CONFERENCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1036, 8 January 1892, Page 36

CONFERENCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

AMENDMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP ' REGULATIONS. A conference of teachers of secondary schools was opened on Wednesday week in the Girls’ High School, corner of Pipitea and Moturoa streets, its special purpose being the discussion of suggestions for enlarging the constitution and altering iu various directions tho ;egulations for junior scholarship and matriculation examinations. There were present: —MrC. F. Bourne, Auckland College and Grammar School; Mr W. Walton, Christchurch Boys’ High School ; Mr E. Pridham, New Plymouth High School ; Rev F. A. Hare, Christ’s College Grammar School, Christchurch ; Mies M. McLean, Timaru High School; Mr Pinkney, Napier Boys’ High School ; Mr Mayne, Timaru High School ; Miss M. G. Hamilton, Wellington Girls’ High School ; Miss Morrah, Wellington Girl’s High School ; Mr W. B. Andrews, Wanganui Collegiate School ; Mr T. W. Joynt, Nelson College; Miss Gibson, Nelson Girls’ College ; and MrC. E. Bevan Brown, Christoburch Boys’ High Sohool. Mrs Pridham also oocupied a seat at the table, but not as a member. Mr Walton (Seoretary) opened the proceedings by announcing that at the last moment the president, Mr J, Harkness (Waitaki High School) had been detained at home by illness in his family. On the motion of Mr Bevan Brown, Mr C. F. Bourne was called to the chair end briefly returned thanks for the honour. The Secretary intimated that he had received a number of telegrams from members apologising for their absence. The roll having been called, the Chairman said that as there were more than seven voting members present the Conference was duly constituted. TOTING BY ASSISTANTS. Mr Bevan Brown moved, pursuant to notice, “That paragraphs 2 and 3 in the ‘Constitution of Conference’ be amended so as to read as follows : That all full time assistant-: in secondary schools, as well as principals, be allowed to take part in the deliberations of the Conference, and to vote, provided that no school exercise more than three votes ; that no voting by proxy be allowed.” It was right that some system of proportional representation should be adopted, and the method of extending the voting power which he proposed would allow to the more important schools a greater weight than to the others. The provision that no school should exercise more than three votes had been introduced bo as- to guard against the danger of the conference being unduly swayed by the schools of the two distriots where it was most likely to continue to meet—Christchurch and Wellington. The Rev Mr Hare seconded the proposal pro forma. He preferred that tha question should be referred to a select committee,

Mr Joynt was afraid the proposal wonld tend to upset the balance of the conference. The danger of throwing g*eater weight into the hands of the district where the conference mot was a very great one. The Chairman considered that if assistant masters aud mistresses were admitted to vote on equal terms with principals, tho conference would develop into a debating club, and, aa a consequence, its representations would oarry less weight with the University Senate. If, however, this new departure were accepted the other question of proportional representation between larger and smaller schools should also engage attention.

Mr Joynt moved, aa a amendment, the reference of the question of considering paragraphs 2 aud 3 in the “Constitution of Conference” to a select committee. In answer to Miss Hamilton, Mr Walton said that a present the mistress of the girls’ department of a sohool would not be entitled to vote If she were subordinate to a headmaster.

Miss Hamilton thought in such cases tho mi-tress of the girls’ department should cartainly be entitled to vote as the representative of a distinct branch of the sohool, with regard to which the headmaster might have very little to do, and possess but slight ( practical knowledge. ( Mr Walton pointed out that tho conference was not called together orgin,ally as a Headmaster’s Conference, and, in speaking as he didf the Chairman had betrayed a wrong conception of its scope and purpose. x\ great many of the assistants in secondary schools would have nothing to do with the conference so long as the constitution remained as it was. He sympathised and agreed with Miss Hamilton’s remark that tho headmistress of the girla’ department of a school was more likely to know what was good for her pupils than the principal of the opposite—he would not say the superior—sex.

