DUTY OF TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 125, 20 February 1941, Page 8

DUTY OF TEACHERS

In Time Of Emergency

QUESTION FOR BOARD

Whether teachers should rernaii with the children or do their duty to the community in the case of emergency was a question the Wellington Education Board was asked to determine last night by a deputation from the Wellington Headmasters’ Association, consisting of Messrs. J. F. .McDonald (Mt. Cook), 11. M. Campbell (Kelbum) and 11. 11. Sutton (Te Aro).

Mr. Campbell said many teachers at present were members of the Home Guard, the National Reserve and the E.P.S., and they felt they/would be between two duties in the event of emergency. They would like a direction from the board. Mr. W. R. Meal said the place of teachers in the event of emergency should be with the children, as children would obey teachers even quicker titan they would obey their parents. Mr. G.' M. Henderson thought that if the teachers would give the board a lead the board would be only too ready to follow it.

Colonel T. W. McDonald: They want us to give them a lead. Mr. J. J. Clark, acting-chairman of the board, said he would expect every teacher to do his duty as a member of the Home Guard or E.P.S. Colonel McDonald asked if the teachers were prepared to do what the authorities conceived to be in the best interests of the evacuation of Hie people ? Mr. Sutton: Certainly. Mr. S. C. Ilyndham pointed out that schools would be commandeered as hospital centres, and this would cloud the issue.

Mr. L. J. McDonald said it appeared as if it. would be necessary to have a further conference with the Home Guard and E.P.S. Whether teachers should make their services available to other bodies was a moot point. Mr. T. K. Moody said till home defence was put. on a proper footing no one could say what should be done. The whole thing so far was in a tumble-down state. When the question was later considered by the board, Mr. L. J. McDonald moved that a sub-committee, consisting of Colonel McDonald and Messrs. J. J. Clark, I). McCaskill, and file mover be set up io confer with other organizations with a view to having a scheme worked out to deter mine the duty of teachers in I lie case of emergency. The motion was carried. Mr. Hyndliani asked if this would also be applied to country schools. Mr. McDonald said it would apply to all schools under the board's control.