SECONDARY SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10896, 10 May 1921, Page 7

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

TEACHERS IN CONFERENCE DELEGATES WILL DISCUSS IMPORTANT REMITS. WELFARE OF THE SERVICE. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Assistants’ Association to-morrow promises to he. largely ■ attended. A great number of* delegates have signified their intention of being present, and will stay to attend the conference to be held after the annual meeting at the Wellington Girls' College. Some of the matters to be discussed will be tbe co-ordination of primary and secondary education, the value of schools games, the amalgamation of the various educational bodies in New Zealand, and the military training of pupils at secondary schools. The meeting begins at 9.30 a.m. at Wellington College on Wednesday, 11th inst., and will finish in time to allow delegates to be present at the conference to he held on Thursday and Friday. THE REMITS. CLASSIFICATION AND GRADING. ~ Among the remits .to be considered are several relating to classification and grading. These are^— . (a) That teachers should be allowed to appeal not only against their grade, but also against position in any grade.— (Rangiora and Christchurch.) •b) That this association reaffirms the principle adopted by the secondary school teachers in conference with Minister in July, 1920, and approved by the Minister, that the grading of teachers in secondary schools be done by the principal and inspectors in conjunction.— (Christchurch.) (c) That returned soldier teachers in secondary schools be allowed the same concession os to their teaching service as is allowed to returned soldier teachers in primary schools, viz,, that each year of war service count as two years for rrndini, end «nnpT-n nnnntimi—(Cbrist-

ror grading ana superannuation. —jurist church.) (d) ’ That the Education Department b< requested to send all appeals against grading to the Appttal Board in the pro per districts, whether the appeals statt the definite grounds or not.—(Christchurch.) x, (e) As clause 18 of the regulations re luting to the grading and classification .of secondary teachers (December, ,1920; admits of varied interpretations, it is desirable €bat the' phrase "duties commonly required of secondary school teachers" be defined,—(Christchurch.) (t) That the Minister be requested to amend clause 16 of the regulations, met- ! tioned in remit 6. (e), as follows: "The services of each full-time assistant shall be at the disposal of the Board of Governors for 30 hours per wee ; k for the purformance of duties commonly required of secondary. school teachers, provided that all nori-ihsident teachers, who take part in the supervision of boarder* at preparation or in the boarding-house or elsewhere,, shall receive a remuneration equal to that, paid to technical school teachers for work done* after 6 jpjm."— (Executive.) (g) That clause 33 of the regulations governing leave --of absence be amended to substitute “two years” for "one year.”—(Christchurch). (h) That the'setting up of a transfer anl promotion board ie in the best interests of all secondary school teachers. —(Executive.) (i) That the Minister be urgently requested to amend, clauses 18 and 19 of the regulations- issued December Bth, 1920, in such manner as to make it perfectly clear that no boaTd is expected to dismiss any teacher who aid a school fall in grade and further, that any teaoher affected by a fall in grade of h>s school ahall have the option of accepting either (1) a lower salary in h l s own school, or (2) a transfer to such a position in another school as oacries with it the same salary as the position in his former school. In case of a transfer removal expenses shall be paid by tbe department.”—(Executive.) (j) That the Minister be requested to amend tho regulations (December, 1920) in. such a way as bo give secondary teachers the «uue advantages as are given bo technical teachers *by the regulations . for technical teachers/ December, 1920. — (New Plymouth.) ' j (k) That in paragraph 22, schedule 3. | part 3, -Regulations, December,'l92o, the ! words, “Provided that- in tho case of ] schools Grade 3 . . ". women £390” : bo deleted.—(Whangarei.) (l) That mixed secondary schools, carrying out special courses of work, should , receive special consideration with regard to staffing—an additional Grade D teifeher to be allowed owing to the greater difficulty of teaching such schools. — (Sangiora.) (m) That .provision be made for extra salary in the case of first assistants.— (Auckland.) (n) That in order to secure greater efficiency in secondary schools, a more liberal scale of''staffing be granted.—(Wellington—Women Teachers.) (o) Seeing that the efficiency of a school falls oft when the numbers exceed a certain limit, and as targe schools are not appreciably more economical than small ones, no school should be allowed to exceed 500, except as a temj porary expedient, and by special (permission of the'department.—(Dannevirke.) (ip) That women teachers in secondary I schools proceed by hls increments from the minimum to the maximum salary of their grade, as is the case with worn e i teachers in primary schools. —(Wel-lington—-Women Teachers.)

