PROBLEMS OF TEACHERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19101, 20 August 1925, Page 12

PROBLEMS OF TEACHERS

THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS. ASSISTANTS IN CONFERENCE. MATRICULATION EXAMINATION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A conference of the Secondary Schools Assistants' Association of New Zealand was held to-day, with Mr. 11. B. Tomlinson in tho chair and 30 delegates present. The valuo of ''tho Education Bill, of 1924, giving power of disciplining members, was mentioned in the report, which, after dealing with salaries, regretted that no further progress had been made in the matter of superannuation. Gratification was expressed that the department had agreed under abnormal conditions to safeguaid the interests of all teachers whuro reduction in grade was threatened owing to the' fall in numbers in tho school. Tho report referred to the matriculation examinations as unsatisfactory. There was an unevenness in the nature of tho papers and discrepancies in tho maiks allotted. Matriculation dominated to quite an uncalled-for extent almost the whole of the secondary school curriculum. iteniite learned included the following:—'ihat the department be requested so to amend the various syllabuses as to permit of tho greatest possible correlation between the ditlerent subjects of the school curriculum. That the present typo of paper' set iu English for tho matriculation examination be done away with and a type substituted that will encourage a wider outlook and more literary treatmont of the subject in tho classroom. That the marpied allowance for secondary assistant teachers be made the samo as for primary assistant teachers as from April 1, 1924, or that the Minister bo asked to assign somo adequate reason for differentiation. That, in view of the fact that teachers sometimes are, and at other times are not, regarded by the department as Civil Servants, this association makes it a strong point of policy to maintain our right to professional status and to protest against being classified as Civil Servants., That the attention of the department bo drawn to tho fact that the top scale of salary in D grade for women teachers has oeon raised by £2 only, whereas in the salary cut for 1922 it was diminished by £l7, thus seeming unfair in comparison with the fuller restoration allowed in tho other scales. Officers were elected as follows:—President, Mr. J. A. Colquhoun, Palmerston North; vice-president, Miss K. V. Edgerley. The North Island representatives on the executive are Messrs. A. R. Gatland (Auckland) and A. J. Johnson (New Plymouth, and tho South Island representatives Messrs. W. M. Stewart (Christchurch) and C. M. Littlejohn (Waitaki). The Wellington representatives are Mr. A. S. Farquhar and Miss Hind. The officers for the Secondary Schools' Association are the vice-president, Miss Edgerley, and three membors of tho association. The council are Miss Hind and Messrs. Colquhoun and Chisholm. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE. THE EXECUTIVE'S REPORT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. | WELLINGTON, Wednesday The annual conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute in committee this morning discussed the annual report and balance-sheet. The report stated that the total assets of the institute amounted to £7363. The executive had asked for legislation on the right of appeal against non-appointment and the making of appointments in accordance with the graded list, the definition of special appointments, advertising of all vacancies, and counting of pupil teachers' experience. There was urgent need of a simple system of payment. The executive expressed a feeling that the institute could congratulate itself on its condition of vitality and capacity for work. SHAVING CERTIFICATES. TRAINING COLLEGE STUDENTS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday Tho Wellington Education Board to-day passed tho following resolution: "That the principal of the Training College be asked to furnish leaving certificates to ainees leaving training colleges showing any qualifications they may possess for the public service.