THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9223, 30 April 1908, Page 1

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

STATEMENTS BY THE INSPECTORGENERAL. [Per Pkess Association.] AUCKLAND, April 29. Interviewed this afternoon Mr G. Hogben, Inspector-General of Schools, who is at present in Auckland, was asked to give 'an opinion as to the statements recently made by the chairman of the City Schools Committee regarding the paucity of male teachers entering the profession. In reply he stated that this state of affairs was not peculiar to New Zealand. "In New York, for instance," he said, "there are 1250 female teachers to every 100 male teachers, and in England the proportion of female teachers is higher than in New Zealand. I do not think that there is any danger to be feared from the preponderance of females. It must be remembered that women teachers go into the profession in at least two cases out of three only for a comparatively short term of years, whereas men, with few* exceptions, enter it as a life profession, so that unless the supply of women were nearly three times as great at the beginning there would not even be eqjuality^ of numbers." "In no other country that I have visi+prl or am acquainted with," he continued, "do students get treated so well in [ their training as regards money payj ments, as they do in New Zealand. I do .not think that the effects of having women teachers in New Zealand are so serious as some people imagine. They talk of deterioration in boys, say that they are not so virile. I think I should prefer to see the elder boys taught by men, but on the other hand I should like^the elder girls to be taught by women. However, you cannot always secure that that shall be the case. Where that principle is not carried out it becomes necessary to trust to other influences, such as home and the circumstances of life to keep up true virility or femininity as the case* may be." Mr Hogben admitted that it was generally recognised that the schools must be staffed better, but better staffs and also better payment would cost- money. Discussing the new regulations recently gazetted," the Inspector-General expressed the opinion that the one prc*viding for the fixture of the school year term in December ought to make transition from the primary to the secondary schools and the technical schools very easy. Again the regulations for junior and senior free places, it was hoped, would give greater ease in working and make it possible for a child holding a free place to receive prepara^ tion for any path in life as considerable choice of subjects was giveii so long as the coiirse taken was really a secondary or a higher one.