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The Fifteenth Annual Report of the Educational Institute of Otago
Dunedin: Coulls, Culling & Co., Printers, &c., Crawford Street
MDCCCXCII.
Past Presidents—of the—Educational Institute of Otago.
- 1878—Professor John Shand, M.A., LL.D.
- 1879—Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G.
- 1880—Professor James G. Black, M.A., D.Sc
- 1881—Professor D. Mcgregor, M.A., M.B.
- 1882—John B. Park, Esq.
- 1883—Wm. Macdonald, Esq., M.A., LL.D.
- 1884—W. S. Fitzgerald, Esq.
- 1885—William Milne, Esq., M.A.
- 1886—James Reid, Esq.
- 1887—Robert Peattie, Esq., M.A.
- 1888—David White, Esq., M.A.
- 1889—David A. Mcnicoll, Esq.
- 1890—Alex. Wilson, Esq., M.A.
- 1891—Charles Chilton, Esq., M.A. B.Sc.
The Fifteenth Annual Report—of the—Educational Institute of Otago.
Officers of the Institute.
President:
- James Rennie, Esq., B.A.
Vice Presidents:
- C. R. Smith, Esq.
- D. Ferguson, Esq., M.A.
- W. Davidson, Esq.
Secretary;
- John R. Don. Esq., M.A., B.Sc.
Treasurer:
- R. G. Whetter, Esq., M.A.
Librarian:
- James Jeffery, Esq.
| Dunedin | W. Davidson, Esq. |
| Milton | James Reid, Esq. |
| Waitaki | D. Ferguson, Esq. |
| Balclutha | J. Nicholson, Esq. |
Representationes of institute on Committee of Management:
- D. White, Esq., M.A.
- A. McLean, Esq.
- C. Chilton, Esq., M.A., B.Sc.
- A. Wilson, Esq., M.A.
- W. Eudey, Esq.
Auditor:
- W. J. Moore, Esq.
Fifteenth Annual Report—of the—Educational Institute of Otago,
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The Committee of Management have pleasure in laying before members the Fifteenth Annual Report of the Institute.
During the year six meetings have been held, and the attendance has been very satisfactory, the average attendance being eight. Soon after last Annual Meeting Mr J. H. Gray, a member of the Committee, removed to Victoria, and the Committee appointed Mr A. McLean in place of Mr Gray. The Committee desire to place on record their appreciation of Mr Gray's valuable services while he was a member.
As will be seen from the report following, various matters of interest to teachers were dealt with.
Meeting of the Council of the N.Z. Educational Institute.
The Council of the N.Z. Educational Institute met at Christchurch in January of this year.
Our Institute was represented by Messrs D. Ferguson, W. S. Fitzgerald, Jas. Rennie and D. White.
The business transacted at this year's meeting of the Council was of a very important nature. The attention of members is particularly directed to the new constitution printed on page 13.
Copies of the report of the meeting of Council will be distributed among members at the Annual Meeting in Dunedin, and delegates will report as to the business done.
The next meeting of Council will be held at Wellington in January, 1893.
Finances of the Institute.
Section 16 of the Amended Constitution of the New Zealand Educational Institute provides "That each District Institute shall pay annually to the Treasurer of the Council, not later than the 31st December, the sum of two shillings for each of its members." In order to meet the extra expense rendered necessary by this regulation, the Otago Branch at last Annual Meeting resolved "That the sum of 7s. 6d. be levied on male members of the Institute, and 4s. on female members, the whole of the sum thus accruing to go towards the funds of the Otago Educational Institute; Branches to levy any additional sum they may require."
This resolution was sent to Branches for their approval, and members of the Dunedin and Milton Branches have this year contributed on the above scale.
Reductions in Teachers' Salaries.
"That a printed statement of the reductions teachers have suffered during the last few years, as well as of other changes in the finances of the Education Board, be drawn up by the Committee of Management and forwarded to the Board's Secretary and to members of the Board, before next meeting of the Board."
Your Committee at once met, and drew up the statement which is printed as an appendix to this Report (Appendix A). This statement was sent to the Board's Secretary and to each member of the Board.
