EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE,

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 43

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE,

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, May 16. The fortieth annual meeting of the New Zealand Educational Institute was opened by the Mayor yesterday afternoon. The president (Mr W. D. Low, of Palmerston North) occupied the chair. The Mayor welcomed the delegates to Wellington, and expressed the hope that they would have a successful conference. Mr Low, in the course of his presidential address, devoted a good deal of time to stressing the importance of character-build-ing in the school. “1 feel sure,” said Mr Low, “that it is only through better understanding of the individual pupil, of his mental bias and powers, that it will be possible to give to him the opportunity of bringing those powers into exercise that can develop his true personality, and by the exercise of these he will learn he has a place to fill and work to do in his own community. He will have a better opportunity of knowing himself, and will develop respect for himself and for others. Life should have for him more meaning and content.” May 18. At the meeting of the New Zealand Educational Institute a remit from Nelson was adopted—namely: “That the Education Department be asked to follow the example of the London Board of Education and the Education Department of Scotland and other British authorities by sanctioning experiments in teaching reading with spelling as advocated by the Simplified Spelling Society of London.” remit from Southland was carried - “That the department he requested to publish in book form a school music course designed to teach pupils to sing from the old notation ; that the course be published in grades : and that a supply sufficient to provide each pupil with a copy on loan he sent to each school.” Remits dealing with the syllabus and examinations, including one disapproving of special attention being given to scholarship candidates out of prescribed school hours, either by head teachers or assistants, were also adopted. 'llie annual report recorded a membership at the end of the year of 4735 —an increase of 410. The provident fund stood at £2947, and grants amounting to £55 had been made. Tile legal assistance fund amounted to £793 10s. The drain on the fund had been very heavy during the year, 15 cases having been referred to the solicitors for an opinion or action.