GRADE IIIA SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18129, 19 July 1924, Page 5

GRADE IIIA SCHOOLS.

MASTER OR MISTRESS ? A circular was dealt with at- yesterday'* meeting of the Canterbury Education Bjard from the Education Department, asking for an expression of opinion as to whether men or women should fill Grade III.A headmasterships. Such schools have an alten.lance of 37 pupils or more, and have more than one teacher attached to them. Mr W. A. Banks suggested that a small committee be set up to go into the matter. Mr E. H.. Andrews' said the foot cou.d not be got away . from that, wheie there was a mixed school control.ed by a mistress the boys attending it were being depnvod of the benefits' of being taught by a nus.er. Mr T. Hughes. said it . was only r-ght that the boys." attending euch a school should be taught by a master and girls by a mistress. In his opinion, however, some women were better teachers than men. They possessed personality and did good work, 'aha question wanted to be considered very carefully. Mr J. G. Gow, an ex-inspector of the Board, said that if a hard and fast rule was mad 9 that women teachers must not hold such positions, it would be ,unfair. Each case, he th.-ught, should.be conaiuered on its merits. In some schools there were only two or three boys in the sixth standard; therefore, the question of teaching them football did not come up. A member: What about swimming? Mr Gow: "We have- mixed- :bathing at Caroline Bay. He added that he could not see that the teaching of swimming would constitute any objection to women teachers. A momber: You must have met ■ cases ■where women were equal to men. Mr Gow: Over and over again. There are women who can control boys without any manhandling 1 It was deeded to refer the whole qucst.on to the Appointment* Committee for a report.