The question of teachers' salaries and of classification of schools and appointments is at present under consideration by the Board, and the Committee of Management venture to hope that the members of the Board will take into consideration the facts placed before them in the circular referred to, as well as in the circular dealing with the Bonus System and with the classification of schools and appointments, which was sent to the Board in November of last year.
Branch Reports.
Reports from the Dunedin and Milton Branches of the Institute are attached.
No report has been received from the Balclutha Branch.
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The Secretary of the latter Branch explains, however, that this is due to the fact that most of the teachers belonging to the Bal-clutha Branch have become members of the Milton Branch.
The Committee desires to congratulate the teachers of Milton and surrounding districts on the interest taken by them in the work of the Institute.
Change in the Method of Electing Delegates to Council.
"That the Committee of Management arrange for the nomination of members willing to serve on the Council of 1893, and for giving all members of the Institute an opportunity of voting for delegates to the Council, whether such members are present at the Annual Meeting or not."
Acting on the above resolution, the Committee of Management asked Secretaries of Branches to send to the Committee the names of members willing to serve on the Council of 1893.
- By the Dunedin Branch: Messrs. Chas. Chilton, John Reid, and R. G. Whetter.
- By the Milton Branch: Messrs. W. McElrea and C. R. Smith.
Additional nominations will be received at the Annual Meeting, and as soon as possible after the meeting, an opportunity of voting for delegates to the Council will be given to all members of the Institute.
The Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting will be held this year on Thursday and Friday, 14th and 15th July. Your Committee decided to alter the days of meeting at the request of members of the Milton Branch. It is hoped that the change will suit country teachers generally.
The Education Board has kindly agreed to send a circular to School Committees informing them of the date of our Annual Meeting.
The Dunedin and Suburban School Committees' Conference have agreed to recommend that the schools under their charge should be closed during the week in which our Annual Meeting is
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to be held; and as the date fixed coincides with the midwinter vacations of the High Schools, the University, and the Technical Classes Association, the Committee hope to see a large attendance of teachers at this years meetings.
Educational Reforms carried out, and Improvements suggested by the Institute.
The Committee desire to direct the attention of teachers to statement of the work done by the Institute, which is printed as an appendix to this Report (see Appendix B).
The Committee venture to hope that the perusal of this statement may induce many teachers, who are not at present members of the Institute, to connect themselves either with the general Institute or with one of its Branches.
Jas. Rennie
, President.John R. Don
, Secretary.
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Annual Reports.
Milton Branch.
Mr. C. Mahoney was elected Secretary, and Mr. J. Reid, Representative on the Committee of Management. In September, Mr. Mahoney received an appointment in another district, and this Branch lost the service of one who had been for twelve years a working member.
Only two meetings were held during the year, one in July and one in April. The April meeting was very well attended, and several new members were enrolled. The teachers of the district are in full sympathy with the aims of the Institute.
W. McElrea
, Acting Secretary.Dunedin Branch.
During the year eight meetings have been held, at which, the average attendance has been fourteen. The total number of members of the Branch is fifty-one.
At last annual meeting Mr. James II. Gray was elected President, but he having accepted an appointment in Victoria, immediately wrote declining the office. At next meeting Mr. W. Davidson was elected.
The General Committee of Management submitted for the consideration of the Branch a report of their Financial Committee to the effect—" That a uniform rate of 7s. 6d. be levied on each
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male member, and 4s. on each female member of the Institute, the whole of the money thus accruing to go to the Institute." The matter was referred to a sub-committde to report to next meeting. The recommendation of the sub-committee was—"That the request of the General Committee of Management should be complied with, and in order that the Branch may be able to meet expenses that the annual subscription be raised to 10s. for male, and 5s. for female members, and that the change should come into operation at the beginning of next financial year." The recommendation was adopted.
"Consideration of the Public Schools Bill now before the House of Representatives"
Mr. D. White, M.A.
"Bodily Positions of Pupils in School"
Mr. J. A. Valentine, B.A.
"English Composition"
Mr. W. A. Paterson.
"The Training of Teachers"
Mr. Jas. Rennie, B.A.
"Natural Phenomena"
Mr. George Balsille
"Classification. Appointment and Payment of Teachers"
Mr. W. Davidson.
