THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 5 September 1913, Page 5

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

The annual conference of the Secondary School Assistants' Association opened to-day, Mr A. Hame. (Wellington* presiding. It was decided that the next conference be held in Wellington. Th<* chairman read a paper on "Old and New Methodswf Education," criticising the lack of knowledge of grammar possessed by students under the preseafc system,' which; in effect., produced students who had" "learnt many things, lra« no+- mr<.h." Mr Rentier, read a paper on "New Zealand Dialect," discussing orominentr dffects m pronunciation and" enunciation. He suggested that teacher* should first place themselves above' reproach in this respect, then they could undertake to remedy defects in the children's speech. Resolutions were adopted urging the Government to issue a regulation .restricting classes to 25 pupils, and to make the military year for secondary spools' senior cadets coincide with thesohool year. It was also decided to urge the Government to pass legislation goyerning the training of secondary school masters and mistresses Members of the Association are to be circularised to ascertain; the number whohold the Department's certificates and the class of such, with the number of years' teaching and the time that lias elaijsed since the last promotion in the certificate. , . Officers were elected as follow :—President, Mr F. H. Campbell; vice-presi-dent, Miss L. E. Bing'■; secretary and treasurer, Mr F. M. Rennnr; executive-. Messrs X W. Andrews. H. T. T>. Mahon. A. Heine, and A. C. Gifford. ■;. The executive was authorised to *xmsider the' cmesrions of superannuation,, salaries, and promotion.