EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

Evening Star, Issue 17323, 10 April 1920, Page 9

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

CAMPAIGN FOR BETTERMENT. ; THE TEACHER’S CLAIM. This morning Mr H. A- Parkinson*’ secretary of the Now Zealand Educational Institute, -who is at present conducting; an educational campaign, addressed memibera of the Otago -branch at the King Edward Technical College. Mr H. C. Jones (president) was chair-* man, and, in briefly introducing the speaker, said that two years ago tha institute decided to appoint a permanent secretary, to dc-voto ins whole time ta the work of the institute. Previously the work had been carried on by a teacher, but had become too great for him to cops with. • Mr Parkinson said it was hoped that during last session a Bill would have been passed to deal with the requirements of education, but for political,reasons it •did not eventuate. The executive of tho institute bad therefore decided to launch a campaign to place before teachers and ■ the public generally the needs of educas 2 tion. The aims of the institute were to 1 advance the. cause of education and to safeguard the interests of the members collectively and individually. If education were held in due esteem, then also would be held in due esteem; if education were _ lightly regarded, teachers would be similarly regarded. Education was the preparation of the people of tha nation for living a life of civic usefulness. The education the young people were getting was not an education that fulfilled tho requirements of social life and modern conditions. After tho war there had been a call for increased production, and to obtain that they must train tho agents of production. Only the highest sldlf and the best trained will -could get the total product from the natural resources. Probably more was wasted in this country through wasted brains than through any other channel. More than half or their children were turned out of school before they were 14 years of age. After that they got further training as best they could—some of it good, a great deal of it bad. Young people needed a wider and deeper education, first! v A in order to earn their living, and secondly, in order ' to give them the fair chan-ce in life to which they were entitled. It was only by an. improved system of primary school education that the child could be given, as_ t-liG Prince of Males aptly put it, a fair “sporting chance” in life. Then tho schools must bo com fordable, wellwarmed, and well-lighted buildings. There ‘ was a law which demanded that the temperature of shops should be kept at 60 degrees. Why should not the schools ba kept at that temperature when necessary ? He knew of schoolrooms which never registered 60 degi-ccs right through tho winter. It was a matter “of the welfare of the growing citizens of the nation. The nation bringing up their citizens in such a way and allowing so many to wander into “ blind alleys *’ were not doing themselves justice. There must ’ be an extension of the school ago in tho interests of tho State and of tho individuals. Smaller classes were also absolutely necessary if the teacher was to bring out the best in the child. The teaching service must also be much more attractive than in the past. There would need- ■ to be a removal of the many disadvantages 1 under which they now labored. At present the teacher had too many masters and was subject to too many “pinpricks.” Tho method of obtaining employment would have to be improved, as at present a man couW not always depend upon the value of his services from the recognition of them. Finally, there must bo better salaries. The institute would ask for a minimum salary of £2OO for a certificated teacheh, and ask that the top ranks bo put on a level with the professional division in the public service. At _ the conclusion if his address Mr Parkinson was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acclamation.