"On the Position and Difficulties of a Country Teacher"
Mr. W. G. Eraser.
The balance sheet to be read herewith shows the amount to the debit of the Branch to be £1 11s. 10d.
A. Pirie
, Secretary.
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Appendix A.
Reduction of Teachers' Salaries.
At a meeting of the Committee of Management of the Otago Educational Institute, held in the Normal School on 11th July, 1892, the subjoined statement was formulated and agreed to, and the Secretary was instructed to forward a copy of it to each member of the Education Board, as well as to the Board's Secretary:—
In accordance with the resolutions passed at the recent Annual Meeting of the Educational Institute of Otago, the Committee of Management of the Institute beg to bring under the notice of the Education Board the following statement relating to teacher's salaries :—
The Institute desires to call the attention of members of the Board to the several reductions which have been made in teachers' salaries during the past three years.
| 1. | In 1888, owing to the reduction in the capitation allowance, the fixed salaries of teachers were reduced by from 1 to 7½ per cent., and over and above this general reduction, all teachers receiving a bonus had the amount of their bonus reduced by £10. |
| 2. | In 1891, by regulation of the Board, teachers' salaries were materially reduced (1) by abolishing all bonuses to teachers below division II. of their rank, and' (2) by reducing the amount of the remaining bonuses by one-fourth. |
The extent of reduction in the smaller salaries, by the abolition of bonuses, is shown approximately as follows:—Four teachers lose £30 each, six teachers lose £20 each, and 67 teachers lose £10 each, the total saving effected by abolition of bonuses being £910. It may be mentioned that the salaries thus affected are in almost every case under £200 per annum.
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| 7 teachers lose £12 10 0 each = | £ 87 | 10 | 0 |
| 24 teachers lose 10 0 0 each = | 240 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 teachers lose 7 10 0 each = | 330 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 teachers lose 5 0 0 each = | 250 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 teachers lose 2 10 0 each = | 120 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | £1027 | 10 | 0 |
| Total saving effected by abolition and reduction of bonuses | £1,937 | 10 | 0 |
Whilst teachers' salaries have been reduced by the above amount, it appears from the last report that the Board has seen fit to increase the salaries of some if not all of the Board's officials.
Seeing that the capitation allowance has not been reduced since 1888, and that the cost of maintenance (£3 13s. 2¾d.) is still under the statutory amount of £3 15s. for each child, the Institute is led to the conclusion that the above serious reductions have been caused by the Board's withdrawing large sums of money from the maintenance account to be used (1) for the purpose of building schools, and (2) for the purpose of maintaining the Training College.
With regard to the transfer of moneys from the maintenance account to building fund, the Institute find their opinion corroborated by the Hon. the Minister for Education in his report for 1890, the following being an extract from his report:—"In the case of Otago, the building fund will be nearly £3000 in debt to the maintenance fund when the outstanding liabilities under building contracts are discharged."
In connection with the maintenance of the Training College out of the capitation allowance, while the Institute is distinctly of opinion that a Training Institute for teachers is necessary, it is also of opinion that the cost of maintaining such an institution should be provided for by a vote from the general Government, especially as the local institution is training teachers for other educational districts. The Institute, therefore, hopes that the Education Board will continue to urge the Minister for Education to set apart a sum of money for this purpose.
J. R. Don
, Secretary.
Appendix B.
Reforms and Improvements
Carried Out at the Suggestion of the Educational Institute.
The Committee of Management wishes to lay before the teachers of Otago some reforms carried out by the educational authorities at the suggestion of the Institute, as well as a number of improvements suggested at various times by the Institute.
I.—Teachers and the University.
(a) Facilities for obtaining Degrees of N.Z. University.
Owing to the representations of the Institute the special privileges conferred on teachers, permitting them to proceed to the M.A. degree, were extended for several years, when a considerable number of teachers proceeded to graduation, who would not have been enabled to do so had it not been for the intervention and influence of the Institute. In this way many teachers, who would not otherwise have had an opportunity of doing so, have been enabled to improve their professional status.
(b) The Pass in Elementary Science for E and D Certificates.
