EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

Clutha Leader, Volume VI, Issue 338, 2 April 1880, Page 5

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

, &—. : — ".' ■ _ .. : The third annual session of the Educational Institute was opened in the Oddfellows' Hall, -Dunedin, on Tuesday morning. Professor Black, of the. Institute, was Chairman, and about sixtymembers were present. ' the Secretary (Mr D. White) said that he had received a large number of apologies from members who were unable to be present. Some were absent at the review, while others were absolutely unable to attend in consequence' of Committees having refused them holidays. Mr Malcolm, rector of the Christohurch. Normal School had also written, expressing regret that he could not attend the conference. The annual report, which, had been printed and circulated, was taken as read. It stated that the meetings of the Committee of Management had been well attended, and. that the remits from the annual meeting had been, under consideration. The elementary science lectures,', which had been- delivered by ' Professors Black, Hutton, and Scott, .and Mr 1 Thomson had conferred an advantage upon a. large number' of students. -'The- .report' drew the attention of- members to the fact that a Chair of English' Language and Literature, Political Economy, and Constitutional History bad been endowed by the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and. ■ Southland,. and expressed an: opinion that the course of. English Language would be popular with the teachers. With regard, to the Society's report on the Standards of Education, the report stated that the reply of the Inspector-General was, in effect, " that it had been deemed advisable to leave the standards as they were until experience could serve. as a guide to improvements." The remainder of the report referred to the time of the annual meeting, the library of the Institute, and -finance. • The reports of the branch Associations were also printed with the report. From the balance-sheet it appeared that the receipts for the year had been L 55 10s 9d, and the expenditure L 57 13s 8d ; but as there was a some of L 2 2s lid from the previous year the accmrot balanced. Mr Peattie moved the adoption of the report. ' Mr Waddell seconded the ' report, but expressed regret that the General Committee had not recommended what course should be pursued with regard to the various questions to be brought before the Institute. With regard to the science lectures, he. thought there could only be one feeling among the teachers, and. that it must be a feeling of intense -gratitude to the President and to those who had so ably seconded his efforts. — (Applause). He had no doubt the Institute would, in the course of its proceedings, order a special minute to be made -expressing that feeling. Referring to the date of the annnal meeting, Mr Waddell expressed the opinion that the time of the midwinter holidays would be very inconvenient for up-country teachers, and he said he would be very sorry to deprive the up-country-friends of almost the only chance .they had of visiting the -haunts of civilisation. — (Laughter). .He considered that the Managing Committee had done. their work in an efficient manner. The report was unanimously adopted. The office-bearers for the ensuing year were elected as • follows :— : President : Professor Macgregor ; Vice-Presidents : Messrs J. G. Smith, "R-. Peattie, and Dr Macdonald ; Secretary : Mr D. White ; Treasurer : Mr W. J. Moore ; Librarian : Mr Gardener ; Representatives : Messrs Fitzgerald, MfNicol, Park, Milne, Montgomery, and White. The following Committees, were appointed : — On the -Standards of Educa-tion-rr-Messrs-Park, Montgomery, Duncan, Fitzgerald, Milne, Orr, Peattie,',and.Wad- ' delL, with power to add to ■ their number \ Annuity Funds Committee — Messrs r Stenhouse, Neill. Orr, M'Lymo;vb, ! Grigor, J. Reid ; Library Committee — Messrs Gardener, White, Mackay, , Stewart, Stables. Finance Committee — Messrs Gardener, Moore, and White ; Committee on the more efficient organisation of Branch Association—The.Presidents and Secretaries of Local Associations ; Conversazione and Concert Committee — Messrs Ferguson, Kneen, Chapman, .Moore, and Bennett. Mr Orr moved the following motion, agreed to by. the .Invercargill Branch — " That the compulsory clause in the Act of- 1877 be put in force by the direct agency of the Government, instead of being left to the option of School Committees." .....■' The resolution having been seconded, a discussion ensued, and. it was resolved that the recommendations of Branches , should await a larger attendance. , , „ The Conference adjourned, till evening. .At the evening , meeting the President ; delivered a very able .opening, address, for' ! which he was awarded . a hearty vote of -, -..■ '■' , .-...•.'".•.'!,;•?-".: - : \ : , •■ -, Mr : James Orr, oi Invercargill,. read a paper on:" the Qualifications , of Teachers other than Literary," for which^he receiyed a^vote of > thanks, and the Coiir ' ference adjourned till next d.ay? j '._ ; . ; „\~

: .. After some ipr^limin^^.b.usmesa^.Mi 1 . < Robert Neat, of ,tiie Tu3peka;^rancli,.read ' a paper on s', Teachers, and their, work and influence." ,: iL fle ;<fcs^ nobility,, 'i nature,;and,encquragemerkt of jhe workjof

