The Teachers' Parliament

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2, 14 January 1909, Page 63

The Teachers' Parliament

The session of the New Zealand Educational Institute just concluded was, from the point of view of the public, decidedly more interesting than many of the previous annual gatherings of that body. Having at last, after long fighting, secured the' enactment of a colonial scale of salaries, a colonial staffing scale, and a satisfactory superannuation scheme, the teachers were able to turn away for a little from what may be called the c bread and butter ' aspect of their profession . and devote some attention to questions more intimately connected with their actual

teaching work. Tho topics discussed were of a very varied nature, and tho debates for the most part reached the high level that would naturally be expected from such a gathering. As might have beon anticipated, the syllabus bulked very largely in the discussions, and the necessity for further revision and for a further easing off of tho burdens imposed on - the unfortunate youngsters was very clearly established. The two points emphasised were the crying . need for a more uniform interpretation of the syllabus. on the part of inspectors and tlie desirableness of a modification of the present requirements in arithmetic and geography. As regards the former, one has only to read tho annual reports of the inspectors to see that "the teachers have a real grievance,. Let us take', for example, the sub- " ject of arithmetic. We find one inspector — evidently somewhat of a theorist — laying it down that" mechanical accuracy in working out problems is a matter of entirely secondary importance, and if the pupil has an intelligent knowledge of methods, that is really all that is required. A little further on in the same volume of reports we find another — apparently of . a more practical turn — pointing out that when the boy leaves school and goes into an office his employer will not care a straw -whether' he has ' an intelligent knowledge of methods ' if his computations are inaccurate and unreliable ; that in such a case the boy will probably earn instant dismissal; and that for his part, he (the inspector) will atbach prime importance in Lhis subject to accuracy and correctness in working out actual results. It is obviously unfair that teachers should be left at the mercy of such^ conflicting interpretations, and it is in no way matter for surprise that a remit to the effect that bhe inspectors of the Dominion should be placed under the control of the Central Department with respect to the interpretation of the regulations of tho syllabus should have been unanimously adopted by the conference.

With regard to the necessity for a further modification of the syllabus, especially in the matter of mathematical geography, the members of the institute who moved in that direction had little diffikmlty in making out a good case. Here are some of the specimens — cited by the teachers — of questions on the geography paper prepared for the. proficiency certificate examination (i.e., for Sixth Standard pupils) of 1908 at Auckland : 'By what marks could -we distinguish a moraine deposit from a river or fhiviatile deposit?' 'Though the earth turns 366 times on its axis in a year, we have only 365 days in the year — how is this? 5 'Why do we believo that the position of the earth's axis is , approximately stable?' 'Many inland plains in the South Island were once large lake basins — what evidence can ,be giyen in proof of this?' These questions speak for themselves,* and the Auckland teacher hardly overstated the case who described them bluntly as ' a disgrace.' Amongst the proposals submitted to the conference was one which, in our judgment, did not receive atthe hands of members anything like the attention which its importance deserved. We refer to the resolution moved by Mr. J. Aitken (Wanganui) suggesting that the present method of electing members to seats on Education Boards be abol- • ished, and that there be - substituted therefor a method which would make members of boards amenable- to public suffrage. At present the members of boards are elected by the school committees, each member of committeo having one vote; under the method proposed in the Wanganui remit every householder in tho district would have a- vote, and candidates for a seat would require to come before the public and give some statement of their position and views. Although the payment of teachers' salaries and the administration of the bxiilding grants have been removed from tho control of the boards, they are still invested with very large, powers indeed. According to" the Education Act, they have power to establish and maintain public schools within their district; to promote the establishment of school dis 7 tricts within such district and define the limits thereof ; . to appoint and remove teachers, inspectors, and other officers; to establish scholarships, school libraries, and district high schools; to arrange for the conveyance of children to and from' school ; to raise the moneys roquired to be raised' for the purposes of the Act, and to administer the funds granted by the Education Department and all other funds which may become the property of the board.

Seeing that the powers of committees have been reduced practically to the vanishing point, and that the boards 'iioav have in their hands virtually the sole administration of education interests in their respective provinces, it is reasonable to ask« that they should be elected by a rather more enlarged- constituency than that comprised by the good men and true who are, found willing to discharge tho thankless duties of school committeemen. Owing to the absence of direct responsibility to the public, there is, especially

on the part of the smaller boards, a decided tendency to careless administration, patronage, and unblushing favoritism ; and an alteration in the method of election which would impose on members the necessity of coming periodically before the public and giving an account of their stewardship would be a means of letting in the light of day in a direction in which it is oftentimes badly needed, besides leading to a more general interest and an increased activity in educational matters all round. Partly owing to the late hour at which it was brought forward, and partly to the fact that members of ithe conference apparently failed to realise the importance of the proposal, the resolution was rejected by the Institute. When the next annual gathering comes round we hope Mr. " Aitken and the Wanganui branch will return to the charge.