When regulations were issued by the Education Department in 1880, making it compulsory for all teachers to pass an examination in Elementary Science before they could receive a permanent certificate, your institute made arrangements with its President (Professor Black) for a course of lectures in Chemistry and a pass in this subject was held to exempt teachers from passing any further examination in Elementary Science.
(c) Saturday Classes for Teachers.
The very successful Saturday classes, which were kindly undertaken by Professors Shand and Black, and which were attended by a large number of teachers, would not have been held at all had it not been for the Institute.
II.—Teachers and the Standards of Education.
The Institute has given most of its time and directed most of its energy to this work.
(a) First Introduction of Class Subjects.
When the Institute was first formed, the whole of the subjects of instruction were, treated as individual or pass subjects. In 1885, at the suggestion of the Institute, the principle of class examination was first introduced into the syllabus. The Secretary of the Institute drew up a full statement of all the reasons that could be advanced in favour of class examination, and sent it to the Minister for Education, Sir R. Stout. In the first place, the important principle was extended to history only, and in part to geography.
(b) Grouping of different Standards in small Schools.
Later, the representations of the Institute to the Education Department had the effect of securing for the teachers of small schools the liberty to group different standards in certain subjects of instruction. It is scarcely necessary to point out that this change afforded considerable relief to teachers in small schools.
(c) Three Years' Course in Elementary Science to be prepared by Teachers themselves.
Still more recently liberal provision was made for the better teaching of science in schools, by allowing teachers themselves to prepare a three years' course of lessons.
(d) Recent Modifications of the Syllabus.
It is scarcely necessary to say that the recent interview with the Hon. W. P. Reeves, Minister for Education, was the means of securing beneficial modification in the standards of education. It may be advisable to re-state these in succinct form :—(1) That Grammar has been made a class subject in all the standards except the fourth; (2) that the Geography of Standards III. and V. has been very considerably reduced in amount; (3) that the principle of stricter definition takes the place of vague enumeration; (4) that in the matter of History a period of a hundred years has been excised from Standard VI., and permission given to teachers to make a selection of events in each period upon which the examination may be based. In connection with this branch of the
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Institute's work, your Committee would call to mind that it has been the consistent aim of the Institute from first to last to try and educate the public to the pernicious effects of "passes" and "percentages." When individual passes and percentages were most in favour with the public and the inspectorate, the Institute was offering strenuous opposition to the whole system.
(e) Provision for Excepting Irregular Pupils.
Previous to 1885, the Regulations of the Education Department made no provision for excepting pupils who attended irregularly. All failures were counted against the teacher of the school in which the pupil was examined. At the suggestion of the Institute a provision was introduced by Sir Robert Stout, then Minister for Education, making exceptions of those pupils who failed, but who had not made more than half the number of attendances during the three quarters preceding that in which the examination was held.
III.—Teachers and Inspectors.
The Institute has frequently considered representations made to it by members with regard to the Inspectors' interpretation of the syllabus.
On one occasion a member of the Institute represented that the Inspector of his district had set examination papers which, in his opinion, were wholly beyond the requirements of the syllabus. The Council of the Institute appealed to the Minister for Education, when a memorandum was sent by the Minister to the Inspector, informing the latter that he had exceeded the limits of his authority in setting questions of the kind indicated in the copies of the examination papers forwarded to the Minister for Education.
IV.—Teachers and Teachers' Salaries.
On any occasion when retrenchment has been imminent, and such retrenchment would have proved injurious to the cause of Education, the Institute has made strenuous efforts to prevent its being carried out. Examples of the action taken by the Institute are given below.
(a) Representations made by the Institute to Parliament.
Your committee does not intend to present in detail all the statements that have from time to time been submitted to both Houses of Parliament. It will be necessary to instance the action
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taken by the Institute when it was proposed by some to raise the school age to six and by others to seven. The Institute, in tabulated form, showed the result of any such action on the smaller schools of the Colony owing to the reduction of the capitation allowance, and made a comparative statement showing the school age in other countries and the Colonies, giving also a table showing that teachers' salaries were lower in New Zealand than in the neighbouring colonies. A printed copy giving additional reasons against the proposal, was sent to every member of both Houses of Parliament. The statement was read in the House and the facts and reasons appear in the pages of Hansard. It reached members at an opportune moment, and according to the testimony of the members of the House, was largely the means of preventing the school age being raised. Your Committee wishes to call attention to the financial results of this action of the Institute. Had the age been raised, teachers' salaries would have been reduced by a sum of £10,000 had the age been raised to six, and by £20,000 if it had been raised to seven.
