MARRIAGE AND TEACHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20820, 12 March 1931, Page 12

MARRIAGE AND TEACHING.

POSITION OF WOMEN.

ENGAGEMENT NOT FAVOURED.

Tho question whether married women school teachers should be dispensed with was discussed at a meeting of the Wellington School Committees' Association this weok. The chairman, Mr. C, H. Pinnoch, said it was a burning question with the prevailing unemployment. Mr. W. H. Phillips said there instances whore qualified teachers were walking about, while others with outside moans were holding positions, as in the case of one married woman, who had told him that she was working to educate her children at Victoria College, and at the -same time was running a motorcar. He moved that in the extraordinary circumstances the board bo requested to tal/o into consideration the matter of dispensing with married women's services.

Mr. J. J. Clarke said he had obtained some figures from (ho Education Board which bore on tho matter. There were in the board's service 73 married women. Of these 54 were in permanent positions and seven were in relieving positions. At the same time thero were 135 teachers out of employment, and 28 in temporary employment. Mr. F. L. Coombes said he was against the proposal, as these women had qualified themselves, and gone through arduous years of training and teaching experience, and held that they, had the right to equal treatment with men. On the average the young teacher was not half as competent as the experienced married woman teacher. If all the married women teachers were dispensed with in favour of young unmarried teachers, the staffs generally would be weakened. Miss J. G. Park said she was single, but she maintained that were she happily married she would be a better teacher. If the principle involved was to get rid of those who had other means and had no need to work, why not apply it to everyone, married, or single. " Tho only way we should look on this question," said Mr. A. Parlane, " is from the standpoint of the welfare of tho child." lie opposed tho motion on that account. '

On a show of hands the. motion was carried by eight votes to seven, y