SCARCITY OF MALE TEACHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10970, 26 January 1899, Page 5

SCARCITY OF MALE TEACHERS.

DISCUSSION BY THK WELLINGTON i'l EDUCATION BOARD.

[liv TKLKUHAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] y Wellington', Wednesday. There are 14,118 children attending the 143 ■schools under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Education Board—7sl7 males and 6901 females. The teachers number 413, of whom 124 are males and 289 females. This disparity was remarked upon at the Board s meeting to-day, when it was pointed out that the young male teachers absolutely refused to go into the country, preferring to keep to the town schools, where the salaries were higher, 'lhe result was that there were schools in the country districts where (he big boys dominated the situation, the mistresses being only nominally in charge. When this was pointed out to-day the chairman remarked that in his experience the settlers in isolated country places preferred female teachers, because they could generally teach music or sewing. One-member of "the Board remarked that he had met with women teachers in very uncongenial surroundings, and there were places to which no self-respecting man would allow a sister or other female relative to go. The Chairman closed the discussion by remarking that in the present state of the Board's finances the only way to increase salaries and encourage young men to go to tbo country schools would be to reduce the salaries of some of the better-paid servants of the Board.