Mr Andrews said the conference was practically a debating society at present, and therefore the point merely was whether the assistants, having already a right to speak,# should also have a right to vote. Mr Bevan Brown having replied, the original motion was negatived by the Chairman’s casting vote, after which the amendment was caried, and Messrs Bourne, Bevan Brown, Andrews, Hare and Joynt were appointed the select committee to whom the question is referred. The Conference then adjourned till the evening, in order that the select committee might have time to deliberate. On resuming, the Chairman submitted tha following report from the Select Committee s Constitution be rescinded ; (2) that tho prepayment of a subscription of 10s be a necessary qualification for voting at the conference ; (3) that principals of secondary schools having a total of 50 pupils on tho roll for the preceding term be entitled to two votes, and principals of schools having a roil below that number having one vote ; (4) that the staff of assistants of every sohool with a roll of not less than 59 pupils iu the preceding term be entitled to eleot two of their number to represent them at the conference, suoh representatives to have one vote each ; (5) that no voting by proxy be allowed ; 6) that the conference he not constituted unless principals holding at least 12 votes assemble; (7) that the secretary and fcreasurer be entitled to a vote ex officio; (8) that only clause 7 oome into operation at this conference. Clause 4 of this report was amended on the motion of Mr Pridham by the insertion after “ conference ”of the words “and that the staff of assistants of every secondary school having less than 50 pupils on the roll in the preceding term be entitled to elect one of their number to the conference.” Clause 7 was amended by the addition of the words “unless entitled to a vote on other grounds.” The report as thus amended was adopted. JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIPS REGULATIONS. Mr Mayne (in the absence of Mr Hogben) moved—That the regulations for Junior Scholarships be altered as follows :—(1) In lieu of the groups in par. 18 (b). [See report of Secondary Schools Conference, 1889, p. 6.] Group A : Special Excellence.—l. English with Latin, or Greek, or Mathematics or French and German, 1 scholarship ; 11. Latin with English and French or German, 2 scholarships ; 111. Mathematics with any two branches of Science as defined in the regulations, 2 scholarships ; IV. Latin with Mathematics or Greek, 1 scholarship ; V. Mathematics with Latin or Greek, 1 scholarship ; VI. Science with Latin, or Greek, or Mathematics, or French and German, 1 scholarship. Group B : General Proficiency, say, 4 scholarships.—Any four subjects, provided that French and German count as one subject if substituted for Latin, Greek, or Mathematics, but otherwise as two subjeots. Mr Pridham seconded pro forma. It was agreed to consider as an amend, ment to the above the proposal of which Mr Walton had given notice, viz:—That clauses 17 and 18 (S.S.C. report, 1889) be rescinded, and that the Senate be requested to continue to award junior scholarships in accordance with the present regulations, bo far as they secure general proficiency, saving that the number of subjects be reduced to four, and that the attention of the Senate be again called co previous recommendations of this conference, particularly to resolutions 12, 13. 14, and 16 of report, 1889. After considerable discussion, in the course of which Messrs Joynt and Bevan Brown and Mit-s Gibson spoke against the specialisation of scholarships, and in which the Rev Mr Hare and the Chairman condemned the present-system of marking as inequitable and haphazard, the motion pro. posed by Mr Mayne was negatived and tha further consideration of Mr Walton’s proposition was deferred, an amendment to delete the words ‘‘saving that the number of subjeots be reduced to four” having been lost.

[Our report of the debate has to be omitted through pressure on our space.] A further proposal by Mr Mayne (for Mr Hogben) That the maximum for Greek bo 1500, was carried by 7 to 4,

BntTRS OF SITTING, These were fixed at from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and 2.30 to 5.30 p.m. NOTICES OF MOTION. By Mr Bevan Brown—(1) That St Patrick’s College be added to the schedule of recondary schools. (2) That no motion be deemed to be carried save by a twothirds majority of the votes of the meeting, and this motion be retrospective ns regards this meeting of conference. (3) That it be an instruction to examiners for junior scholarships to so arrange their system of marking that the highest boy gam at least 66 per cent. At 10.15 p.m. the Conference adjourned till 10 next morning.

