NEW ZEALAND EDUCATIONAL, INSTITUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 30

NEW ZEALAND EDUCATIONAL, INSTITUTE.

THE ANNUAL MEETING. The New Zealand Educational Institute commenced its twenty-sixth annual meeting at tie Town Hall, Dunedin, on the 4th inst. Present — President, Mr William Nowton, Thames, Auckland; secretary, Mr William Foster, 8.A., Wellington; treasurer, Mr Thomas Hughes, 8.A., Waltham. Christchurch; non-official members of executive: North Island— Mr G. W. Murray (Auckland), Mr James Aitken, B.A. (Wanganui) ; Wellington Education Dis- , t c i r — Mr George MacMorran, Mr J. Oaughley, M.A. ; South Island— Mr J. H. Harkness, B.A. (Reefton), Mr William Davidson (Dunedin). District Institutes : Auckland delegates — Misses H. J. Priestley and M. E. Herbert, Messrs A. N. Bowden, H. G. Cousins, M.A., G. Lippiatt, M.A., N. B. .Mackenzie, C. R. Munro, G. H. Ferguson, J. E. Eliot; Taranaki delegates — Mrs Downing, Messrs W. J. Evans, R. L. M'llroy, M.A. ; Wanganui delegates-r-MessK D.~ W. Low, A. Goldsbury, G. Lyall; Ha-wke's Bay delegates—Messrs F. J. Rowley, B_A., D. M'Lennari. H. B. Holmes, J. N. Dodds, M.A. ; Wellington .-delegates — Misses M. H. Craig and A. Dowdeswell, Messrs J. A. Oowles, 8.A,, Gr. M. Henderson, H. A. Parkinson, M.A. ; Marlborongh delegate — Mr J. R. A. Gifford; Nelson delegatesMessrs F. G. Gibbs, W. F. Wbrley; Grey delegate— Mr L. F. De Berry, 8.A. ; North Canterbury delegates — Misses M. Grant and E. Chaplin, Messrs E. IT. Just, S. C. Owen, C. D. Hardie, 8.A. ; South Canterbury delegates — Messrs John -Menzies, William Thomas, M.A., J. A. Valentine, 8.A. ; Otago delegates— Miss J. D. Hooper, Messrs G. W. Carrington, O- D. Flamank, J. Jeffery, A. Marshall, 8.A.. A. W. Tyndall; Southland delegates— Miss E. Todd, Messrs A. Inglis, M.A., B.Sc., A. Greig, E. Smith. _ His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. M 'Donald), who presided over the committee of welcome, said that he considered it a great honour end privilege to be associated with so many representatives of the New Zealand Educational Institute, and he had no doubt that the conference would be beneficial to the representatives, to their organisation, and to the Dominion. • He also hoped that the glorious educational system in New Zealand would benefit by their deliberations during the conference. In addition to these benefits, he hoped that all the visiting delegates would enjoy their stay in Dunedin, and leave it with pleasant memories. His Worship wished the members of the conference happiness and good health during the year, and trusted that their labours would be fruitful in great benefits to all concerned throughout the Dominion. — {Applause.) The Hon. T. Fergus (chairman of the Otago Education Board), having expressed the pleasure it gave him to be present, said that he knew what benefits the conferences of the past had afforded teachers, scholars, and the cause .of education generally. He hoped that the present session would be as rich in beneficial returns to the teacher, to the scholar, and to the public as had those gone by.— (Applause.) There was never a time when we required more attention to be paid to the question of education than at present. Many people were of opinion that the syllabus had become altogether too greatly burdened.— (Applause.) Grave injustice wae being done to the teachers, many of whom nao: told him that they were unable to overtake the work, especially in "one-man" schools. And a grave injustice was being done to the rising generation. Mr W. S. Fitzgerald (inspector of schools) commenced by referring to the early hißtory of the institute. The first meeting, he said, had been 'held in Auckland. The first meeVing of the council' waa held in a modest little room- in the Dunedin -Normal School. He was greatly pleased indeed to see so many ladies present as members of the institute. He was there on behalf of his jcolleagues— the Otago Inspectorate. He was tihe cole v representative, for the present season was a busy one for the inspectors. He also apologised for the absence of Mr Pryde, secretary of the Education Board. He was there to bid the visitors welcome to Otago. It need not be added that they (the inspsctors) were working in conjunction with the teachers and with their cause. They were engaged in the same great fight— the advancement of education in the Dominion— and although occasionally they had been crflled upon to differ from the teachers, they had done their level best to work in accordance with them. They had opposed some mea»uws which had been approved by the teachers. Yet they had <3one that in the bast of spirit. Recently they had opposed the proposal for examinations to be held in November and December. They did not sco their way to do the institute justice by keeping the examinations in those months. But, as they knew, the department had decided that during those months the examinations were to be held. They had not, however, 'he thought, quite carried public opinion with them in that matter. They should always endeavour to carry public opinion in such important matters. When the examinations were commenoed in June he had found that parents to a very large extent wished the old order of things to bo continued. This