TEACHERS CONFER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15500, 6 January 1914, Page 5

TEACHERS CONFER.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

MANY DELEGATES ATTEND.

QUESTION OF SCHOLARSHIPS.

The 31st annual meeting of the New Zealand Educational Institute was opened yesterday in the Training College. Mr. T. U. Wells, M.A., president, occupied the chair, the following delegates being present: — Messrs. W. H. Newton, R. B. Holmes, A. Erskine, G. Flux, J. A. Harkness, 8.A., and 0. D. Flamonk (non-official members of the executive), H. A. Parkinson, M.A. (secretary), E. U. Just (treasurer), Misses M. S. Newman, E. Shrewsbury, M.A., and Messrs. H. K. Burns, 8.A., H. A. Darrow, D. W. Dunlop, G. Lippiatt, M.A., C. R. Munro, F. J. Ohlson, and T. F. Warren, B.A. (Auckland Institute), R. L. McHroy t M.A., H. A. Stratford, and R. C. Xempler (Taranaki Institute), J. Aitken. 8.A., D. W. Law and T. Thomas (Wanganui Institute), J. Duggan, F. A. Garry, G. Harvey, and F. J. Rowley, B.A. (Hawke's Bay Institute), Miss J. Finlaysln and Messrs. E. H. Ballachey, 8.A., A. N. Burns, M.A., C. N. Haslam, and A. McKenzie (Wellington Institute), H. Oldham and Hills (Marlborough Institute). T. J. Griflen, 8.A., and L. Q. M. Boyce (Nelson Institute), M. Malone (Grey Institute), J. J. Henderson (Westland Institute) Misses E. Chaplin, 8.A., A. Speace, and Messrs. T. W. Ambrose, 8.A., F. T. Evans and A. C. Maxwell (North Canterbury Institute), Miss J. Fyfo and Messrs. A. Lindsay and M. McLeod t B.A. (South Canterbury Institute), Miss M McKenzie, and Messrs. J. KeVy. T. Patterson, M.A., W. Phillips and O. W. C. Macdonald (Otago Institute), and Misses A. Gray and C. McLeod, M.A., and Messrs. E. C. Hewat, 8.A., and H. P. Young (Southland Institute). In addition, a large number of teachers were present in an unofficial capacity.

On the platform were seated Bishop' Cieary, the Rev. I. Jolly, Mr. G. J. Garland (chairman of the Auckland Education Board), Messrs. G. W. Murray, H. Dempsey, and W. T. Grundy (past presidents of the institute), E. C. Petrie, G. George, H. A. Milnes, D. Petrie, M.A., and E. K. Mulgan (chief inspector), and R. Crowe.

In the absence of the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr), a civic welcome was extended to the delegates by Mr. John Court, deputy-' Mayor, and Mr. A. J. Entrican, senior councillor.

The deputy-Mayor referred to the steady progress that had been made in educational matters, and congratulated the institute upon the large attendance, which showed the keen interest of the teachers in their high calling. Mr. Entrican expressed admiration of the fact that teachers were willing to devote a portion of their holidays to the consideration of educational subjects. A welcome was also extended to the visitors by Mr. G. J. Garland, chairman of the Auckland Education Board. For 31 years, he said, such conferences had been held, and results had proved their value. He referred to the board's power to transfer teachers which it did not intend to give up. The Auckland Board had never exercised this power unduly, and its personnel was a guarantee that it never would do so.

After touching upon the recent changes in the matter of salaries, Mr. Garland said that he intended to bring under the notice of the board at an early date the advisability of introducing the prefect system into the primary schools. The system worked satisfactorily in secondary schools of the Old Country, and in some of the schools in this country, and its introduction into the primary schools would encourage pupils, and would give them an interest in school life which they did not now possess. Mr. E. K. Mulgsn spoke of the value such conferences had been in the past, and pointed out that those who issued regulations did not have the knowledge which the carrying out of these regulations brought, and it was only the teachers who knew the many difficulties of their profession.

The president delivered a lengthy and thoughtful address upon "Education in its Relation to Modern Social Problem*," for which he was warmly thanked. Meetpgs la Wellington.

_ A remit from the Wellington Institute that the annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute should in future be held in Wellington during the session of Parliament, was supported by Mr. A. N. Burns, who maintained that by holding their meetings in the capital they would be able to extend their influence and a knowledge of their aims. Holding their meetings in different centres each year, in the middle of the holidays, when people were not in the mood to worry about their deliberations, lost for them the serious consideration of the public and Parliament. " We are not here on a holiday excursions," said Mr. Parkinson (Wellington). "Let us get away from that idea, and take ourselves seriously, and the public will do likewise." They should meet outside the holidays. He foresaw no difficulty with boards. After* discussion the remit was adopted. Consolidation of Schools.

The Auckland and Hawke's Day Institutes each forwarded remits approving of the recommendation of the Education Commission, that consolidation of schools should be carried out wherever possible. Mr. G. Lippiatt (Auckland) said that the scheme was now past the experimental stage, having been tried with success in the United States and in New South Wales. Calculations had shown that a school of under 100 pupils could not support itself out of the Government grant, but a big saving on present expense could be made bv amalgamating, sav, three .schools of 50 pupils each. In salaries alone there would be a saving of £270. and the teaching would be more efficient ; The schools could be constructed embodying all the latent improvements, with all the necessities of a modern school, which a one-room school did not have and never had had. The benefits of the schemo would be regularity of attendance, for the pupils would be independent of weather conditions, they would net be fatigued by long walks to school, there would be mora teaching time, difficulties of organisation would be overcome, and the larger classes would be a greater stimulus to the teachers. The motion was carried. Appropriation of Scholarships. A lively discussion took place upon an Auckland remit, which was to the effect that the time had arrived, when all junior national and Education Board scholar--ships should he abolished, and that the money so saved should be spent in paying the lodging expenses of those children who were highest on the list m the junior free place <-> animation, and who required to live -:. ' i_v from home in order 1 - attend a Becoti'ia.y school. It -fas argucc. that the adop;,i,,. of this suggestion would place country pupils at an advantage' over town children. The motion was eventually carried.