The Thames Star. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1911. EDITORIAL.

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10346, 20 April 1911, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1911. EDITORIAL.

EDUCATIONAL REFORM

AN AiPPELUj TO nOUSiEHOLDEiUiS'

Educational problems, like the poor, are ever with us. As quickly as. one appears to he solved! satisfactorily another^ obtrudes. Alt the present time the mosb serious phase of the education question ig the scarcity of teachers—■effictient teachers we moan. Much has -been done to improve the oonditio^si of servica, but iti remains tmo that admittedly good toabhers are constantly leaving the profession to outer other walks of life which present betitor prospects, to tho energetic and enterprising and that very foW young men can boi persuaded to enfter the profession at all. 'That every effort haa its oauaief is a. truism. Wo ■vjentluro to think that the pro sent deploiroibla shortage of tcachc-rn is due to two main oivuises. First and foremost is t&a exacting nature of iJ\e worK ifcfelf. Entered into oon amore, as it mu&t be, if successful lOork is to ilia aooomplislied, it makes a greater demandl upon the teacher's i ■nertvbueJ energy than is giemerally realised. S'eoomd, and scarcely lesw patent, is tho uncertainty of promotion. The prizes of the profession are comparatively fa\v and in any oaee worth only a. fraction of tho income of the sAicdowfiul dbator or lawyer or of the- profits (rf the fortunate tradesman. These last named have chances whioh, in tho nature of things, can neve* 1 come to the toaehor.

The Akvcikland BoarH has rocognU&ril that ih* patwnag'e fomiei-ty atltachini: io tlic maikinpr of appointments lias runt always tonded to tvftictianoy and in "any oaso was actually dogradinji to tho tiaadlior who had to go oap in hand Ix^rgin^ as a favour a I'ewaird justly ciame<l Ivy faithful, lanp, and' officient ecn-iw. It lias ihewforo osfablishod a pi-om<ition which is admittedly on risrht lincsi. But \}w quiosiaon ir. uct merely a looal one. the teachers contend that: a Dominion scheme of promotion is as feasible as the dominion scale of staff-, i.nd salaries, and the Surcrimnuation si-henv.* now in Wr^ne. Ther claim t'ha.b this vei^vrm sliould be {^ranted in otidv-r to make our cdni^tio-nnl system r.rwly national hy piw-irimff (vui'.il oppo/i unities f«.r equal qualifunt-i^s. W«* swlmit tho i^isonab-lcne<s of tlm «-nk*iUmi an,! the justido of the claim. \W are hwsercr most, doncei-mxl with tho cihcicney of the f i>ivice. Who will ga.n»ay tlnit this depends upon vacancies.

I biedng 1 filled, by the moteti skilful teathers available, no maititer where they oome from—Grey, Southland!, Taranafci, Aiidkland or Thames? W<a have dealt with this queation

beoau.se on iikmday next the following motion is to ba siuibmitted to the liouseholdbrs' annulal meeting: "That this mieetinpr of householders aonsideira thaitl in the ibest interests of eduoaltion, a dominion scheme for the promotion of teiachers is urgently requiix^d." We sincerely hope that it will everywhere be passed unanimously as assisting! a reform which will undouibitedly make for increased efficiency in thaitl it will provide a means wheireby the most, skilful teacher can be placed where he> will have the greatesjt scope for usefulness.