TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12424, 13 February 1901, Page 6

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —A .correspondent in to-day's issue draws attention to the scarcity of male pupil teachers, and! .paints cut tie advantages which those 'who enter the ranks enjoy during their apprenticeship. Now, does " Pen. ■ den-iris '■' know about what he is talking, or is he one'who has only iin outside view of the question? It is true that there is no premium 'to pay, and that the salary begins at once. The pupil teacher serves his, or her, four years' apprenticeship, enters the .training school for a year, and is then turns a out a finished article (sometimes,, however, unfinished so fair as obtaining a certificate foes), to obtain a position as best he can. He gets some relieving W J k—perhaps—and applies for positions which .'become vacant. After waiting in 'this way for a year or two, no ' isrim.efcim.as finds -either 'teachers, '-fresh from the training school, step in over his head After niuohi competition, he gets a position of £9O a' year—amd stops there. Advainc&ment is slow, and little- encouragement .given to working for a higher certificate. "Men entering the profession of lawyers', etc., mentioned -by " Peudennis" pay their premium., and after finishing their apprenticeship, have no difficulty in obtaining good remuneration. Boys have some conception of the •ha-rrass.mg life and poor pay of a teacher, and wisely elect tn enter other work. Hoping that I (have given "Pendennis" the 'light he required.—l am, etc., L'HCBDIE QUI KIT. TO 'THE EDITOR. Sir, —I was somewhat surprised 1 to see the remarks of your correspondent "Infelix" in this, morning's paper. I had come to the conclusion that the suburban teachers, the masters,.at any rate, had settled contentedly, and were quite resigned to the prospect of £IOO per year and a : shady, corner, leaving it to their niore fortunate brothers in tire.town arid country to bask in- the smiles of the, "powers that be." But. they are evidently not ' feeling quite so calm about it as I had supposed. The " general principle of the Board's scale" is not giving them satisfaction. Well, they mur-c be very hard to please. ''lnfelix" quoted the certificates of certain masters, showing that they were not only experienced teachers, bub also graduates of the New Zealand University. Does he not know that the only place where New Zealand decrees -are at a- discount. is in the" New Zealand schools? Besides that, it is a gross impertinence on thepart of suburban teachers to have better certificates than the generality of town, assistants. How dare they! I am afraid the suburban assistants, men., and ..women alike, have yet a great many lessons to learn. To, stand quietly, and see. people of less experience and less ability, pass, on ahead, and get to" the very, front ranks 'of .the' 'profession, just because they didn't happen to start flieiivcjirctr:! in suburban schools, may i)e galling in the extreme, but leisonn of labouring and waiting, though hard to learn, are being plentifully supplied at-present to. the men and women assistants of our suburban schools, and the prayers of the.edu-

cational public are earnestly asked, that they may profit by them. —I am, etc.. / LABOURER.

TO THE KDITOE. •Sir,— "Major Pendenn.is's" letter in today's "Times," opens up another phase of this important matter; indeed, it re really an extension of the V>pic from " Male Pupil Teachers" to "Teachers' Salaries 1 in general. Still, what he says is ''time.y', and, from his point of view, the matter is put rather strongly. I. am sorry, however, that ho should have weakened his position in a measure, by the .bald ana unsupported assertion, "I venture to assert that " Pendennis" has not- one teacher acquaintance." This being a gratuitous- assumption and quite contrary to fact-,, rather gives his letter an elment, of weakness in the controversial sense. The instance which he gives of .a, schoolmaster with fifteen years' experience; who is also a University graduate with a; high certificate, is, indeed, deplorable. Possibly, this particular teacher either likes- his work or the locality where he works, otherwise he surely would' have tried to, find more fitting remuneration for his abilities iu swnc other avheation. Let us haps this is an isolated -case. "Major 'Pendennis" agrees with what I stated about pupil-teachers,-for he quotes from my letter of Feb. 8 as follows :—" The apprenticeship' to this, profession is surely ..good enough in itself," and to this he adds, "and he is not far wrong." As we agree on - many points, wo need not. clash on the ■main, question, viz., the shortage of male* pupil-teaehers, and the Board's intention, to investigate the cause. If ''Major'Pendennis" "will try and enlighten us as to the j reason why the female pupil-teacher is 'dis- j placing tho male, lie will possibly be doing the latter a service.—l am, etc., PENDENNIS.