OVERHAULING EDUCATION SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 13 September 1928, Page 10

OVERHAULING EDUCATION SYSTEM

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent "Scrutator" writes with highly commendable frankness on the above subject, and incidentally sums up with perfectly marvellous accuracy the insidious professional intriguing and deleterious .dominance of that mischievous body the New Zealand Educational Institute. "Scrutator's" insight ami conclusions arc altogether admirable. Writing from a place called Hastings, he says: "It is perfectly distressing to observe the degree of domination the Teachers' Institute, whose very raison d'etrq is higher salaries, is permitted to exercise in *the evolution of our education system.'' And again: "... so long as the N.Z.E.I. is permitted its present latitude in dictation, or while that body makes £ s. d the principal plank in its platform." Now, Sir, that is good stuff; just what everybody has been dimly con-. scions of, but wluit "Scrutator" alone has had the genius clearly to perceive and the courage boldly to state. These educational Shylocks—l know of one in charge of a small school o£ some 800 odd pupils, and ho draws over £500 a year, over £500, Sir, of public money—these moneyminded pedagogues are supposedly engrossed with such weighty matters as school accommodation, adequate staffing, syllabus, text books, etc., but it all spells salary, Sir, nil salary, and "Scrutator" is penetrative enough to know it. They appear to be striving disinterestedly for better school conditions for the children, and they want progressive movement; they oven go so far as to spend their money in the cause; but it is merely the sprat to catch the mackerel of salary. Astute citizens like "Scrutator" are not to lie deceived by such clumsily concealed devices. ]\lay I give him absolutely conclusive proof of the truth of his contentions. Take these matters which have been claiming teachers' attention: school accommodation, leave absence regulations,

individual education, syllabus. . All these are innocent and even commendable enough, no one can cavil at that sort of thing; but let me lift the screening camouflage. Take the initial letters of the above subjects—S.A.L.A.R.l.E.S. There you are, Sir; "Scrutator" is right; the whole things spells £ s. d. Or take these in which also the institute has apparently been interested—smaller classes, regulations, educational welfare—again the initials givo the whole thing away, thus— S.CR.E.W. It is good to have vigilant watchdogs like "Scrutator" to guard our public welfare, and, I repeat, our thanks are duo to him for his timely denunciation of the dangerous dominance and pernicious propaganda of this insatiable int.titule. Small wonder that this Hastings gentleman is distressed. What?—l am, SCREW-TAKER.