THE TEACHERS’ PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 15075, 6 January 1913, Page 7

THE TEACHERS’ PARLIAMENT.

The Education Institute Conference at New Plymouth resolved on Saturday that the recommendation of the Education Commission concerning railway facilities for children attending schools he adopted. It was resolved that the publication of inspectors’ reports, which aie critical and confidential reports to boards and committees, bo made illegal Mr Thomas (Wanganui) moved that the New Zeal£i->d Educational Institute should endeavor \ procure an alteration in the regulations regarding probationers so that appointments could he made at 15 years of age with a three years' teim. of service. He said many promising candidates for the teaching profession were les: because they had to _ wait until they were 16 years of age, and it often happened that parents could not afford ’he expense of supporting children until they were of that age. It would also allow a- thn c-ycai v course instead of two. This would he much more satisfactory. The motion was negatived. —Education Committee's Report The following report was submitted by the committee set up to the report lately piesented to Parliament bv the Royal_ Commission on Education “Your committee beg to submit the following report as the results of their deliberations. Our task proved one of considerable difficulty, as so much had to he done in the very short time at our disposal. We were delighted to find in the report recommendations of reforms advocated bv this institute for years past. Your committee took into consideration only those portion? of the report not dealt with by remits appearing on the order paper.

1. Education Boards; \our committee approve of the proposal to reduce the number of education boards to five, as suggested by the Commission, members of these boards to be elected on adult suffrage, tire boards to have the right of controlling primary, technical, and secondary education, as well as Native schools within their own districts. 2. School Boards; Owing to lack of time, your committee were unable to give this proposal the consideration its importance deserves, but. speaking generally, we favor most of the ideas set forth under the heading. It does not seem to us that February is the best mouth for the election of school boards. 3 Cost, of Education: The only portion of the report nuder this heading that your , committee would refer to Is the reference of the Commission to the increases in teachers’ salaries, and we rc-

commend the institute to support most heartily the statement that no one can justly say that the sums now granted for these purposes are sufficient. 4. Administration of Central Department: lour committee stronglv approve of the Commission's recommendation that there should bo simplification of some returns and the abolition of others. 5. The Training of Teachers : All that your committee have to say concerning this paragraph is that, in their opinion, the shortage of teachers is verv largely due to the poor prospects of material reward for teachers ns the years go on. 6. Staffing of Schools; A one committee share the regret of the Commission that in the larger schools are still to he found classes of 60 or 70. or oven more, in charge oVne teacher, and recommend that remit 30 be adopted. This remit provides that the executive of the New Zealand Educational institute be urmcl 01 ‘ the introduction of the additional staffing, as provided for bv regulation.

7. Manual and Technical Instruction : Xour committee are strongly against method of payment of capitation to handwork classes, and recommend that the present capitation system for manual work in primary schools should he discontinued in favor of definite allowances for material, etc. _B. Trend of Education: Your committee warmly approve of the remarks of the Commission under this heading, and, in view of these remarks, regret that there should occur in the. report mention of abolition of district high schools, for in these schools the bias suggested by the Commission might easily be given. 9. Demilitarisation of Junior Cadet* • Your committee think that the institute should express regret at the demilitarisation of the Junior Cadets.

10. Education of Girls: lour committee approve generally of the Commissions remarks on the education of girls, and approve of the principle, of differentiation in the courses of school work required of our senior boys and eirls, .j 1 - Sex Physiology; The institute de°'ded to approve the recommendation of uhe Commission up to a certain point., as shown by this extract from the report;—“ Evidence has been given up.'n the question of teaching sexual physiology to the older boys and girls in 'our primary and secondary schools. The general opinion appears" to be that something of the kind should he undertaken, hut there is much diversitv of view as to when and by whom this instruction should be_ given. The Commission agree that advice should be imparted to all hoys* and girls at some time before they finally leave school, preforablv bv parents.”

Scholarships and Free Places; our committee think that the report of the Commission under this heading should be endorsed, and that remit 22 1912 should be reaffirmed. This remit is : That the time has arrived when all junior, national, and education board’s junior scholarships should be abolished, and the money so saved should be spent in paying the lodging expenses of those children who are highest on the list of the junior free places examination, and who require to live away from home in order to attend a secondary school.” 13. School Buildings and Playgrounds; lour committee regard this section as one of the very important parts of the report, and advocate that the institute should strongly support the recommendations of the Commission.

14. j Consolidation of Schools; Your committee warmly approve of the recommendation of tho C omnussion as regards the consolidation of schools, and are glad to find that the Commission have stated the position so strongly and so favorably. The institute view with pleasure the action being taken by several boards to give effect to these recommendatio r-, and hope that local pressure by committees and rubers *i:av not he the means of preventing further action in this direction. ° 15* Private Schools: Your committee ttnnk that the retimmendatiois of the Commission regarding private schools should be strongly- endorsed by the institute. 16: Children and Street Trading* \ oar ,committee are greatly pleased that the Commission should have embodied in their report reference to this subject and recommend the institute to strongly support tho Commission in directing attention to the evils referred lo L, t p e opinion of the New Zealand Educational Institute the time has arrived when legislation should be enacted in cdei* lo prevent the evils referred to in paragraph 1, page 24, of the report or the Education Commission. Finally, \onr committee recommend tho institute to place on record their conviction that the present svllabus has played a great pari in th? educational progress of New Zealand, but wish lo point out that it is now about ime ve**rs since its introduction, and that the Royal Connussion on Education, the Education Conference of 1910. and the -New Zealand Educational Institute have indicated that its complete revision i.s necessary. ' The institute therefore believe that’ in the best interests of education Hie revision should be no longer "delayed. 6

[Special to the Stab.] . NEW PLYMOUTH, January 4. This morning’s sitting was devoted to feneral business. Tho election of officeearers for the current year resulted as follows:—President, Mr T. U. Wells, M (Auckland); vice-president, Mr J. CauMnvy’ M.A. (Chrietchurch); secretary, Mr H \ . Parkinson, M.A. (Wellington); treasurer,' i i” 1, E,. W. Just (Lyttelton); non-official

members of the executive—Messrs R, B Holmes, J. H. Harkness, 8.A., and G Flux. Other general business having been transacted, the meeting dosed at 10.45 p.m. "Votes of thanks were accorded to the executive of the Taranaki branch of tho institute for their hospitality.