WOMEN TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 90, 10 January 1919, Page 3

WOMEN TEACHERS

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION

THE RESOLUTIONS CARRIED

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Women Teachers' Association was held in the Education Board offices yesterday. The president, Miss Chaplin, B.A. (Canterbury), occupied the chair. There was. a good attendance of delegates. The meeting passed a vote of condolence to Sirs. Dpwling (Taranaki), who had suffered bereavement through the epidemic. Work of the Past Year, The committee presented a,report upon the work of the association for the year just ended. The report 6tated:—"During this last year of the war interest in education lias been much stimulated by the campaign instituted by the New Zealand Educational Institute. In this campaign members of the' N.Z.W.T.A. have played an important part by helping in its,organisation, participating in its meetings, and forming parts o£ deputations to various societies and local bodies. ... In the second half of the year it came to the knowledge of the executive that one or two branches of tho.N.Z.E.I. were putting forward-the claims of men teachers, and ignoring the claims of women. Certain remits sent by the Otago. branch to the annual meeting of the institute, and newspaper reports of other movements, ■ were received with indignation by women teach-, ers generally. Correspondence received showed the need for action, and the executive officers then decided to issue circulars to the associations notifying them of what was taking place. . . The finances are' in a flourishing condition. The credit balance is £b0 15s. Gd." The. conference considered the report in committee President's Address. ■, Miss Chaplin, in the course of her presidential address, referred to the mnnner in which even through tho medium of the war lessons of unselfishness and sacrifice had been inculcated in . the children of the country. The war had also roused teachers from their somnolence, and had shown them their plain duty, stirring within them a loyalty ■ that would not be silent—a patriotism that called them to militant service for the citizens of to-morrow. Tho attention' of the' public had been dr,awn to many needed reforms, but much remained to be done. Education would never stand on a proper footing until the whole community was imbued with a sense of its importance. . The fact that i\ per cent, of primary school pupils left Bchool without doing the work of Standard VI was a serious reflection on tho wisdom and intelligence of the people of New Z«aland. It was this large proportion of poorly-trained citizens who would become dissatisfiod wage-earners, and a source of unrest in the community. . .. . ■ Miss Chaplin referred to some of the outstanding reforms for which teachers were striving. She mentioned tho urgent necessity-for more roomy and wellventilated buildings, and the ullied necessity for increasing staffs and reducing the size of classes. Improved school environment, and better remuneration would do much to remedy the present shortage of recruits for the teaching profession.

The importance of providing more spacious playgrounds had yet to be fully.recognised by those who built the schools of the country. In any scheme of town planning that was /o be comprehensive and efficient, tho question of school 'buildings and playing grounds must be a vital consideration. In the matter of equipment—apparatus and school furniture—New Zealand'was much behind the times, and. much of the seating and desk accommodation was only fit to be scrapped.

With the extension of the period of compulsory .education, .which the speaker hoped was not 'fnr distant, ..would come the need for a revision of the ecliool curriculum. The system of education which had prevailed oxalted Iwk-learn-injr and brain-power, and divided the world into hand-workers, and 'brainworkora."- The former were the "hewers ■of wood and drawers of water," and as such were despised. A truer and better conception of education was that which trained both brain and hand.

Miss Clmplin concluded her speech by urging a wider recognition in New Zealand of the power and ability of women ■as tin executive force; She suggested that thq."women.', of" New Zealand were not taking advantage of some of the rights and privileges thoy ; already possessed. This timidity on their part was largely responsive fox thoir being thrust into the background, and prevented them from taking their rightful share in public and social questions. The conference passed a vote of thanks to the president for heir address. ; Remits, The following remits ' from branches came beforo the conference for consideration, and were carried:— "That in the case of married teachers ther6 should be an allowance of £15 per annum for each child under sixteen years of age."—(Taranaii.) "That in all schools of Grade V and upwards an experienced woman 'teacher should have a position and status in the upper department, with special responsibilities in regard to girls."—(Canterbury.) "That the grading regulations be so amended that the first woman assistant in the upper department of schools of Grade V and upwards be eligible to obtain 15 marks for organisation."—(Canterbury.) "That since many teachers are filling temporary appointments for the duration of the war, and the salalry received in that temporary position is the one on which they are paying into the Superannuation Fund, it is unjust that those .who retire from their temporary positions should have their superannuation calculated on their last permanent salary; therefore 6teps should be taken to remedy this injustice."—(Hawke's Bay.) "That student teachers upon the completion of their Training College course 6hould not bo left unemployed, but should bo drafted into schools until they obtain permanent employment."—(Canterbury.) "That the .N.Z.W.T.A. consider practicable methods of gaining and sustaining the interest in educational matters of the indifferent and apathetic women teachers."—(Hawke's Bay.) Other Matters. The conference resolved that organised games within working hours should be made compulsory in the schools. • Miss Wilson (Auckland) moved: "That epeoial classes for children of retarded mpntal development be established in the larger centres."—The motion was carried. In connection with teachers' grading, the conference resolved that the system of quota marks should be abolished, and that the marks given for efficient service should be increased. "That reduction in the size of classes is an urgent necessity," was another motion that met with the approval of the meeting. The meeting also carried the following resolution: "That the grading regulations be so amended that the infant mistress or the first woman assistant in Grade IV schools be eligible to obtain ten marks for organisation." Office-Bearers. All of the office-bearers of the previous year wefe re-elected, as follow:—President, Miss Chaplin (Canterbury); vicepresidents, Miss P. Myers, B.A. (Wellington) and Miss M'Leod, M.A. (Southland); secretary,. Miss Mabel Smith (Canterbury); treasurer, Miss Barker (Canterbury); committee, Misses Coad, M.A. (Wellington), Hodgson, Herbert, Mackenzie, and Gray.