Summer Schools for Teachers.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 156, 23 January 1902, Page 3

Summer Schools for Teachers.

The summer school for teachers, which opened at Wanganui on Tuesday, ia a remarkable step forward in the progress of the profession. A hundred things combine to make the colonial teacher's lot not eirikingly dissimilar to that of the policeman in the " Pirates of Penzance." The unhappy members of this c!as3 are distinguished above most others by a wonderfully whole-hearted neglect on the part of the general public, and by the Arctic indifference of the Government, excepting whoa, the latter misguided piece of machinery marks its sense of their existence by chopping down their salaries. People have been accustomed to regard colonial teachejs in a body as a lifeless and uninspired crowd, but the Summer School is a remarkable attempt to climb out of the groove. Though the principal work will be the- instruction of teachers in the manual and technical innovations, there are several good things in it* Much good must come of the unconscious or conscious exchange of ideas among the teachers, and it is likely that tbe attentions of parents will be directed to the relations between themselves and these enthusiastic pedagogues. If they view the matter rightly, they will assist this effort of the teachers to improve themselves, and respect men who have given up their holidays to attend the school. The' summer school war organised by Mr J. Smyth, formerly head - master of the Waimate District High School and now ■ Inspector of Wanganui, It is modelled on similar sahoola in Eagland wad Germany,