year tlie majonty of the children had been examined for proficiency certificates. That was done to ease the shifting of the old position to tlie new. Many years ago, in an annual report, they assured the board that these best fitted to examine tlie schools for proficiency were not the inspectors, but the head teachers, who knew the children and had worked witk them all the year. Promotion of pupils, in their opinion, should rest almost entirely with the teachei'3. They could trust fcheir tea-chore, although tha change might be rather premature in many casss just yet. They Lad in their schools some officers who were not teachers. They had been compelled to put in pupil teachers who 'had simply passed the Sixth Standard. It was left either to do this or close the Pico's. Good work was done by these in some cases, and in others the schools were kept open and that was all. There was another matter in which they were in accordinc3 with the teacher 3. He had not been long on the inspectorate when they i-eitt a request to be allowed to examine without a report, and the board did not accede to the request They had to he careful, or they would be reported. If tha inspector made a remark it formed part of the report. He noticed that there was a proposal to place the inspectors under the control o£ th-e Central Department. That wa3 quite right, but he thought that was already the case. The» question of uniform text books was one of the greatest importance. The party advocating the sys-

tem did not- bnlk largely in the public eye, r bu<t they were ■watchful, vigorous, and resolute. They had shown these qualities recently when the Education Bill was going through Parliament."* It was owing to them that the bill had been hung up. "We owe it to t(he firm tress and wisdom of the Ministry," continued the speaker, "that a very great disaster <ttd not befall the cause of education in New Zealand. If we had had a weak, time-serving Ministry, the party referred to would have carried their proposal . " — (Applause. ) PBESH)ENTI*X ADDRESS. The President referred to the great activity displayed by Otago in educational matters. The teaching profession had to thank one of the Ofcago teachers for moving in the direction of a colonial scale of salaries. He had been very pleased to -hear tQie views expressed by Mr TTergns on educational questions. He iranjed a hearty vote of thanks to his Worship the Mayor and to those who had followed him. The President of the institute then took the chair and delivered his presidential address, taking^ as his subject "The Ideal Teacher and the Ideal in the Teacher." T»ie iollowing are a few extracts : — —The Ideal Teacher's Ideal.— •Is it not the laying of a foundation upon which the pupil shall build' " a superstructure perfect in all its parts and honourable to the builder." Not yet, alas, gone but going, and, I trust, going for ever are the day 3 when the teacher was a mere instructor; wlian his success was gauged entirely by his percentage of passes at an annual examination. Coming, aye, surely coming, are the days when the teacher's ability — nay, his absolute qualification for his high office shall be measured by his power to mould good and lovable character, to develop his pupils' powers of observation, and to impart to them not only a desire for knowledge but the habit of searching out for themselves what they want to know. If, then, we live in an age when materialism exerts an influence altogether too strong and as baneful as it is potent; in an age when men are judged rather by what they have than by what they ABE; in an age when the end is .considered as more than the means by which it has been attained; such ie the effect of environment that we teachers must beware, lest, being human and therefore frail, we, too. follow the line of least resistance and worship the golden idol. If, as has been urged, "the purpose of the school is education in the full sense of the word, if the highest function of the teacher is to prepare the child- for the life of a good citizen, to create and to foster the aptitude for work and for the intelligent use of leisure " — this last a duty not often thought of by many of us, — and if it devolves upon us, as I claim it does, "to develop thosa features of character •which are most readily influenced by schoollife, such as loyalty to comrades, loyalty to institutions, unselfishness.' and an orderly and disciplined 'habit of mind," then the teacher's motto must be "Ich dien,*' and in his service he mu3t be " instant in season and out of season." I appeal to you 'ever to remember that these young souls 'to whom your labours will be devoted look out upon their future voyage upon the " stormy waters of life all unthinking, all unknowing. They have within them no fund of knowledge that enables them to perceive for themselves what good 'really is, what evil really is. Within the minds of these heirs of immortality their lie unlimited possibilities, rising to the grandeur of genius, or descending to the depth of depravity. Beyond them are tremendous chances fraught with everlasting issues of misery and happiness. Do you fully perceive the gravity, the " transcendent importance of one of tasks before you — that of giving these young children that