I’.ngton—Women Teachers.) (q) That the annual increments for male assistants be. 1615 in all grades (Auckland.) <r) That the salary of women entrants into secondary schools be raised to -E2OO- - Teachers.) (s) That the capitation grant of £2 10s per pupil be increased in the case of smaller schools carrying. out special courses, owing to the much, greater proportionate! cost for incidentals' in the working of such schools than dn the working of larger schools.—(Rangiora.) <t) That this association affirm the principle that the salaries of secondry school teachers should be fixed by Parliamentary statute and not by departmental regulations.—(Wellington.) (u) That -in the salarv schedule for secondary teachers, salaries should definitely depend either on (1) grade teacher; (3) grade of position held.—(Blenheim.) SUPERANNUATION. (a) That this association again urge upon the Minister the justice of computing retiring allowances oh the three best years, ae in the Public Service, instead of on the last three yeans, as at present.—(Auckland.) <b) That more liberal provision be made for widows in the Superannuation Act.—(Auckland.) (c) That urgent representation be made to the Minister to the effect that the maximum retiring allowance under the Teachers Superannuation Act (.£300) is no longer adequate or just—(Wellington.) (d) That the superannuation regulations enabling a male teacher to retire with 85 years’ service or at the age of 80 years—regulations withdrawn during the war—be reinstated.—(Christchurch.) (e) That service at a Normal school prior to the passing of the Superannuation Act he counted as service in terms of that Act.—(Christchurch.) (f) That a full course for a degree up to three years be counted as service for superannuation, provided that back pay- - merits be made for the period, based on ' tjhe “oommenuing” salary-—(Cirri st- , church.) (g) That whereas the Department has \ approved of service in. certain privato schools, such schools being registered, 1 for the purposes of grading, service in the same schools prior to the passing of

the Superannuation Act, be counted as service in terms of that Act.—(Christi church.) I SECONDARY AND UNIVERSITY . * , EDUCATION (A.). m (a) That the attention Of the Minister be drawn to the great disadvantages suffered by country children in comparison with those of the town both in respect to primary and secondary education, and that he be asked to consider the desirability of granting some boarding allowance to approved country scholars to enable them to avail themselves of secondary instruction.—(Whangarei.) (b) That the emolument to junior University scholars be' increased.—(Auckland.) (c) That the Senate of the New Zealand University be requested to amend i. the statutes dealing with entrance scholar- ’’ siiips and matriculation so as to remove 1 1 the restrictions at present imposed on tho choice of science subjects.—(Welling- - to#.) (d) That tlje Senate of tbe New Zealand University be requested to 00-ordin- - ate the matriculation and entrance* scholarships examinations by making English, mathematics, one other language, one science subject, compulsory, and allowing a free choice of one other subject from the prescribed list in the case of the scholarship examination and one or two others in the case of matriculation examination. For this purpose any two branches of science in the following list might be taken to constitute a science subject:—l, Mechanics and hydrostatics; 2, heat; 3, sound and light;; 4, electricity and magnetism; 5, chemistry; 6, physiology; 7, botany; 8, geology; 9, agriculture; 10, home science.—^Wellington.) (e) That this association expresses its satisfaction at the appointment of New Zealand teachers to the important .positions of Director of Education, Chief Inspector of Seconds.ry Schools, principals of Auckland Girls ’ Grammar School, Wellington College and Christchurch Boys’ High School, and that copies of the resolution be sent to the Minister for. Education, the Public Service Commissioner and to the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch ..Boards.—(New PlyPl.vmoutli.) (f) That the N.Z.S.S.A.A. expresses its disappointment that the University of Otago Council has seen fit to appoint to the chairs of English, history and economics three non-New Zealanders, when so many competent scholars and teachers in these subjects are available in New Zealand; and that a copy of this Vesolution be sent to the Minister, the Director of Education, the University of Otago Council and the Presbyterian Church Board of Property, Dunedin. —(New Plymouth.)

