DISSATISFIED TEACHERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10597, 24 May 1920, Page 9

DISSATISFIED TEACHERS

PROFESSIONAL STATUS. ; grading scHiaii advocated. A strong denunciation of the present professional status of school teachers, particularly in secondary schools. Was made at the annual- meeting of tho New Zealand Secondary Asjstants’ Association on. Saturday by the secretary, Air F. Marty n Renner. Mr. Renner moved:—“That, if the present method of capitation payment be retained, the Government bo again strongly urged to raise such, payment to £l9 per head per. ffoo-place pupil for salaries only, in order to ensure (X) an adequate professional remuneration for all _ secondary teachers; (2) the introduction of a grading scheme such asis outlined in. tho association’s pamphlet, “The Status and Pay of the Secondary Teacher in Now Zealand.” “Tho asking for more money as we have dono and aro doing is humiliating and degrading in the extreme,” said the mover, “rear’ after year wo have to do tho same thing. Year after year vye are told, ‘You are doing work that is of the highest importance to the State.’ But when it conies to paying our services up to the estimate put uxion them that's anotherthing, I can .foresee only one end—the sinking of our profession to a state of mediocrity because tho men and •Women of ambition won’t stay in it and because very many teachers aro persuading boys and girls of ability to ■take ujp some other walk in life than teaching. A dissatisfied teacher becomes an embittered teacher; an embittered teacher is a menace to tho State. There is no doubt that secondary teachers aro dissatisfied. ’ The -secondary teacher, and his wife and children,, aro not regarded as-being on . the same social piano as'the hundreds of professional men and women whom the secondary school teacher has put lon that plane. I can sec nothing but disaster staring us in the face until , such feelings are eradicated. Wo .should keep ab ’tho Government until we get what wo’want.” j The remit was carried unanimously.