THE SCHOOL WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1138, 27 May 1911, Page 15

THE SCHOOL WORLD.

A WEEKLY REVIEW.

NOTES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY

Teachers nntl others interested in the administration of education are invited to S tril,Hto Ilote s for publication in Im> School World." These should ho w i c , s ?. C(l to ll »e Editor. "The School World, , The Dominion, Wellington, and posted to reach this offlco mt Jater than Wednesday in each week. Correspondents desirinK enlightenment npon any question in connection with ino _ school work, or the general administration- of the education system. are invited to submit these points to the Editor for elucidation and reply. Hhero anonymity is desired, it will be strictly observed.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Parent."—Generally speaking;, corporal punishment should only "oo inflicted tor school crime, so' to speak. That is to say,, for deliberate breaches of the rules in vogue in the school for the maintaining of law and order, and moral tone. As a spur to dull or nagging intellects, it is foreign to the principles of sound pedagogy. It is to be feared, nevertheless, that in these days of strenuous and competi- , tive effort and overloaded syllabuses that not a few teachers resort to the cane as a kind of labour-saving device. It is certainly easier, and quicker, to impress a dull intellect with a lasting regard for tho difference between "their" and "there," per medium of the cane—or tho strap— than educate him to a proper and intelligent conception of that particular distinction. Corporal punishment, to bo effective, must squaro with the punishment' should' fit the crime—and should never be meted out under circumstances which would publicly degrade tho offender.

CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHERS,

A QUESTION OF GRADING.

The Chief Inspector of the Auckland Education Board (Mr. E. K. Mulgan), in a report to the meeting of the board this week, stated that he thought the recommendation in his last memorandum, regarding selection of teachers, hardly went far enough, as it failed to provide for another- typo of position, for which at any time they might be called on to make selections. •He referred to the head of a. large Preparatory Department, Continuing, he thought it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a resolution controlling a matter of such complexity ns the appointment of teachers, to provide for every case which might arise. All it could do was to safeguard the interests of the service, and secure, as far as passible, that appointments should go to the most deserving. As the. resolution stood at present tho board was pledged to forward to the committee only one Mine, viz., that standing highest on the graded list. This might not, under all circumstances, be the best course to adopt in the interests either of the applicant or the service.. Hβ thought some modification was necessary, and suggested: (1) That there be added to the graded lists already prepared, (a) a list, giving the names, arranged in order of preference, of those who are likely to prove suitable as assistants iii the secondary department of the District High Schools; and (b) a list, giving tho names, arranged in order of merit, of those who , are deemed suitable for the position of "teacher in charge of a large Preparatory Department." (2) That the following words be added to the board's resolution of August, 19101—"The graded list hero referral to means the special graded list, prepared by the inspectors, having reference to the particular appointment being dealt with." SICK LEAVE. SCALE ADOPTED IN AUCKLAND.. The Auckland Education Board' iiiis adopted a scale as a standard for granting leave of absence on full pay to teachers on account of illness only, as folloivs:~Up to five years' service, maximum, two woeeks; over five and up to 10 years' service, maximum, one month; over 10 and up to 15 years' service, maximum, two months; over 15 and up to 25 years' service, maximum, three months; over 25 years' service, maximum, four months. It has also decided that under exceptional circumstances, an extension of the scale might be granted by the unanimous vote of the members present at any meeting of the board, and that, should leave of absence for one month or more have been granted to any teacher ut any time, that fact should ho taken into consideration, in any application for future leave. SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATIONS. , AMENDED REGULATIONS ; . SUGGESTED. ' Amended regulations referring to the scholarship examinations, drafted by Mr. E. k. Mulgan, Chief Inspector to the Auckland Education Board, have been forwarded by the board to the Minister for Education for his approval. . A significant amendment is that which makes the competition for junior scholarships open to all children whoso ace does not exceed 14 years, and who have been resident in New Zealand for 12 months. 1 his reform, which removes the'disqualification formerly imposed on pupils at private and sectarian schools, has been advocated by Mr. Mulgan for six years, and it was not until the last conference of inspectors that ho succeeded in securing its adoption. The previous regulations provided that a junior scholarship should be tenable at a' technical day school, and provision has not been made for the allocation of senior scholarships to candidates who wish to utilise them for the purposes of technical education, instead of undertaking the course of secondary education. Another regulation provides that the senior 'scholarships shall bo awarded on tho results of the junior Civil Service examination, ami the object of this provision is to reduce the number of nominations which, in tho opinion of Mr. Mulgan, impo.--o too heavy a burden on the schools. All the other principal boards havo already adopted the Civil Service examination n's tho test for senior scholarships, audit' the Minister gives his approval, tho Auckland regulations will now be brought into line