OVER-WORKED PUPIL TEACHERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIX, Issue 9991, 21 March 1893, Page 6

OVER-WORKED PUPIL TEACHERS.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,— I should be much obliged for space to say a few words about pupil teachers. The present craze for education compels these unfortunate individuals to go through an amount of drudgery that outsiders would not believe possible in a free and enlightened Christian country. Of the male teachers I shall say nothing, they can defend themselves; it is for the cause of our long-suffering, patient sisters that I now pen these words. I know of one young lady who was in an up-country school where she had forty pupils to teach. Just think what that means. Suppose the unlucky teacher to be in a class schoolroom—forty-one individuals will make any room not famous at the best of times for ventilation close, head - achy, stuffy. The teacher has to convey soma instruction to forty different minds, who are possessed of forty different receptacles for acquiring knowledge, and have forty ingenious ways for getting oat of learning at all. That’s hard work. Before the teacher looms the ominous face of the inspector, and behind him a row of unsympathetic School Board spectres. Over all hangs the blick cloud of examination. All this is, of course, necessary. Everyone recognises thatwe must have the next generation well crammed with book-learning. After her forty pupils have gone home, the teacher can, of course, go for a stroll in the fresh air and banish the ache ffom her brow, and blow,the cobwebs fiom her brain. But there ore forty exercise-books to be corrected. Imagine wading through all those. This would be a fair evening’s work, allowing a little time for sotting school sewing. But there is her own examination coming off. She must burn the midnight oil to pass that. How can a girl working like this do justice to her pupils ? No wonder that her health breaks down under the strain. There is a darker side still. The strain goes on. The girl might have been of much use to her country, for does not a conscientious teacher do much towards our young people in noble, honourable work, besides imparting geography &c. ? She gives way to overpressure, a short illness follows, then death mercifully relieves her from the struggle to earn a living. Should not such an evil be recognised and steps taken to relieve all such helpless sisters ? —I am, &c., ONE WHO KNOWS.