STRAIGHT TALK.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19313, 20 July 1934, Page 7

STRAIGHT TALK.

I TOO MUCH LIP SERVICE. TEACHERS’ COMPLAINT. “The child is lost, sight of a good deal when the question of the cost of education is concerned,” said Mr D. T, McCormick, headmaster of Hastings Central School, speaking -at the Hastings Rotary Club, the Tribune reports. ( “Wo get a good deal of lip service paid to the teaching profession, and [ we are t old time and again that ‘the future of the child is in your hands,’ or that ‘the destiny of the nations is in your keeping.”’ “Thai, is Irue,” added Mr McCormick, “and since it is true that the destiny of Hie nations is in our keeping, and that J he future of the child is in our hands, we should sec that it 1 is in tlu' keeping of the very best men and women,.and in the very best hands. ' The attitude of I lie public makes me ' fear that we are not gelling the ser- ! vice that we should get. I Cost of Education. “The people talk sometimes of the 'crushing burden of education.’ According to the latest figures it is £1 17s - id a bead over all, with ! Is of that sum taken up by secondary education. Vet the very people who complain are spending £3 os on lone beers amt other forms of drinks. The man who I is not prepared to reduce Hie length i pi his. licet; 45 nit ts complain j

when a few extra pence are spent on the education of his children.” “If you-reflect on the number of teachers required to teach a thousand children," Mr McCormicck continued, "you will see what has happened. "The general result Is that a condition of uncertainty and discontent prevails throughout the professions. Teachers make absolutely no apology for being 'interested in this aspect of the question. Their work is exacting and responsible and the reward should he. both adequate and secure The fact that teachers have an economic interest in the repeal of the legislation has been used in an attempt to discredit their representations on behalf of the excluded five-year-olds. This argument is completely fallacious. “It is to the economic interest of clergymen that people should go to church. Is that an argument for staying at, home? It is to the economic interest of the medical profession that we should call in a doctor in the case of serious illness. Does if follow Unit we should have nothing to do with doctors? Obviously, no matter what a man’s occupation is. it is to bis pecuniary advantage that there should be a public demand for his services. The question the public must, decide in each case, is whet tier his services arc worth having. If they are. then the labourer is worthy of his hire. It follows that Hip question for the public to deride in this ease, is whether the interests of the children demand their rendmission.” Building for the Futuro. “Those who employ the teachers ori the country's behalf need }uye no

qualifications at all,” said Mr G. A. Maddtson in thanking Mr McCormick for his address. “It is the employed, and not the employer," he added, "who must have all the qualifications. The teacher was the architect of the child's life, building up and strengthening wherever weaknesses showed. It was a constant human impulse to build for the needs of the future, Mr Maddison continued, and our advancement or otherwise depended very largc- ! ly on the teacher and on the child i whom he taught. Teaching was an Implied delegation of parental authority over the child during the hours that it was at school, and it was of paramount importance that the very best men and women should be attracted to the profession. “We are fortunate," Mr Maddison concluded, "in the type of headmaster that we have in this district. They arc doing a difficult work faithfully and well."