.-''the teacher. , Heathen proceeded ; .t6, c.pnr: sider the influence of the teacher on those entrusted to his care. .-.;-, -.i,: > 4 On the motion of Mr Waddell, seconded by JMr M'tiymont,- a vote of \ thanks- was. accorded to Mr Neal for his paper., i- >r '- Mr James Reid brought up the follow-. 1 ing report : : — . . : * The question of annuities, asviaffectihg the future welfare of the.profession havingoften been before the nuhdVof :not a few? teachers, the following gentlemen, Messrs Stenliouse (Chair) 1 , Milne, Jv Reid^ W.~ B> M'Kay, J, Reid,;W. ---Duncanj J; Orr^ J. Stable*, M'-Ewan) Grigor,.andWh'ite, ; AV ( ere appointed by the- institute's- Committee of Management . to devise : somescheme to be placed- before the teachers at the annual conference. V Your Committee therefore respectfully request your attention to the leading features of the proposed scheme, and to the accompanying tables, in the hope that they may commend themselves to your approval : — . . .. : < . 1. The Annuity Fund would be maintained entirely by annual payments, to be deducted from the salaries of all teachers. 2. No teacher would, as a general rule, be entitled to an annuity until he had taught under the educational authorities of New Zealand for 15 or 20 years.. . 3. The fund. would be allowed to accu- ■ mnlate for six years before any annuities , would be paid out of it. ■ .♦• • 4. The annual payments would be two, three, four, and five guineas respectively. The accompanying tables are reckoned -at the^rate of L 25 annually for every guinea. 5. The expense of management would be met by 5 per cent, of the. annual subscriptions. This is allowed for in thetables by the calculations being made, in pounds instead of guineas. 6. There are about 1200 teachers in the Colony, but 1000 is the number taken as a basis of calculation in the tables. ,- 7. The tables show the working of the scheme for 20 years, on the supposition that five annuitants come upon the fund each year from the 6th to the 20th. There would thus, if all survived, be 75 or 72^ per cent, of the 1000 receiving anr nuities at the ,20fch year — a? higher, percentage probably than would ever occur , 8. The tables are drawn up •at two rates of interest on the accumulating fund, and : according •to two scales, of annuity,: to show comparative results. .: , A and B assume an average annuity of LIOO (the scale being 'L76j LIOO, and L 125, corresponding to .annual, subscriptions of, 3, 4, and 5 guineas), and showthe result at 6 per cent, and at, 7 per cent, interest respectively. 0 and D assume a lower scale, viz., L 75, as the average of LSO, L 75, and LIOO, the, annual subscriptions being as before 3, 4, and 5 guineas and show the. result at 6 per cent, and at 7 per cent, interest. 9. Table C, the least favourable of the four, in which the intei-est is 6 per cent, and the average annuity LIOO, 'shows, an accumulated balance of L 33,074 at the end of the sixth year. This balance increases 3 r early until, in the 20fch year, when the annuitants are 7-| per cent, of the 1000 teachers, it amounts to L 99,35 4; and assuming that the percentage of recipients from the fund would never exceed 7£ per cent, of all who are- interested in it, this sum would become a permanent reserve fund in the hands of the Government, and would increase year by year, by an increasing annual increment. The balance would of course be proportionately larger when reckoned for. the actual number of teachers, instead of per 1000 as iil the tables. The scheme is thus a most feasible one. The annual payment of 3, 4, and 5 guineas would not be burdensome to the teachers, while the annuity thus secured would be an incalculable boon. The efficiency of the service would also be greatly increased by removing all inducement to continue on active duty when really incapacited in great measure for it, by years or infirmity. What is required to give effect to so desirable a scheme, is a Bill or Act of Parliament authorising the educational authorities to make the payment of 3, 4', or 5 guineas per annum compulsory on all teachers, giving and option only as to the amount of subscription and prospective benefit. - . ; : Report of Committee on " An Annuity Fund Scheme." ' . • , Your Committee Jiave carefully considered the scheme presented by Mr Stenhouse, and have no hesitation in recom mending it to the consideration of the Institute. Your . Committee further suggest that the General Committee .of Management be instructed to forward it to the Minister of Education. Your Committee are pleased to observe that the Government have in course' of preparation a scheme relating to " A Teachers' Pension and Widow and. Orphan Fund." Your Committee, however, whilst desirous of .supporting an annuity scheme, are, decidedly of opinion that-' the returnable principle should be, embodied in. it,; as applicable to certain, cases. ; Your OoniT mittee. cannot refrain, from expressing their thanks to Mr Steiihouse;:for, the zeal and energy he has shown in bringing this matter under, the notice of the Institute. \ Mr Reid moved the adoption of; the; report, which was seconded by Mr White, and, after a discussion, carried.ahnost unanimously. „ . . •..; " ■ J .. . On the motion of Mr Stenhouse, a Committee was appointed to. , watch over the matter. •■. > ..•.-'-.'■ ■ "■■ ' ■■ ;.-.- Mr White moved " That the;next. annual meeting of the Institute be held in midminter." •. ■ • ; " „ : : .Mr Mackay, seconded; the motion. : , Mr Stables moved as an rnendment, (( That the time of the .meeting .be, , the week- between Christmas'. and New Year." 'Mr .Milne supported the amendment, which was. seconded. ;. J ■-,:■ . , .- < ■ On a vote being taken the mimbers were— rFor .midwinter, , ,49 ; Easter, s;' Christmas, 2.- . > -. ; The Secretary brought up the report ( of ■ the Committee on, the, better organisation of the . Branches, i, „ 7 : . , ;.,; ;' jThe report was adopted. ,r _-- ■.'.'.-,%■*' . At the evening; sitting the following papers ;read :— r-Py Mr/, .Waddell, M.'A. , on ' V The. best mean » for .promoting Secondary Bdiicatipn ",; by Rev. j.; TJptpn ■J)ayis. on , " Compulsion. -:asr bearing on" School by str a.;StoutjonV < lf he. Teaching- of , Historyjin Schopf^'.i" AMr Stout advocated j.theV. striking pvit qi this study, from; jthje;, schoplij.iyJlab^uS" arid ..his paper <gaye .; rise : \ to^aiyery '-. animated - ids?--cussipn. )wKicli t was * adjourned [ till - yesterr; day. " ::i^Z-i : . :'.C- 'f ■ .w i t ;.i£.;. i-iv-.V;' ".'. :'^"^ ; ' t :