On Thursday forenoon the conference reduced the subscription fee from a guinea to 10s, and decided to invite the Hector of bt Patriot’s College to attend the session. Mr Walton’s postponed motion re junior scholarships was passed after the words favouring the reduction of the number of subjects to four had been deleted. It was decided to recommend the University Senate to add to clause 5 of the instructions to examiners : " And give not less than per cent to the best paper if reasonably sansfactory, but not more unless it be exceptionally good. ” It was also resolved to recommend the Senate to appoint a moderator or moderators for each subject to revise the question papers so as to secure general uniformity, and to assist the examiners in fixing the percentage. A number of other motions were referred to a committee. The conference was occupied on Thursday afternoon in discussing the question of Becondary schools examination. Mr Andrews (Wanganui) brought forward a scheme providing for such an examination. In hi 3 address he alluded to the necessity of some svatem of testing the work of, at any rate, the junior forms. The two upper forms were tested by the junior scholarships and matriculation, but there was no general test for the lower forms. The University and the Government had repeatedly been a~ked to institute some examination, but they had hitherto refusod ; now, however, tho Government had seen its w»y to support the soheme which he was bringing forward. Mr Andrews then explained his scheme at some length. It provides for examination in ail subjects taught, some, however, having a greater weight than others, and it divides the candidates into' three classes, and each class into three divisions. An elaborate svllabns and a large number of regulations governing the examination were also laid on the table. Mr Andrews claimed, on behalf of hi? Beheme, that several headmasters had assisted him in it, and that it was so arranged as to test the ordinary work of each school ; that it provided for examiners who knew how to examine and how to correct papers ; and that the co9t was small. He also alluded to the fact that the.seheme was a practicable one, inasmuch as the Government was prepared at once to give support to it. He proposed “ That some such scheme as the one dow explained would a satisfactory secondary Bohools examination, and that a committee be appointed to go into the details." Mr Pinkney (Napier) seconded. _ Mr Walton (Ohiiatchurch High School) wa3 in favour of the scheme. It would, at a small cost, provide examiners for the smaller schools, which was a great want. Mr Bourne (Auckland) opposed the motion. He did not think it would provide for his school. , , Rev Mr Hare (Christ’s College) thought it would pay the Governors of his school to enter for the proposed examination, and also that it would assist in training a body of competent examiners. He supported the motion on the understanding every master who sent in oupils should send in all the boys of the junior form?, and not picked scholars. Mr JoyDt (Nelson) opposed the motion very strongly. He objected to t r e establishment of any form of universal secondary examination ; such a system would not suit his school at all. it would lead to too much uniformity of work, and to too much competition between schools. Mr Bevan Brown (Christchurch High School) also opposed the motion as unsuit* able for his school, unless the governors would consent to extra expenditure, . At present, hia school was privately examined by University graduates, and he was sat'sfied with their report. He was afraid of Government help. Miss Gibson (NelsoD) also opposed the scheme, which, she thought, was likely to throw too much work on schoolmasters at the very time when they were tired out. Mr Andrews replied, and eventually the motion was lost by six votes to five. Mr Mayne (Timaru) then introduced a scheme which provided for the examination of schools by a University syndicate. The syndicate was to send down two examiners to each school to examine partly orally and partly in writing. Mr Andrews (Wanganui) seconded. Since his own scheme had been rejected he supported this as the next beßfc, although he felt sure that the University would not fall In with the proposal. ... This scheme also was, after short debate, ost on the voices. On Friday morning the conference met at II o’clock, when Mr Harkness, the President, took his place for the first time. After apologising for his unavoidable absence, he said that in accordance with views of the Standing Committee he had been in correspondence with the University authorities about the junior scholarships, and had lately written to the Chancellor to know if the Senate would like to have the opinion of the secondary school masters on the sabject. 'l lie reply was that a committee had been appointed and that in due time the Boards of Governors would receive a con* munication. So that neither the oonferenoo of headmasters nor headmasters separately were to be consulted, which was very disappointing, and a very different course from that usually adopted by the Educat on Department. The report of the Committee appointed, to consider the general subject of the matriculation and junior scholarships examinations was then read, and adopted unanimously aftera very long discussion, It dealt

with the better definition of some of the subjects in which these examinations are conducted, and Criticised some of the papers lately set. A committee was appointed to draw Up a letter to the .Venate embodying these resolutions. On the proposal of Mr Bourne, the conference unanimously resolved to recommend (a) That the privilege already granted to iho-e who have served as pupilteachers, and to those who have attended a training college for a prescribed time, of counting a pass in the juniir scholarship examination towards the obtaining of a Class D teacher’s certificate, even though they had not attained the age of 19 years at tho time of passing the examination, should be extended to pupils of secondary schools, (b) That a pass with credit in the junior scholarship examination should be recognised as equivalent for all purposes to a pass in the Senior Civil Service Examination. Mr Bevan Brown then called attention to the fact that a matriculated student always received a paper from the Registrar which he was asked to sign, and the signing of which debarred him from subsequently competing for a junior scholarship. The speaker thought that the disqualification should be distinctly stated on this paper. One of his own pupils had inadvertently signed this paper, and had thus been prevented from entering for the higher examination, although he intended to be two years longer at school. It was unanimously resolved to try and get this state of things altered. Mr Bevan Brown was then elected President, and Mr Walton Secretary for the ensuing Beason ; and a standing corn mifcfcee of the President elect, the Secretary, Rev Mr Hare, and Mr Harkness was chosen. The time and pLce of next meeting was left to this committee, though a recoininundation was made that it should be at either Wellington or Christchurch about January 21, 1895. The usual votes of thanks closed the procee ings.