TEACHERS'S INSTITUTE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14239, 4 July 1910, Page 3

TEACHERS'S INSTITUTE.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the South Canterbury branch, of the N.Z.E.1., was held in the Technical School ou Saturday, about 20 teachers beinj: present. Air Dalglish, xjresident, occupied the chair. The report stated that during the year nine general meetings of the institute had been held, the average attendance being satisfactory. At meetings papers were read by various members and Dr Talbot gave "an interesting and stimulating address en "School Hygiene." Several meetings were taken up in discussing the various requirements of the primary school syllabus, and thanks were due to all members who led off these discussions, especially to Mr John Menzies. who went to a, groat deal of trouble to ascertain from leading commercial men j their opinions concerning the arithemtieal qualifications of the young persons they took into their employ. In not a, few cases these opinions were favourable enough, but many were un- ! flattering. The membership totalled 132, as compared with 123 for the previous year, and hence the district maintained the proud position of having the highest percentage of members in the dominion. The- committee were of the opinion that an application should be'-made to the New Zealand Institute for a refund of legal expenses incurred in the defence of members. Messrs M. McLeod 8.A., J. Menzies and J. A. Valentine B.A. represented the institute at the annual meeting of the central body. At this meeting one of the important matters dealt with was the framing of regulations for the administration of an instituted fund for the relief of members in necessitous circumstances. This fund was now established and in iiha future members of five years standing would have, if in need, a claim en it. Another important subject was the administi ation of the primary school syllabus. "When the reports of this annual meeting did come to hand, members would be able to ascertain I how the whole question was dealt i with. Other district institutes were moving in the direction of drawing up model schemes of work in the various 'Subjects of the syllabus, in the hope of showing huw the syllabus -might be improved or rendered more definite. It might be desirable for this district institute to embark on similar schemes. During the year the committee had to defend several members who needed legal help, and in aft cases ■Khase members were grateful for that heiv- Many of the younger members at *diffc--ro!)t times applied to the officers for atlyics on difficult points, and this had ahVS-vs been willingly given. All who needed such help were invited to make free use <Jf their privileges in this direction. As usual their ; relations with the Board had been most amicable. They had laid before the Board requests concerned with 'he confidential nature of inspectors' reports, with the working of the truancy clauses of the Act, with the departmental regulations for the staffing of schools, and in every case these requests were, fully and courteously considered. The committee had also to thank the Board's officers for unvarying kindliness of manner, for ready hetp afforded when necessary, and 'or constant co-operation in their efforts for the improvement of education- m South Canterbury. The balance sheet showed that after starting the year with a credit balance ! 4;f £l4 9s lid, the Institute had finishled up with £l3 19s 2d to the good, receipts totalling £59 7s sd, of which £44 17s 6d was made up of members' subscriptions. The chief items of expenditure were :— Advertising £4 14s lOd, postage and telegrams £2 10s 9d, printing and stationery £2 10s : Sd, N.Z. Institute £33.

On. the motion of Messrs Goodall and Lindsay, the report and balance sheet were unanimously adopted, with complimentary references to the work of the executive and the secretary. Votes of thanks were passed to the ot?t-going officials, and the following were elected for the ensuing year: — President: Mr A. Goodall; vice-pre-sidents, Mr W. Thomas, M.A., Mr G. T. Palmer, M.A.; secretary and treasurer, Mr J. A. Valentine, B.A. Committee of management—Miss Avison, Miss J. Fyfe, and Mr Dalglish. Seven new members were elected..

Gorrespondnce ■ was dealt with as follows: —From the North Canterbury branch, asking the procedure of the South Canterbury Board of Education in supplying names of teachers to school conimittees, for appointment. Supplied.-pFroni the Soutmund Institute forwarding copy of its annual report. —From Mr Ronton, of Fsk Valley, thanking the executive for its efforts on his behalf in connection with the difference between himself and Ins school committee. —Mr Valentine reported having written to the secretary of the N.Z.E.1., in reference to improvements _to teachers' dwellings, but so ' far he had failed to get a reply, though ho had written six letters. —A copy of the geography syllabus, as drawn up and approved by the Southland Institute, was received, as was also a letter giving the latest information in regard to teachers' superannuation. These were .not read, but are at the disposal of teachers. Mr Fergusson spoke at some length i in condemnation of the action of those ! who supplied to the newspapers, comes i of reports on the results obtained in schools. For many years we had had a system of percentage of passes—a most pernicious system, condemned throughout the world. The perniciousness was accentuated in New Zealand, through teachers publishing in the local papers, their percentage of passes. For himself, though he had nothing to bo ashamed of, he absolutely refused to give any information for publication as to the state of his school. There were some teachers doing good, honest j work, to the very best of their ability, I yet could not get as good a percentage [of passes as some others, and it was I unfair to them that they should be made to appear at a disadvantage, in print. In some places teacliers acted as correspondents for newspapers, and his opinion was that no teacher should act in that capacity. A report was made by the inspector, this was supplied to school committees, and that should be sufficient. School teachers should set their faces against the publication of these reports, and one tea- . cher should be the last to do injury to his fellow teacher. The matter was one which should be brought before j teachers throughout New Zealand, i : (Hear, hear.) | M._ Valentine nai'l Be quite sijrooii] with the remarks of Mr Fergusson. He did "not think however, that teachers were to blame in the matter; he in- I dined rather to the belief that school j committees were responsible and that _ they caused the reports (when, favour- ' able) to be published, with the best of 1 ! intentions. It would however, be better to keep them out of the paper, aathen unfair comparisons could not be made. The matter was allowed to rest at' i ♦liis.

It was announced that; the next mooting will he devoted to a presidential address, and that on -August Srff Mr Johnson, of the High. School, will give an address on his recent tour of thp schools of America. At the- close of the business, all -present had lunch together in the Technical School, and after this, a short musical programme was gone through.