Mr K. R. Newson Reports On School Music Training

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 15

Mr K. R. Newson Reports On School Music Training

An emergency course for holders of licentiate diplomas to relieve the shortage of postprimary music teachers is being considered by the Department of Education. The retiring Dominion president of the New Zealand School Music Association, Mr K. R. Newson, said in his annual report to the association’s Dominion conference which opened in Christchurch yesterday, that this was the result of a survey carried out by the association. Inquiring into the staff for music teaching in postprimary schools, the survey showed that 50 per cent, of New Zealand schools immediately need full or parttime music teachers.

Before the survey, the department doubted whether there were enough positions available to warrant the suggested course for training diploma holders as music specialists in schools, said Mr Newson. All New Zealand post-primary schools were surveyed. Replies were re-

ceived from 132, or about twothirds of them, he said. The department’s doubts were the result of the few advertised vacancies for music staff, he said. The survey showed that the lack of suitable applicants had been the cause of 14 per cent of the schools ceasing to advertise. A further 19 per cent had not been able to find suitable applicants for permanent positions and were employing part-time teachers, he said.

School Certificate and University Entrance courses in music are offered by only 20 per cent of the schools, and one-third of these are private schools. Nine per cent, said they would offer these courses if they had the teachers; 50 per cent, said they would welcome the opportunity of employing a qualified teacher for core music part of his time and teaching instruments in groups or privately in the remaining time. Several headmasters spoke of the need for an increase in staff to allow for the instrumental work.

Other matters raised by the association were being considered by the department, said Mr Newson. These included the appointment of more district advisers, and increased salaries; basic music equipment in primary schools; the establishment of a diploma in music education; the reduction in the size.of instrumental classes; the anomaly in primary schools where class teachers might teach a recorder class in school time,

but where the visiting violin teacher might not teach a violin class. Mr Newson urged that members should take steps to increase the numerical strength of the association. At present, there were 11 branches throughout the country, with about 320 members. Lack of continuity in musical tuition, the shortage of teachers, organisers and advisers, the result of inadequate training schemes, to ensure continuity. Were the basic problems now facing the association, said the incoming president, Mr I. Le C. Harvey, in his inaugural speech.