The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 292, 18 September 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1880.

It appears the South Canterbury Board if Education have reduced the salaries of the school teachers under its control the uhuil ton per cent., while the other Boards do not make the reductions till December. How it comes about that the Soma Canerbury Board has powers in tips direction whi'-h is not given to other Boards we are at a loss to know. One thing we do know, and tliat i*, that it is a serious mistake to bring down the salaries of school teachers at all. Taking the average pf salaries, paid, it will be found that it does not exceed the wa.jjea of an ordinary mechanic, while the duties they Itaye to discharge are of a most nature Some people are ready to think school teachers httve a very easy life of it, and

point <o the Saturday wliole holiday as proof of it; but they forget the peut-up state in whi<h the* ate held during the other five days. In Borne cases tlie conr finement is not much better than the notorious black hole in Calcutta. Only let those who enjoy the free and wholesome nir it der the broad expanse of the whole heavens compare their case with those confined in a low, often ill-ventilated room, for four or five hours of each of these five days, steamed with Ihe, in many cases, fetid breath of scores of youngsters' shutting out entirely the pure air of heaven, and let them judge if they do not dearly earn their very moderate salaries. It is true economy must he exercised to save the colony from collipS", but we repeat what we have already stated ii this journal, that reductions should begin with the higher salaries, and not at poor teachers recfiving under £l5O a year. But this is not the only cause for com? plaint against the Government for reducing teachers s.daries. School teachers, as we have said, have t© live most of theii time in an unwholesome atmosphere It is evident, then, that only the strong in body, as well as in mind, ure able to do so j the wetk or delicate in constitution are totally unfit to endure this confinement. Of this w have evidence every d.-iy If, then, the salaries are reduced, will it not lead to the weak, the 'ame, and i'he feeble being the only sort of teachers tint will remain in the service 1 What, inducement is there for intelligent, healthy young men following the calling of teachers? Better openings wil! pies;nt themselves for those who have a good education and a good constitution th n to be stupified by the 'monotonous clatter or hum of the projeuy of the human race. Ten per cent, can well be spared from an income of £IOOO, or even the half of it, but it cannot well be spared from a salary of less than £3 per week. It is to be regretted that our Minister of Education—who, it must be admitted, devotes his studies to Ids department most assiduously—should not more carefully consider the case of teachers, and make reductions where the ehVct woulit not so injurious. With the large increase taking place annu illy in our population, a staff of good, Bound, healthy teachers is necessary. If we take as an instance a school of say 200, with a staff of teachers comprising a head master and second master, a mistress and assistant, with say a couple of pupil teachers, and suppose a teacher of the higher grade should be absent thiough illness*a single week, what would bethe consequence 1 The classes under his charge are merged forthe timebeing into the next higher or the next,lower. Now, as it is well known that teachers are only provided by the Boird for*, every certain number of pupils—his ability to teach that number being calculated to a nicely—to double that numhermust throw the whole of the classes of liotli teachers iuto confusion. The result of such arrangement further being that the lessons are hurriedly passed over, if attended to at all, and time and money wasted to no purpose. Yet this will hippen again and again if the teaching staff dwindles down to a class of invalids who are unfit to satisfactorily do their duty in any other calling. Low salaries will only command the services of the weak and feeble, as we have stated; It is to be hoped, then, that at an early date the Governm nt, or Parliament when it again meets, will reconsider this ten per cent, reduction movement.