TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 56, 27 July 1914, Page 7

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

AXXUAL MEKTINt;. At the annual meeting <>t the '!.';>ranaki Teachers' District Instilote on Saturday, Mr. H. Stratford presided over i somewhat sparse attendaia .■ of iucii:i>er-<. EEPOIiT. The annual report of the J\esidcnt stated that there was a nicnih-r-diip :>f ISO. During the year 17 had left the service, two had been transferred, and 20 had been enrolled. About '..'o per cent, of the teachers of the district were now members. It was urged that teachers should endeavour to obtain new members and build up a united body, which was urgently needed at this critical period in the history of education in the Dominion. 'Reference was made to the specially successful meeting held during the term of the winter classes at the Technical College at New Plymouth, and to the numiber of teachers present from all parts of the district. Ten new members had been enrolled during the course of the classes. Messrs. Stratford, Templer and Mcllroy had attended the annual conference at Auckland, when all the Taranaki remits were, carried. All future conferences would be hqld ill -Tuly at Wellington, and this month a special conference would be held to deal, among other matters, with the Education Bill. Reference was made to the interesting paper read at the conference by the Inspector-General on the liberal interpretation of the new syllabus. As the result of concerted agitation by the Institute, an Education Amendment Act had been passed last year giving an annual increment of £lO instead of £5 to about half the teachers of the Dominion, and made the minimum salary £IOO per annum. It benefited only teachers who had already been promoted during the last, five years, and failed to allay the discontent prevailing among teachers throughout; the Dominion. The new Education Bill, while it marked a distinct advance in educational affairs, fell far short of expectations. Although the increases in salaries would afford some degree of satisfaction, the retention of the iniquitous system of payment on average attendance and the absence of provision for a /Dominion promotion scheme were very disappointing features, and the teacher's ,mi.ipt. bestir themselves on behalf of those two important refonns. Dissatisfacf,ipn was expressed with the present reading books, which were being forced oi\' the schools of the district by a certain, firm of publishers, and the hope wa-s-expressed that the Board would improve.the books in this and other directions. Interesting papers had been read by members during the year, and one of them, "Ideals in infant teaching," by Mr F. J. Morgan, B.Sc, had been sent to the Journal for publication. The .finances were satisfactorv and a credit nahifijeiof £8 3s lOd was on hand. The 'report and balance-sheet were adopted after a brief discussion.

~,.,, ELECTION OP OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for the; ensuing year:—-President. Mr. It. Stratford; vice-presidents, Mr. J. W. •Mark and Mrs. Dowling; secretary and 'treasurer, Mr. Mcllroy; executive, Messrs. Meyenberg, Brown, J. Thomas, A. V. Sims and G. H. Pope; auditor, Mr. E. Barv. 1 ■' ' GENERAL. \ Ah honorarium of £5 5s was voted to the secretary for his work during the past year.