EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1928, Page 14

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

TARANAKI BRANCH MEETS. The annual meeting of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was held in New Plymouth last night. Mr. C. A. McKinnon presided over a good attendance. The report said there were 150 teachers enrolled at the end of the year, compared with 140 in 1926, A canvass made during the refresher course last year had produced satisfactory results, especially from younger teachers. Many head teachers had done good work in the direction of interesting young teachers in the institute. A reading circle had been formed. Miss M. Papps and Mr. W. L. Wagstaff had represented the branch at the annual conference and Miss Andrew's had gone as a member of the central executive. Three board inquiries had been held, a representative of the institute being present on each occasion. On Mr. H. F, McClane’s retirement, Sir. D. P. Evans was appointed teachers’ advocate.

A deputation had waited on Sir. C. E. Bellringer, SI.P, concerning biennial grading, which had since been dropped, and on the right of appeal against non-ap-pointment. The Ohura sub-branch acted similarly in approaching Sir. J. C. Rolleston, SI.P. The Ohura branch had proved a very live body. A special grant of £5 was made to Ohura. The north branch had contributed £l5, the south £5 and the Education Board £2O tfl the teachers’ library. Many fine books had been procured and it was regrettable that such a small percentage of teachers used the library in order to increase their stock of ideas. The senior inspector (Sir. N. R. McKenzie) had lent books and advised regarding purchases. Thanks were due to him and to Miss Woodham, the librarian, to the retiring secretary, Sir. A. Breward who, with Mr. A. V. Gilbert, had re-catalogued Ihe library.

Addresses and various tests had been field during the year. Thanks were due to Messrs. D. P. Evans and J. Craig and Miss Grigor, who had retired from the management committee, and to Sir. G. A. Lyall, last year’s president, and to the senior inspector and his staff.

The chairman said the attendances at the meetings had been very disappointing, and he urged the headmasters to use their influence to increase the attendances and see that the teachers under their charge should take a live interest in the institute.

The balance-sheet showed a credit of £42 Us lid. The receipts amounted to

£229 14s IM, including subscriptions £197 2s 2d and donations £1 Is 6d. Levies to the New Zealand Educational Institute amounted to £l2l Ils 6d, and expenses of delegates to conference £B. The statement from the library showed a credit of 3s 4d, the receipts totalling £47 4s lid. Books had cost £3l 9s 9d.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted on the motion of Mr. A. E. Mills, seconded by Mr. A. V. Gilbert. Officers were elected as follow: —President, Mr. M. Goldsbury; vice-presi-dent,-Mr. C. A. McKinney; secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. L. Wagstaff (reelected); executive, Misses R. L. Hodgson, M. Papps, T. Fowler, H. Small and Tarry, and Messrs. T. A. Nicoll, A. E. Mills, W. Adams, E. J. Thomas, A. D. N. Train, A. V. Gilbert; auditor, Mr. I. A. Bruce; advocate on teachers appeal board, Mr. D. P. Evans; central executive, the president and secretary and Miss R. J. Hodgson; correspondent to National Education, Mr. W. Adams. The secretary was voted an honorarium of £lO 10s. A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring president, and to Messrs. A. L. Moore and H. W. InsuU for assistance rendered. . The secretary said that Miss R. A. Pennethorne, of the Parents’ National Educational Association, London, had written that she was sailing for New Zealand by the Manuka on February 8 and hoped to have the opportunity of meeting organised bodies of teachers to discuss practical school work. She desired also to see the library He had replied that the branch would be pleased to make arrangements for a meeting._ Illegal appointments of teachers in not selecting the highest graded applicant had been alleged against the laranaki Education Board in a circular issued by the Educational Institute, saul Mr H W Insull, secretary to the board. ’ A letter from the Taranaki board on the question having appeared m National Education, the general secretary of the institute (Mr. H. A. Parkinson) wrote it was neither desirable or possible "to ignore the challenge, but before he prepared a statement for the next issue of the paper he would like to hear what the local executive had to say about it. The board had always been most careful and scrupulous m this matter, said Mr. Insull. The two cases referred to by Mr. Parkinson were Mangamingi —the protest about which -had been withdrawn—and Westown. After giving particulars of these two cases Mr. Insull said the board had promised Mr. Parkinson that he would be notified anj time the grading list was departed from. There had »«” casca lhl ’

year similar to that at Mangamingi, and Mr. Parkinson had been informed. Mr. W. L. Wagstaff said Mr. Parkinsou had sent him a private letter asking him for his personal views and mentioning that Mr. S. G. Smith, chairman of the board, had been a good friend to the teachers in the past. Mr. Wagstaff said he had replied that the two Taranaki cases were very weak ones and that it would be advisable to drop them.

The ehairman thought the question ot special appointments advertised should be more clearly defined. Were this so a good deal of trouble woud be avoided.