COLONIAL SCHOOLMASTERS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 933, 29 February 1872, Page 3

COLONIAL SCHOOLMASTERS.

The " Press " has the following unomplimentary remarks on the Cansrbury schoolmasters : The Canterbury schoolmaster hasfor lung time past occupied a somewhat nomalous position. On a stipend ttle better than that of an ordinary lechanic, ho is supposed to keep up n appearance of what we may call entihty. As to his position, he apwrs to hang, like Mahomet's coffin, "away between the heaven of the luatters' society and the cockatoos', "a position, in fact, reminds us of the "verness who found herself a little » goodl for the kitchen and not good !m g ? l the drawi ng-room, and who m to the conclusion that her place mM about half-way up stairs. jWa anomalous status has, however, « ly , an , 3en fr( "n the mixed class of £ who We taken up the calling. *e candidates for this employment us have reminded the examiner of 83, ' adhei '? nts « the cave of TIT ; ? other Tvords . th « pre**-PMa-BcbooJißasterhas always been nd nothing e l 80 to do. We are glad

to observe iu a recent educational report that there are honourable exception*—men of polite education, with an aptitude -for teaching. We are not surprised that these exceptions are few ; for the stipend of £l3O stated iu the Ordinance as the mini. mum is too frequently the maximum. Is it, therefore, to be wondered at that gentlemen whose liberal education would render them eligible candidates for this profession, are deterred from it, or that trained schoolmasters, arriving in this proviuce, either obtain more remunerative employment here,. or carry their talents to Otago or Australia. Apart from the consideration of the masters' salary, which certainly should be increased, we are glad to notice that measures are being taken to raise the standard of our present schoolmasters by a system of examinations. We have not yet observed that the Board of Education has fulfilled that clause in the Ordinance which provides for the classification of teachers. It must be obvious that this step is most necessary in order to guide school committees iu the selection of teachers. We hope however that this may come within the scope of the projected systems of ex. aminations.