TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5610, 17 February 1879, Page 6

TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION.

A well-attended meeting of the teachers of North Canterbury was held on Saturday at I p.m. in the Durham street Schoolroom, for the purpose of considering the new classification of teachers, and the syllabus of instruction to be given in schools. . ■ On the motion of the Rev J. Cuming, Mr Mitchell was voted to the Chair. The Chairman having briefly opened the business, called upon Mr Cuming to address the meeting.

The Rev J. Cuming said that he had convened the meetingin accordance with a pledge he had given to some teachers in Dunedin who were dissatisfied with the scheme propounded by the Inspector-General for the classification of teachers, and alsq with the syllabus of the instruction to be given in the schools. He might mention that he did not think that the Otago teachers had as yet formed any definite plan of action in the matter, but the Otago teachers would shortly meet, and he believed that they would be happy to co-opefate with the Canterbury Association. Perhaps the best thing they could do at present would be to appoint a Committee who would consider, the propriety of re-organising the Association so as to render it more effective, as well as to offer suggestions and draw up a plan of action with reference to the matters they had more immediately met to consider, such Committee to report to a general meeting to he hereafter called. Perhaps it might be found expedient to establish a number of branch Associations, each communicating with and sending a delegate to the central Association. The meeting then took a, free conversational form, when dissatisfaction was expressed at the unfairness which, in some oases, had been manifested in the classification of teachers. Ultimately it was resolved —“ That the following gentlemen form a Committee for the purposes stated by Mr Cuming, viz.:—Rev J. Cuming, Messrs Baldwin, Wilson, Elwin, Rev M. Wilkes, Messrs Thompson, Wray, Mitchell, Thornton, Scott, Bishop, Taylor, and Speight. The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The Committee met immediately on the close of the general meeting, and elected the Rev J. Cuming, Chairman.