Married Women Teachers

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 110, 3 February 1931, Page 7

Married Women Teachers

Sir, —In your issue of January 29 we have the decision of the Wellington Education Board against the appointment of married women teachers. Ido not question’whether it is right or wrong, but why in this land that boasts of its freedom pick out one section of the community—the married woman teacher — and persecute her? Let us for instance take the case of a married proprietress of a boardinghouse. On making inquiries for lodgings do we first of all inquire if the proprietress is married? If so, do we proceed to investigate her private position? Why is she working? How much does her husband earn? Is she living in luxury as a result of her keeping boarders? No, if the place is well conducted surely that is all that concerns us. Does everyone who eomes in contact with married women in employment question their right to work? In this town I know of the following married women in employment- Doctors, musicians, milliners, dressmakers, hotel and boarding-house proprietresses, shop assistants, typistes, clerks, washerwomen, charwomen, housekeepers, etc. Many of the smaller business men such as suburban grocers, drapers and confectioners-could not "possibly keep going were it not for the- invaluable assistance given by their wives. Referring to our farmers —the backbone of our country—do we anywhere else find married women rendering such assistance to their husbands as many farmers’ wives do? Many of them rise early in the morning, milk .cows, feed pigs and calves, sell butter and eggs, and very often do other duties on their farm to save employing labour. Take the poultry-farmer, the fruit-farmer, - the apiarist—their wives all do- their share.

Furthermore, by debarring the married woman teacher from the work for which she was trained, does that end the difficulty? Are these women —many of whom are undoubtedly . clever —not likely to enter other avenues of employment which apparently are open to all? Under existing opportunities for other women can the decision against the married woman teacher be justified?—l am, etc.. . A.L.D. Wellington, January 20.