SEPARATE SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 112, 14 May 1930, Page 16

SEPARATE SCHOOLS

SUGGESTION DEFEATED

WOMEN TEACHERS' VIEWS

A rather unexpected motion, which, although it was heavily defeated, brought about a considerable discussion, came before the conference of delegates of the Now Zealand Women Teachers' Association last night. The suggestion was "That separate boys' and girls' schools, or departments, be provided, women head teachers to be in charge of the latter.'' Miss Swap summarised her support of the motion by saying that such an arrangement would benefit the woman teacher by giving her more chances of higher promotion and specialisation in infant, primary, and secondary work; she would bo more.at liberty to express her individuality, also hostility would end. The system w.ould result, too, in more self-reliance, more initiative, and more general culture on the part of the girl pupils, who would have opportunities for learning more handicrafts and should benefit by 'the supervision of sympathetic women; She also thought that girls were less sensitive whon \yoriving away from boys. Miss Little seconded the motion. Miss Manslield said she thought the benefits of such a scheme to the teacher outweighed those to tho child, which was not desirable. Also education was a preparation for life, and separation would bo a great loss to both-boys > and girls. The question of "sex hostility" was another point of the argument with which she disagreed and which she considered should not be given prominence. The fact that the alteration suggested would mean more for the teacher than for the girls was also mentioned by Miss Taylor, in deprecating the remit. "I have had oxpericncb in a large mixed school,'1 * -slie'safd, "and this separation of the sexes would be a very gi'eat .mistake. (Hear, hear.) It is striking right at the very foundation of' the education principles that'- we'1 'have' stood by in New Zealand." She thought that both boys, girls, and teach- i ers gained a. great deal by co-educUtion, and she would be intensely sorry to have that principle undermined. Moreover, if the-matter of separate schools was introduced at a time when reorganisation was taking1 place, they would ! introduce a cross-current that would be 1 very difficult for themselves and everybody else. '

Miss Park congratulated Miss Swap on the sincerity which had prompted iier endorsement of the remit, and Miss i'inlayso'n congratulated' her on the care and thought she had put into her explanation of the motion, but the latter thought it was the wrong time to bring tho suggestion up, and that it was not a very practical one as far as numbers ;ind cost were concerned.

Although she-did not support, tho, motion, Mrs. Fuoliy said she was glnil it h;id been brought forward, for it ful-filled-a 'prophecy she had once made that such a separation would be asked for if women teachers continued to be unjustly treated. If it only ventilated the fact that thero were no real avenues uf promotion, for women .teachers it ■ ".i!d be a good thing.