EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10018, 9 April 1894, Page 4

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

The monthly meeting of the Dunedm branch \ of the Otago Educational Institute waß held at the Normal School on Saturday, and attended by Messrs James Jeffery (in the chair), D. R. White, R. G. Whetter, J. Reid, W. Milne, W. J. Moore, C. Young, Alexander Stewart, J. Paterson, W. M'Elrea, W. Eudey, 0. J. Hodge, J. Garrow, D. Murray, J. A. Fitz-' gerald, J. Mathews, J. Gray, J. Southwick, D. M'Nicoll, R. Fergus, C. Mahoney, J. A. Johnson (hon. secretary), and Miss M'Leod. Mr White moved—" That a hearty vote of thanks bo conveyed to the Hon. W. P. Reeves, Minister for Education, for his couitesy in inviting an expression of opinion from members of the institute on the resolutions adopted at the Conference of School Inspectors."

Mr Whetteu seconded the motion, whioh was carried unanimously.

The branch then went into committee to consider the resolutions passed at the conference of inspectors at Wellington. With the majority of these they agreed. A few they disapproved of, and others they did not express any opinion about.

As regards the proposal of tho conference to reduce the classification of teachers in the event of their marks of efficiency beiDg lowered by

the inspectors three yearß in succession, Mr White moved—"That the institute thoroughly disapproves of the recommendation to lower teachers' certificates as proposed on page 9 of the report, for the following reasons: — (1) That the Education department. by means of its regulations for tho classification and promotion of teachers provided numerous safeguards against hasty or undeserved promotion. Under theso regulations the inspectors already havo it in their power to withhold mario to prevent a teacher ever. reaching the highest division of his class, although he may have 30 or 40 years' experience as a public school teacher. (2) That no sufficient reason has beeu given for an increase in the discretionary powers of the inspectors. (3) That the inspectors' annual reports to the boards of education disclose no reason for supposing that there is any marked inefficiency on the part of teachers calling for any interference with the existing system of classification and promotion; on the contrary, tho inspectors speak in the highest terms of the character and work of the teachers in their various districts. (4) That the proposal to give the inspectors power to lower the grade of a teacher's certificate, if carried into effect, would give rise in tho minds of most teaohers to an undesirable feeling of insecurity and anxiety that would inevitably prove detrimental to the teaching profession, and to the injury of the causo of education. (5) That the fear of being reduced by the inspectors would be most keenly felt by the best teachers, who require no further stimulus to do their work well, whilst it would have no practical effect on the kind of teacher it is intended to reach, who is supposed already to be dead to all sense of duty. (6) That it would be a means of harassing ninetynine out of every hundred teachers, would be a serious injustice to them, and wonld in the end prove ineffectual in tho case of the one who wculd not care whether his certificate were lowered or not so long as his salary was untouched ; and as the inspectors' proposals do not carry with them any pecuniary loss, the proposal would havo no practical effect on the teachers against whom it is direoted, and especially in the case of failing health after long service the operationof the recommendation wonld fall very unjustly upon many teachers. (7) That by means of unfavourable reports to education boards endorsed on ths teacher's certificate the inspectsrs have at present sufficient power to prevent inefficient teachers being promoted in the service, and that as under the preEent system there is power to remove or dismiss incompetent teachers the institute hopes that tho Minister for Education will not impose any further restrictions on the rights of teaohers in the way proposed by the recommendation referred to."

Mr Milne seconded the motion, which was

agreed to. Mr JonssoN moved—" That the members of this branch, being impressed with the importance of inculcating in the minda of their pupils a desire for reading healthy and pure literature, are of opinion that the present requirements in reading do not tend to produce this effect; and think that some change like that suggested by the inspector-general of schools in opening the Inspectors' Conference would be both prscticible and advantageous. This branch, therefore, strougly recommend this matter to the attention of the executive."

The Chairman seconded the motion, which was carried.