WOMEN TEACHERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26774, 18 May 1948, Page 9

WOMEN TEACHERS

PLEA FOR REMOVAL OF PREJUDICE POSITION IN DOMINION A strong plea for the removal of prejudice -against women teachers being appointed to important posts was made by Miss C. M. Rains, president of the New Zealand Women Teachers’ Association, at the annual meeting of that body during the week-end. Miss Rains said that women primary school teachers in New Zealand had not yet been given the opportunity of making as great' a contribution to the cause of education as was the case in some other countries. “ The importance of the contribution made by women teachers in influencing young children and. in particular, adolescent girls, will not be denied,” she said. “Women teachers ask no favours, but merely impartial treatment. Thev ask that, all other things being equal, sex should be no bar to progress to high office.” The meeting pressed for the appointment of women inspectors in the primary service, the appointment of more infant supervisors and the placing of a larger proportion of women teachers in the standard classes, with a woman in charge of a senior class in all schools with a roll number of over 270. Delegates were emphatic about the need for women teachers in the upper classes of schools and instances were quoted where no class above Primer 4 was taught by a woman. This was considered detrimental to the interests of senior girls. The meeting was officially opened by the Mayor, Mr Cameron, who expressed pleasure at the selection of Dunedin for the holding of the important educational conferences of 1948. The election of officers resulted: — President, Miss M. V. Kennedy (North Canterbury); vice-presidents, Misses C. M. Rains (Auckland) and M. H. Henderson (Otago); secretary, Miss R. E. Martin (North Canterbury); treasurer, Miss B. M. Park (North Canterbury); committee—Misses E. Tierney (Auckland), A. J. Shelton (Taranaki), D. Musker (Wellington), E. Harries (South Canterbury). V. Hayward (Otago).