EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 12029, 2 November 1904, Page 2

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

An adjourned meeting of the North Canterbury Branch of the Educational Institute wa» held on .Saturday for the purpose of further considering the scheme for the promotion of teoctws. Mr L. Watoon presided. The following special recommendations were adopted:— * f That minimum qualification as set out in this scheme in designed to meet, existing anomalies in the granting of teachers' certificate.*. "Teachers now in the Board's service who do not possess the minimum qualification required by this schema -will not, only retain the appointments at present, held by them, hut- will moreover continue to hr>ld them should their school p.i.vj into a higher grade. Should a school, hy reason of reduced attendant?, fall into a lower grade, the teacher shall not lose statu?, hut continue to rank in tlie higher grade. "As the introduction of this or any srhemc of classification and promotion must of necessity entail hardship wi individuals, it will, therefore, be imperative temporarily to established claims. - ' Mr Jiwfc moved, in accordance with notice, that the resolution passed ;it- tho previous meeting fixing the grading of male and female teachers at the same standard, ho rescinded. Mr Just paid that wjien the Committee drew up its scheme it liad gone into the matter, and, lie considered, knew what it wa.s doing, and he went on to quote statisrtics showing that tho number of classified female teachers was not equal to the males. If, however, ilia majority of the lady teachers convinced him that- they were in favour of the higher clawification, he was quite prepared to support, them. Mr Just then dealt in detail with an anonymous newspaper letter, and ;oinconihatted the arguments of the lady in question. Mb* Shirtcliffe seconded the motion. Mi.«s Olanville, in opposing the motion, said the women 'teachers of Canterbury were the best, certificated in the colony, and those of Otago came next. There were women with two certificates Availing to get out. of positions as second assistant. Highly qualified women should have preference over one le«« certificated applicants, the *:;me as in the cafe of the men. Other lady teachers spoke against the motion, Mif-H Chapman declaring that the women had proved their ability lo obtain the snme certificates as men. and should therefore be given the advantage of them. "We are working for the future, and as a woman I object to tbe status of women teachers being lowered; it should be raised," she added. Mi- Just ptiinted out that there seemed to be some misunderstanding ; the qualifications fixed were only the minimum ones. Thope who had tlie highest qualifications would receive the advantage of them. After further discussion, the motiqn was carried by 19 votes to 17. It was then twolved to set up a special committee, composed of male and female teachers, to draw up a fresh scheme of classification for the. ladies, and afterwards confer with the Committee of Management