NOT TOO OLD AT FIFTY.

Evening Star, Issue 14637, 5 August 1911, Page 8

NOT TOO OLD AT FIFTY.

In the ruurse of his monthly report to the Southland Education Board Inspector Wyllie said : —There seems to be an impression abroad that a teacher who has reached the age of fifty is incapable of good service and unworthy of promotion. With that view I am almost wholly m disagreement. There are, undoubtedly, some positions in our service for which such a teacher is not the most suitable; for which, in fact, the vigor and enthusiasm of youth are eminently desirable qualifications Rut such positions, in our district, at least, are comparatively few in number, and rarely teachers of the class mentioned. On the other hand, I hold strongly that, for most positions in our service, the, age of (iffy is no absolute- disqualification. Whatever hs the case in other walks of life. I hero is nothing m the Work of educating the young that should make it necessary to relegate the teacher of fifty to the obscurity of private life. Ordinarily he is then capable of at least 10 years more of efficient service, beim? very far indeed from being physically defective, and being mentally at, least as well endowed as ever he was. He has usually acquired by that time a wider and deeper knowledge of child nature, a greater tact and discretion in dealing with parents and co-workers, a loftL-r moral standpoint, and a clearer view of the main problems of education than lie bad as a callow youth. He is, no doubt, occasionally too conservative in his views, but it may well be questioned whether his attitude is any more embarlassing than the misguided enthusiasm of youth. For these reasons his claims for consideration are not to be lightly cast, aside. Particularly hard is the case of those teachers wlk, having rendered 20. or it may be o'J. years' efficient service in the cauie of education, find themselves out through no faults of their own—outthrough an unavoidable fell in grade, reduced in present means and future prospects, with no chance of retrieving their position. Any scheme of promotion under which such a casi is possible is clearly, to that extent at least, defective. There is reason to believe 'says the ' Southland Tim ') that so far as the membcis of the Southland Education lionrd are concerned the idea which Inspector Wyllie deprecates decs not pn-v.iil.