SCHOOL TEACHERS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 74, 29 March 1919, Page 9

SCHOOL TEACHERS

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

ANNUAL MEETING OF WELLING-

TON BRANCH.

The forty-fifth annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was held in the Education Board buildings last evening. Mr. A. M'Kenzie presided, and there was a small attendance of members.

Mr. W. H. L. Foster, headmaster of the Clyde-quay School, was appointed representative of the branch to the Town-Planning Conference to.be held in May next.

A letter was received from tlie secretary of the Assistant Masters' Association containing the following - motion passed at the annual meeting of the association : —"That the time has arrived when no junior teacher or probationer should be , employed in any school outside the cities and suburbs of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and that such as are employed should teach only during the morning sessions and should receive the whole of their instruction from the staffs of normal schools; also that such junior teachers and probationers as have matriculated should be granted bursaries at University Colleges." At the present time junior teachers are required by regulation to receive jive hours' instruction per week from the headmaster of their school or an accredited assistant, without remuneration to the instructor.

Mr. B. Anderson pointed out that the staffs of normal schools already had their hands full with students, and would be unable to handle additional students. He therefore suggested that "training college" should be substituted for "normal schools" in the assistant masters' suggestion.

Mr. C. N. Haslam moved' that the matter should be referred to the Management Committee for investigation, as to whether junior teachers or probationers could be instructed at the normal schools or training colleges. Mr. M. Kean was of the opinion that from a point of view of efficiency the junior teachers should be instructed by experts at normal schools or training colleges.

Miss F. Roberts referred to the financial embarrassment that would result to junior teachers were they forced to reside in one. of the centres instead, as in the majority of cases at present, at their homes' in - their own school district.

The Chairman said that he did not ( think that the point raised was a matter for the institute. ' The financial side of the question would be a matter for the Government. ' .

Mr. E. H. Ballachey said that it was not generally realised that though the term "pupil teacher"' had been replaced by "junior teacher," tbe pupil teacher in fact remained. He also referred to the present unsatisfactory arrangements whereby instruction had to be given either before school hours or after the day's .work should be over. He considered that as the training colleges and normal schools were primarily intended to provide for the instruction of teachers those institutions should be enlarged until they provided sufficient accommodation. Again, some junior teachers had an idea that they were being unwillingly instructed, and . had gone to the length of obtaining outside instruction.

Mr. V. Evans mentioned that pupil teachers had had in certain schools complete charge of a class, or had been kept with one class throughout the year, instead of having been able to ■ observe methods in all classes.

After further discussion Mr. Haslam's motion was carried. ,

The annual report and balance-sheet, already published in summarised form, were read and adopted.

The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: —President, Mr. C. N. Haslam, M.A. ; vicepresidents, Mr. A. M'Kenzie and Miss Acheson ; committee of management, Miss Eggleton and Messrs. W . W 7-- Rowntree, E. C. Feltham, and H! D. Pritchard ; treasurer, Mr. J. C. Burns, M.A. ; secretary, Mr. W B. Brown, B.A. ; auditor, Mr. C. Bary.

On the suggestion of Mr. Kean it was decided that the Education. Board should be again approached and asked to deduct subscriptions to the institute from teachers' salaries at stated times during the year.

Mr. Kean also brought before the meeting the ease of a lad}', who, while giving her services as a voluntary worker during the epidemic, had contracted the disease, and bad since been unable to return to her duties. At the end of the present month she would receive half-pay, but would received no salary next month.

A motion moved by Mr. Haslam that in view of the exceptional circumstances the board should be approached and askeded to grant extended leave of absence was carried unanimously.