THE COST OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20959, 24 August 1931, Page 13

THE COST OF EDUCATION.

Sir, —"Interest ed's" tetter m the of Ausrust 19 contains so much that is true that his touch of bitterness, or prejudice, is regrettable. Xt is true that e postmaster's duties are all that he savs they arc, and 1 assure him that his admiration for the postal corps does not exceed mine. True it is also that schoolmasters are to be envied, in good times and in bad, and I speak (or write) from over 30 y ears' experience. Constant association with young people keeps them ] fresh and plastic in mind —or it should j even though it bars them much from mixing with the adult community. May I state candidly that if I were cot a schoolmaster I should certainly _enry all men who were schoolmasters. I find, here in the Waikato, that when envious remarks are made about our "lack" I am expected to hurry into the breach to defend our "soft jobs," "long holidays," " big salaries" and the' 1 rest. And do I ? Not a bit. It is a privilege to have charge of growing children, to belong to a society of earnest educators, and to accept the emoluments the Department of Public Instructior?®sees fit to award. It is a matter for thankfulness to be cn the eve of a fortnight's rest, and to look forward to ether similar holidays, even though such holidays are not gives t® teachers, but to pupils. Perhaps ""interested" would like us to take other work daring recess. lie real inaccuracy in his letter, the only thing I iaks exception to, is his mis-statement as to time. I, : and the teachers around me, leave home lat 3 a.m. or before, and arrive home about 5 p.m. On most nights, as on this present one, work has to be marked, reports written, books entered up, work prepared, or returns made. On good ! nights a teacher may maka time for a ! social visit. Saturday? Oh, yes, he has Saturday if there is nothing cn for his boys' football, or his girls basketball teams. And then Saturday was made for the youngsters, too. Let "Interested"' head a crusade to elevate the postmasters, but not to depress the schoolmasters, or anybody else. The taxes will do that aucn enough.

Sir.—Because the results from cur schools cannot be measured in £ .5 d, people fail to see the worth of their activities. According to '-Interested" the training of our children, cur dearest possessions, the citizens of to-morrow, for better or for worse, is less important and worthy than the management of a post office. As far as interchange of positions is concerned, the comparison is ridiculous, as ;irs aS such. However, I think the postmaster in his new job would go mad sooner than tne headmaster is his. Children find it difficult "to stay put," like facts and o cures can do. As for hours of work, 25 hours does not include preparation, correction and sports activities requiring: ten more. It is not the taint 01 the teachers thai children cannot satisfactorily do more than fire hours' -work a dav. In any case, such a "enshy" job should be much more popular than it is. Postmasters might evidently with _ advantage take it"up. The average_salaxy for teachers is not more than per annum not the kingly salaries one dreams of! A vear for teachers is just as long as for anvone else and from them a standard of living a little above that of labourers is expected. Put it straight to those who envy teachers their pay, _and bow manv envy them their jobs ? None to my knowledge Salter themselves that thev would make successful teachers. AT.ST) isTTEUESXED.