DOMESTIC SCIENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17263, 12 September 1919, Page 9

DOMESTIC SCIENCE

Sir.—l read with some interest Miss Juniper's remarks on certain "inefficient" domestic science instructors. She quotes two cases, neither of them very dreadful, but reflecting on the teachers concerned. With reference to the one-piece laundry, my experience has taught me that in country districts parents will not allow their children to bring washing, as it has often to be kept at the school for a fortnight. Why blame the teacher? Then, as to thos>} mice. If the "mousy" condition of a school reflects on the teacher, what a frightful amount of inefficiency there must be in the Auckland district. I wonder how mice will effect the much-debated question of grading:— here's a point for Mr. Caughley ! The domestic instructor under the board has received at least two years' good training —she then works for a miserable pittance of £100 to £140 a year—she has to live in the country and pay high Doardshe has to instruct hundreds cf children, many of whom object to the "tech. because their ignorant parents decry it, and their headmasters (in search of examination re- ' suits! think it is waste of time. She has ' to collect numerous fees and keep innumerable rolls— has to work 30 hours a week, sometimes at night (and her travelling time is not deducted from that) she has to keep her school and her utensils spotless, and now she has to catch the mice also. Compare this with the junior teacher at a secondary school, who cannot be obtained under £180 a year, 25 hours a week, and no responsibilities! The Education Board, by Miss Juniper's advice, is trying to attract to its service domestic science graduates. They are suitable for secondary schools, they have good qualifications in' applied science, but can they cook? The board requires skilful cookery and needlework instructors, not "highbrow" scientists. As a matter | of fact, most of the board's instructors know their business, but lately thev have been asked to do the impossible. 'Under j the old (non-Canadian) scheme, the teachers gave one lesson, comprising theory and demonstration of the next work, and the next week the children, knowing what to do, did it, and had time to finish and clean up. Under Miss Juniper's regime, theory, demonstration, cookery, clean ing-up, and sometimes a short examination, are crowded into a brief two hours. Which is the saner teaching method? As a matter of tact, when Miss Juniper gathered her teachers together for demonstration last July it was found impossible to finish a single.

lesson on her syllabus in anything like two hours, and yet her "inefficient.' teathers are asked to do with unrdv pupils what an efficient teacher could "not do with a class of trained women. I'her , are centres in -which Miss .juniper ha i spent very little time since she arrive. I in Auckland. If. in place of destructiv" criticism and condemnation of the existing order of things, she were to spend a fortnight in each centre, giving the teach- 's and the children the benefit of her spc i.l ised skill, with occasional lecture.- ... parents, she would enter a real benefit, on the cause of domestic education, and would perhaps tike a more sympathetic .view of the efforts of the worst-paid members of a badly-paid profession. Mart.