IAIvJ LIL 11. / (g) That the N.Z.S.S.A.A. expresses its je satisfaction at the action of the New it Zealand University in inaugurating the j- system of examining candidate® for pass te degrees in New Zealand, and that a copy t- of this resolution be sent to the Minister, the Director of’Education, the New Zea- -- land University Senate, and to the four n University College Councils.—'{New Plymouth.) 2- (h) That in the opinion of the N.Z.S.S. A.A. candidates for pass degrees have 'to >1 undergo too many examinations, abet that instead of the present seven, only three, 6 viz., matriculation, intermediate and l_ final, be required; and thait a copy, of £ this be sent to the Minister, , the Director of Education, the University Senate, and the four University College 7 Councils.—(New Plymouth.) (i) That the Senate of the New Zealand University be requested to remove t the restrictions imposed by clause 5, page r 78; latter part of clause 4, page 78; the a latter part of clause 4, paga 87; and .1 clause 5, page • 87, of the ‘ University - Calendar, 1920-1921.—(New Plymouth.) (j) That the New Zealand University g Senate be requested to allow all candi--1 dates for pass degrees to pass jn science 6 subjects without the necessity tyf* attending lectures and ’ laboratory practice at r one of the four University Colleges; all - candidates, however, to bo required to . : give evidence- of having gone through an approved course of practical and 2 J? P ass a practical examination.—<New F Plymouth.) / . » (k) That the attention of the executive ■ of the N.Z.S.S.A.A. be called to the f. Movement being initiated to establish intermediate schools; such movement bel ; calculated to reflect seriously on c secondary schools, and if carried out to a ]i® ve . a detrimental effect on them.— J (Blenheim.^ I the constitution. - (a) That the secondary school assistr ants form a union,—(Christchurch.) (b) That in view of the fact' that the ) N.Z.E.I. at its last a-eneral meeting ) I agreed, to allow the N.Z.S.S.A.A. two seats - on its executive, the incoming executive ( of the N.Z.S.S.A.A. be .-given power to * brine about amalgamation between tho - N.Z.E.T and the N.Z.S.S.A.A.—(New Plymouth.) ~ ■ . , ; CADET TRAINING. ■ (a) That this meeting rescind tho motion, passed at the last annual meeting. viz., that teachers employed as ■ officers in cadet corps outside school 1 hours be naid for their services.—(Wel- ■ lington.) 1 (b) That an allowance up to £lO remade to cadet officers to cover personal expenses.—(Christchurch.) (c) That the Defence Department te ' asked to consider the amendment of the conditions of the Riddiford Cup competition for secondary school cadet com. panies along the following lines:— ( 1 ) ' That basket ball be deleted from the programme; (2) that where special difficulties arise in regard to training owing to train ■ arrangements, any cadets so affected mav he exempted from the general inspection in physical drill, etc.— , (Southland.) SECONDARY AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION (B). (a) That this conference of secondary school assistants requests the Minister to encourage and assist, graduates from other centres to take the course for the diploma of education to be granted by Canterbury College. —(Wellington Wo-

eauujrgury ouuege. —ivveiuusion women teachers.) (a) .That Oho history - syllabus for the Intermediate examination is too wide: and that the “history qf the development of the British Empire” be deleted from it.—(New Plymouth.) (b) That in the opinion of the N.Z.S.S.A.A. the passages set for prose composition in Latin and French at Matriculation, junior university scholarship and for pass degrees are disproportionately difficult; and that the Senate of the N.Z. University be requested to make the tests of translation into these languages much easier, in order that considerably wider reading in the foreign languages may be made possible.—(New Plymouth.) (c) That Senate of the N.Z. University be requested to amend clause ' VIII., page 10, by making- provision for an independent review of the papers of candidates who lodge an appeal for such a review.—(New Plymouth.) (d) That the Education Department be asked to add a clause to the existing regulations to enable bona fide secondary teachers to obtain educational bursaries.—Wellington.) GENERAL. That the department be requested to Insure science teachers under _ the Workers’ Compensation Act.—(Christchurch.) , The annual report will be considered, and the president (Mr R. M. Laing, i M.A.) will deliver an address. The' election of secretary and treasurer will be , taken, after which the executive’s report on alteration of constitution will be submitted, and the remits will be considered. In addition the following papers will be read:—‘‘Defects of our Educational System and some proposals for i their Remedy" (Mr F. Martyn Renner), ; "The Scientific Method and the Play - Method' —a practical basis of a full Eidu- 1 cation” (Mr N. Jacobsen. M.Sc.). . ’