APPEALS FOR TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1918, Page 7

APPEALS FOR TEACHERS.

A QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY. The question of appealing for teachers again came before the Taranaki Board of Education on Wednesday, when requests were received from the Kaponga School Committee asking the Board to use its best endeavors to have Mr Lyall, headmaster of the school, appealed for by the Department. A request was also preferred on behalf of Mr Geo. T. Francis, headmaster of the Tokaora Scho»l, w'ho had been ordered into camp in March. Mr White asked what was the posi« tion. Were the Board appealing or the Department? The chairman stated he had heard nothing definitely on the question. Mr Wilkinson said that tibe Minister had made the statement that the! Department would appeal. Mr Eaves moved that the Board support the appeals in both cases. Mr Smith seconded. Mr Morton, chief inspector, supported the appeal for Mr Lyall on : general and particular grounds owing to his responsibility as headmaster of a grade, 3A school. He supported the appeal of Mr Francis, who was in charge of a grade 2 school (a the general grounds of shortage of teachers. Mr AVilkinson considered that each case should be taken on its iperits, ohbteacher was in a grade 2 school, a poai-j tion that could easily be filled, whereas the ot/her was headmaster of a grade 3a I school, a position entailing mijch more j responsibility. j The chairman moved as an amendment, That the Board appeal for Mr Lyall, headmaster <of the Kaponga School. Mr Wilkinson seconded. Mr Smith said' that w'hile, the Board might be able to fill the positions today, thev had to look, ahead and if further male teachers went it would have a serious ciYect on Taranaki in the future. i Mr Wilkinson said that the Board had j a certain responsibility, and s'hould appeal indiscriminately. If (i teacher was considered indispensable tlhe Board should appeal but they should not appeal for all and sundry. Men engaged in businesses had been compelled to sell them at a sacrifice and go into camp, and the same thirig- applied to farmers. He knew of many who had been taken from their farms and forced into camp with- 1 out anything like the notiee some of tin teachers got. It would therefore be absolutely unfair to appeal for men who were not essential. Mr Smith admitted that it was true that a great many young men hhd had to sacrifice their positions, but it was also true that there were many clerks ill Government departments who were exempt through influence, and until they went he would support whole-heartedly the exemption of teachers, whom he considered more essential.

Mr P. J. H. White took up the attitude that each ease should be taken on its merits. The advice of the senior inspector was that positions in grade 2 schools could be filled, and he thought that if the need arose to take that teacher in March he should be ready to go. The Board should certainly appeal for all teachers to fill any' responsible position. Mr Smith: Where will you get your teachers to fill t'be. responsible positions in the future? The chairman said though it had ,been against his principles it was now the policy of the Board to appeal for some teachers, and He must abide by the decision of the : -ority. Every member of the Board knew- that they could easily fill the position m grade S schools,

in which lady teachers were doing excellent work already, and the Board therefore woijld not be justified in appealing for them.'

Mr Smith considered that the boards in the future would be suffering for what Ibis Board was doing. The amendment was then put and carried, the, decision being:—Ayes: Messrs Trimble, White, Wilkinson and the chairman; Xoes: ■ Messrs Smith, Eaves and Grayling; and when put as a substantive motion, it was carried, Mr Trimble voting against it, as lie was opposed to all appeals.