best of all teachings—a good example in all things ? That you wish them well none can doubt. Exert then, all your powers in setting them on the right road, in giving them a good start, in impressing on them lessons that will lead them onwards and upwards. How can you best photograph upon these young minds the good lessons you are expected to impart? How can you best teach them lessons of goodness and chivalry and reverence and patriotism ? There is a simple answer. You must yourselves, in your own minds and in your own conduct, " be good and chivalrous patriotic and reverential. You must be a living example of all the good qualities you wish to develop in them. The teacher actuated and dominated -by this conception of the nobility of his profession must perforce make his work his one thought. If he recreates, he does «othat he may the "better work. If he reads, he does so with a purpose. A sometime unofficial chaplain to one of our mental hospitals could give no higher praise to a discourse, or to a part of it, than the encomium, "That'll just do for my lunatics." Ie wants emphasising that we are but laying a foundation. Parents ara tooprone, I children arc only too anxious to r?gard our work as the completion of the whole matter. Tt is not. Education is a lifelong process, but upon the primary school teachers depend almost entirely the rate and extent of the progress made whan the boys and girls pass on to the secondary schools or to workshop and the bench. To mike his teaching thus interesting, the teacher must be in the truest seme of the word '"a well-read" man, possessed of ample and accurate knowledge, which shall be a perennial spring of apt illustration for all hi? lessons. There are four "S's" which I would vent«re to suggest as necessary characteris- | tics of the ideal teacher. They are Serej Rity, Sympathy, Simplicity, and Sincerity. I have placad Serenity first because it is absolutely fatal to the teacher's influence if his pupils (or anyone else) can easily upset his equanimity. I conclude with an appeal that you will see in vision as the result of our work [ a natkn of stalwarts, of men and women losing their natne land and the Empire I of which it forms a part, with a love so pa«=icnate and so Ktrong that they will give either or both their best service in life, or, if" needs bo, in death: A nation of men and women among whom purity of life and purpose and hatred of all that is merely sordid, merely selfish, of the earth, earthy, are so the rule that they cali forth no remark : A nation of men and women to whom wisdom, is the chief thing, and who, theretore. 6cek her 60 unceasingly that knowledge shall prevail over ignorance and virtue over vice : A*nat*'on among whom merely outward and Msible Mgr.s of success, although pleasing and honomable, are ac nothing com-

* pared with tlie honest endeavour and th# loyal effort to do one's duty. It is only "as ideals such as these enter into our work — nay, govern it, that it becomes what , it should be — a "vocation, andl not a mere means of subsistence. If any of us feel that this ideal is 6d high that we cannot attain to it, and we, therefore, flag in our efforts, then may wo be encouraged by the thought that "If we cannot realise our ideals We -may at least idealise our * reals ' i' X GENEKAI. Mr J. H. Harikness was appointed' ehais<« man of committees, Mr H. D. Cousins! auditor, and Mr O." D. TTlamank assistant! secretary. The institute then went into oosamrtte* for the consideration of tfee report of toe executive, which w«e altered to lead as follows : — Membership of the Institute.— The memberahip of the Institute at the beginning of the year, according to the treasurer's returns fox 1307,. wn* 1815; *t the end of the year, the membership stood at 2152, a substantial increase of 337. The president liaa . taken much interest- in -this matter daring! his year of office. «m 3ie and the variousr district secretaries- «are to be congratulated* on tie success that -bas attended their efforts. I Legal Cases. — Tfee business cjf the Institute during ibe pest ye»r has been of «n Sjnportant natux«. in no less than eight casea were members of the Institute supported! in the law courts in cases arising out of their professional engagements. In the majority -of these cases teachers were called upon to defend charges for assault. The executive recommends to district institutes the necessity for careful action in agreeing to th« withdrawal of sucn cases. It seems advisable to lay down a rule that in no case shall a member of the • Institute, when' defendant in such action, whose case is supported 'by the Institute, agree to the plaintiff withdrawing the action except om payment of all iegwl and out-of-pocket expenses of the defendant. Court of Appeal. — One case in the Teachers' Court of Appeal was undertaken! by the executive during the year. The appeal involved the question of the- legality of an Education N Board* 8 action in transferring a, teacher with, consequent loss in ♦tatus and salary. The appeal was lost, the court holding that the action of the Education Board was justifiable on account of the unsatisfactory relations existing between the appe&ant on tbe one hand; and his staff and the school Committee on the other. The