MALE PUPIL TEACHERS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11245, 10 April 1902, Page 3

MALE PUPIL TEACHERS.

DISCUSSION AT THE EDUCATION BOARD.

At the meeting' of the Board ol Education - yesterday, Mr Adams moved — -That..-the Board's, regulation; thk-fe every fourth"pupil teadher'should be-a male-be. rescinded.' He pointed out that the - eir-' cumstances had materially altered since the regulation .was passed. Mr Hardy seconded tih© motion. . ' At the request of Mr Rennie, a letter , from the School Committees' Association on this subject was read, stating that the 1 Association was. opposed to Mr Adams'* motion. The Chairman said that if tlia motion were carried they would revert to the old' " system, under vrhidk the headmaster of « school would make a recommenidation to the ■, Board for a male or female teacher as might - be rjtquired: Tbe Appointments Committee found there was - a plethora of- female . teachers, and tshat there were more applications for positions <t3mn the Board could fill up. Therefore the present system wee introduced. All the. etbo'ols desired to - gab female .teachers, aa it was found that they strengthened the school more tVn did male teachers. • , Mr Scott thought that it would be well to keep the regulation as it stood, with a 'view of getting more male teachers into the service of the Board. He considered - this was desirable, in order to bring thenumber up to what they might consider proper strength. Mr Weston was in favour, of the retention of the present system, as.' then, ' if they felt inclined,' alter it.' -. ")■" Mr Peryman would vote for the motion, because it would be far better to allow a' free hand. . It was not much use having a regulation on the books of the Board which they had, as was the case now, so frequently to break. : Mr. Adams said that the chairman had furnished a strong argument-in favour of his motion, viz., that schools were desirous of getting female pupil teachers to strengthen their staff. After further discussion a division was taken, resulting in the motion being negatived by 5 to 4, The following vraa the voting:—Ayes: Messrs Adeius, I'eryuian Hardy, and Moiliilan ; noes- Messrs Dalzeil, Weston, Scott, Rennre, and Buddo.