N.Z. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1452, 9 January 1886, Page 2

N.Z. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE.

The annual session of the Council of the New Zealand Educational Institute was commenced on Wednesday morning. When the roll was called there were present -Messrs Fitzgerald, Otago (President) ; D. White (Secretary) ; A. McArthur, Auckland; G, Reid, proxy for Taranaki; J. Thomson, Wanganui; 0. Chilton, T. S. Forster, and J, G, L, Scott, Canterbury; J. Baldwin, North Canterbury ; J. Wood, South Canterbury ; l Parke, Milne, Reid, Moore, and Nichol--* son, Otago; Rev. T. Flavell, proxy for « Auckland; and Francis, Wellington, Messrs J. Orr (Southland) and A. B. Thomson (Hawkes Bay) were unavoidably absent. Mr Thornton (Qreymouth) was present at the meeting to watch the proceedings. The Taranaki Institute was admitted as a branch of the Institute. Mr Worthington was appointed acting Treasurer. The President then delivered hia opening address. A vote of thanks was accorded him, with a request that he should publish it. Committees were appointed to consider the questions of—(1) Teachers pension fund*; (2) the appointment of teachers; (3) school age; (4) the pupil teacher system ; (5) scholarships ; and (6) system of drawing and drawing-books and to report to future meetings of the Council. A special Committee, consisting of Messrs Worthington, Scott, and White, was appointed to draw up a balance-sheet and consider the financial position of the Institute. Attention was drawn to the case of a pupil teacher in Canterbury charged with assault. The Council then adjourned. - On Thursday the Committee of the Educational Institute reported vs school age, that though raising the age of admission to six or seven years will effect a saving of about £20,000 a year, it would have the effect of closing schools in outlying districts, or establishing aided schools, as to which there pan be np guarantee that the teachers will be com? petent or efficient ; that to allow children to go without regular school instruction till seven will be highly detrimental, therefore the Institute is decidedly against the raising of the ftge. The Committee n pupil teacher system recommend that the syllabus of subjects for examination be uniform throughout the colony ; the examination to be conducted by a central department, and that before admission to a Normal Schaol it is desirable that the engagement be for five years. The following resolution was carried “ That the large number of pupil teachers employed in some provincial districts is a decided disadvantage, and ought to be reduced.” The Scholarships Committee recommended arrangements should giye place to an ap? proxiraately uniform system for Ul§ whole colony ; that by approximately is meant uniformity as regards age, subjects, examination, relative value of subjects, and length of tenure ; that the system should be such as to bring scholars into secondary schools at the ago , at which a secondary course can be cqapjl mended under favorable ' condition ‘ anej. enable the best to continue' their attend, auce until they qualify for University scholarships ; that a satisfactory system might be developed in the following 'll lines—Scholarships to be seven ; junior I candidates for the former to be confinec| V to work of the fffjjh standard, ' tbe I period covered to be two years ; seniors I to be under 16, and secondary subjects t° ; hold a prominent place in the eyapfiflation,. and the period covered to be three years, special provision to be made for scholars "«niding away from home ; all holders of . Knior “scholarships <0 metrical.*> at the - end’of the tenure of echolprsbipß , that drawing should be made a pass subject < along with writing. " ‘ . V At Thursday afternoon’s sittrug of the , Educational Institute, the following -re*-

solutions were carried “ That with a view to the promotion and encouragement of sound instruction in scientific subjects, it is desirable that an annual examination in such subjects should be instituted, and that prizes or certificates, or both, should be awarded upon the results of such examination That the Education Department be requested under reasonable restrictions to supply to School Committees or teachers philosophical and scientific apparatus at reduced prices;” “That Education Boards should appoint science teachers in order to carry out the requirement of the syllabus with respect to science “ That an examining syndicate should be appointed to conduct the inspection and examination of secondary schools throughout the colony. A motion suggesting amendments in standard examination and percentages was also carried. A Committee was appointed to draw up a report on the training of teachers. The question of a pension fund was relegated back to the District Institute. The action of the North Canterbury Institute in bringing forward circumstances in connection with the Lower Heathcote pupil teacher assault case was approved. It was stated that a constable entered the school, and anested the pupil teacher without a warrant, and in spite of protests and a promise to go quietly, the lad was handcuffed and led through a public thoroughfare.