court declined to give judgment on the point raised as to the power -of an Education Board, to transfer a teacher with consequent loss in status and salary./ In view of the wide powers of transfer vested in Education Board* by " The Education. Act Amendment Act, 1908." your executive considers -it highly desirable that a definite pronouncement on this important question be obtained. Legislation. — During the year very important 'legislation affecting teachers was passed by Parliament. _ The Education Act Amendment Act, 1906," and the Public Service Superannuation /and Classification Aot «.re v statutes that materially improve the positions of the great majority of teachers, and the hearty thanks -of tb© Institute are due to the Minister for Education for introducing these measures. The Future Policy of the Institute.— Th« Institute haa now completed the first quarter of a oentury of fts existence, and your executive feels that time is opportune to give a decided expression of its opinion as to the future policy of the Institute. That the Institute has justified its existence is evidanoed by various important Educational Acts that have Tesulied from the representations of the Institute. The conditions of •the teaching profession in this Dominion; except for' the urgent n*ed of a promotion scheme, must now be regarded, cm tihe whole, as bafoig salisfactroy. In view of the substantial benefit scoured by recent legislation, your executive feels % that, as citizens, the teachers of the Dominion will be wise in making no further demands on the public fnndis for eomia time to come. Tour executive recommends that the future policy of the Institute ehoald' be":— 2q maintain and! safeguard the present condition of teachers; to protect teachers in the proper discharge of their duties; and to realise more fully theeducational aspect of the Institute's 1 work. The urgent need for reform in tbe financial «nd professional conditions of teachers haa in the pact caused the edticatioaal object of ike Institute's existence to be somewhat lost sight of; but your executive feels fhat the Institute, if it is to retain its prestige and its nesfulnegs unimpaired, must rera;del its annual order paper; must concentrate its deliberations^n a few subjects' lof acknowledged importance; and must, ebove all. see thai some of these deal with the educational aspect of the teachers' work. THE STLLABUS. Mr N. R. M'Kenrie, before moving- «. remit from Auckland, asked for and received permission to delete the words " especially Standards I, 11, and III " to make tho remit more general. The remit in its original form read as follows— ! " That this institute is strongly of opinion j that the time has arrived for a modification and a re-arcangeniCTit of the arithmetic prescribed for the various standards, especially Standards I, 11, and III; and respectfully requests the Minister of Education to take prompt action in this direction." i The remit was carried in its amended! i form. j 'Mr W. Foster moved a Wellington remit, j which read as follows — " That it be sug- ! gested to the Education Department that j\he .printing and issuing of test cards ia j arithmetic and English be discontinued, such practice being entirely opposed to the freedom by one of the ba3io principles of the primary school syllabus. He believed the reason for the appearance of this uponi the order paper was that the many remits . dealing- with the «ylk.bu» arose from tite» j fact that the interpretation placed upon; I the syllabus by each inspector was euchv 1 a=! was nofc intended by the Inspectorgeneral when he framed the new syllabus. It was a matter of common knowledge that some inspectors laid down their own interpretation and ignored the departmental' manifestos on the syllaJbus, and teacher* suffered. If the district institute took a' firm stand they could force the 'inspector* to come into line and give the interpretation which the- Inspector-general He thought, they would be wise if they, asked the department to stop the issue of English and arithmetic cards. ' Mr Davidson said what tiiey wanted was a uniform interpretation of the syllabus; ' and they should inskfc upon th* inspectors interpreta-ting the -Bjllabus in a uniform way ' throughout the Dominion. Mr Jeffery said he thought it would be advisable in the meantime to throw ti» finsfc part of the weznit -out, and ask fbr, some uniform interpretation of the syllabus by the inspectors. He pointed out that a large number of teachers in small schools

had not paseed anything beyond the- Sixth •Standard, so that the departmental cards came in very handy in such cases. Most of those who had spoken against these cards were head teachers of large schools. Mr S. C. Owen said he- did not see any •use in the test cards being issued by the department except for the Sixth Standard and suggested that the mover insert " except for Standard VL" , . i After further slight discussion the remit • iwas. carried. The following remit from Taiaaiaki was cajiried:— "That the attention of the Inspector-General of Schools be drawn to the difficulty and vagueness of the test cards in English in the upper standards of ■the primary schools." The institute adjourned till 9.30 tnis morning. ~ *"*****^^* — '— — ~~