the remit was, explained Miss Coad, to provide sufficient acreage on which to depasture animate, —. more particularly horses—owned by teachers.

Tt was, explained various country delegates, "a matter of vital importance." The remit was passed. WIDOWS' PENSIONS.

On the motion of Mr. N. 0. Lamb, it was derided that the Minister be requested to give effect to the recommendation of the Education Commission that the Actuary be asked to ascertain the amount of increased contribution required from men in order to secure for widows an allowance of £2G instead of £lB as at present, and that when this is obtained a referendum of -male contributors to >be taken as to their willingness to contribute the additional amount required. VARIOUS REMITS.

On the motion of Mr. Lippiatt (Auckland) it was affirmed that the clause formerly in the regulations under the Education Act of 1877 declaring the Minister's decision upon all disputed points in the Regulations be binding upon all to whom it is communicated should he reinstated in the present regulations.

Mr. Aitken (Wanganni) moved: "That the disparity between the holidays of primary and secondary schools is anomalous. Any argument in favour of the longer holidays for secondary schools applies with greater force to primary schools, where "the children are younger, the conditions usually less suitable, and the teachers have larger classes.*

Mr. Cousins (Auckland) moved an amendment drawing attention to the disparity between the holidays of primary and secondary schools. After some discussion both were withdrawn.

With thi' object of putting the fund on a sound financial basis, and building it up. Mr. MeXiiugliton (Auckland) moved: "That only the interest of the Benevolent Fund be available for the object for which the fund is established."

The fund is at present in credit to the amount of £4S2. Tlie remit was carried in the face of some opposition. The following Southland remit was negatived on the voices:—''That the Institute strongly protests against the holding of school concerts as being detrimental to the scholastic progress of the pupils, and is of opinion that sufficient funds should, be provided hy the (lovernment to meet all the regular expenses of school committees."

Mr. Law (Wanganui) proposed "That in view of the fact that the proficiency certificate entitles the holder to free tuition at a secondary or district high school, it is desirable, in order to secure as'far as possible uniformity of conditions throughout the Dominion,

that the questions sliould be set and *k« answers valued by the Education Department.—Lost. (in the motion of Mr. ' Evans (North Canterbury) it was recommended: "That the Education Act (150 B) fce amended to the effect that an inspector of schools or head teacher shall be the only person authorised to grant certificates of exemption from attendance at school."

Mr. Palmer (South Canterbury) moved: "That the senate of the University of New Zealand he urged to include 'Agriculture' as a subject of examination for the degrees of B.A. and B.Se., Senior National and Junior University scholarships"—Carried. Mr. Fisher (Marlborough) moved: ''That this Institute is opposed to the demand that is sometimes made that, the average ages of the various classes" sliould be kept low, and would point out that medical experts have frequently declared that children sliould commence their school career later in life"—The remit was carried. .

The report of the special committee on school libraries was deferred till the next annual meeting. It will be published in the Journal. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

Officers were elected as follow:—President, Mr. T. W. Wells, M.A., bf Auckland;, secretary, Mr. H. A. Parkinson. M.A.. of Wellington; treasurer, Mr. E. W. Just, of Lyttelton; the following were elected non-official members of the executive:—North Island, Mr. R. B. Holmes; Wellington Educational District, Mr. G. Flux; South Island, Mr. J. IT. TTnrkness, B.A. Only one position, that of member of the executive for the North Island, went to the ballot, there being two nominations. Mr. James Aitken, 8.A., was the successful candidate. The newly-created position of vicepresident was filled by the unopposed election of the retiring president Mr T, W. Wells, M.A. Ml J. Menzies was re-elected registrar of the subscribers to the Journal.

The sum of £lsl 3s was apportioned as travelling expenses for delegates. Of this gum £IOO is made up by Government grant. The Conference rose at 10.45 p.m., having got through the whole of its business.