New Zealand Educational Institute.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2324, 12 January 1893, Page 2

New Zealand Educational Institute.

THE TENTH ANNUAL MEETING.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

WELLINGTON, January 10.

The tenth annual meeting oi the New Zealand Educational Institute was opened today. The president (Mr. C. Watßon, 8.A., Wellington) was in tbe chair, and the following representatives of branches were present : — Auckland, B. D. Stewart and J. L. Scott ; Wellington, H. P. Ward, J. J. Pilkmgton, and G. McMorran ; Wanganui, J. Aitken, 8.A.., and A. Gifford, M.A. ; Taranaki, J. Grant, 8.A., and H. Dercpsey ; Nelson, G. A. Harkness, M.A.; Nortb Canterbury, C. A. Straok ; Otago, C, Cbilton, M.A., W. J. Moore, W. MoEtrea, and C. B. Smith; Southland, G. Hardy; Waikato, T. H. Chapman; Hawke's Bay, J. A. Smith, 8.A., T. Morgan, and B. B. Holmes ; Waimea, E. Cowles, The Hawke's Bay and Waimea branches were formally affiliated to tbe Council of the Institute.

Tbe president, in his annual address, said tbe past year bad been one of fair progress in the growth of the Institute. As to the concerns ot national education, it was admitted on all sides that excellent work was being done. Few were now found bold enough to declare that our State education was a failure. In two directions immediate improvement could and ought to be made — irregular attendance and the considerable number of neglected children who escaped education altogether. All that part of the Eduoation Act whicb dealt with compulsion waß bad and useless. The time was ripe for a change. The duty of forcing attendance should be handed over to the police; the committees could not and would not see to it, and in every large town there should be a special school for neglected children. A ohange ought also to be made in the system of annual examination for pass or failure in the standards, as the circumstances under which tbe system came into being had passed away. In his opinion, teachers should be given more freedom in classifying and teaching their schools. He deplored the small number of males. The causes that deterred young men from entering and remaining in the service were poor pay, the few good positions, insecurity of positions, constant criticism, and the frequent vexations and humiliations that come upon most teachers.

A vote of thanks was passed to the president for bis address, and after various oommittees bad been set up the meeting adjourned till to-morrow.