(b) Representations made to the Otago Education Board.
| (1) | The Bonus System. |
| (2) | Reduction of Teachers' Salaries. |
| (3) | Resolutions suggesting a scheme for the classification of schools and appointments. |
These matters are at present under consideration by the Education Board, and the Committee trust that the members of the Board will give full consideration to the facts supplied by the Institute at various times during the last two years.
(c) Representation made by Institute to Auckland Education Board.
In August, 1891, a motion was tabled by a member of the Auckland Education Board, "That in future no teacher in the Board's service shall be paid a salary exceeding £300." (The teachers in Auckland district, by the way, have no house allowance granted to them.)
Your Institute at once sent up a statement showing the salaries paid by Education Boards in other districts of New Zealand, and giving a number of reasons why the salaries of head-masters "should not be reduced as suggested in the motion. The proposal to lower the salaries was not carried.
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In connection with the subject of teachers' salaries, the Committee may mention that in Otago teachers' salaries were formerly paid quarterly, and that the present system of monthly payments was adopted by the Board, at the request of a deputation from the Institute.
V.—Teachers and the Education System.
(a) Attack on the Education System by the 'N.Z. Herald.'
In February, 1891, an article appeared in the 'New Zealand Herald,' a newspaper published in Auckland, containing a number of misleading statements regarding the results of our education system.
At the request of the Hon. the Minister for Education, the Institute drew up an answer to the charges made in the article referred to, and forwarded them to the Minister.
(b) Action of the Institute at the last General Election.
Before last general election of members of the House of Representatives, the Institute drew up a circular asking candidates for seats in Parliament to give their opinions concerning certain matters of interest to teachers, and especially with regard to (1) raising the school age to seven years; (2) limiting the course of instruction to the Fourth Standard; and (3) the Private Schools' Bill introduced by Mr V. Pyke. A copy of this circular was sent to every candidate for a seat in the Otago district, and the replies sent by candidates were published in the Press.
VI.—Teachers and Education Boards.
On several occasions, both in Otago and in the other provinces, the opinions of the Institute with respect to complaints by teachers as to their treatment by Education Boards, have been laid before the Board concerned, and before the public of New Zealand.
This has only been done, however, on the matter being brought under the notice of the Committed by a member of the Institute, and when the case appeared to justify their intervention.
The case most recently under consideration is that of Mr. E. M. C. Harrison, of Auckland. The Executive of the Institute, acting on behalf of the teachers of the Colony, have sent a memorial to the Auckland Education Board, asking for further consideration of the case, and praying them to re-instate Mr. Harrison.
VII.—Teachers and the Education Department.
The Institute by frequent interviews with successive Ministers for Education and with the Inspector-General, has been enabled to create and maintain very friendly relations between the Education Department and teachers—relations that cannot fail to be productive of good to the cause of education and to the teaching profession. To such an extent has the work of the Institute been recognised as useful and important work that the Government has been pleased to show its appreciation thereof by an annual grant towards the expenses of the annual meeting of the Institute. Your Committee is not quite sure how far it is fair to the Institute to attempt to judge of the success of its work by parading on paper a number of specific reforms or modifications of the education system. In the opinion of your Committee much good and useful work done by such a body as the Institute must necessarily be of a somewhat intangible and indirect kind—of a kind, that is to say, that will not easily lend itself to precise and formal statement or definition. The influence and work of the Institute must not be judged of solely by the number of instances which the Institute may definitely point to as the result of its work and discussions, though even looked at from this point of view, the résumé which your committee has presented shows some results by no means insignificant.
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Educational Institute of Otago.
Fifteenth
Annual Report
—Will be Held in—
Y.W.C.A. Rooms, Moray Place,
—On—
14th and 15th July, 1892.
Programme of proceedings.
Thursday, 14th July, 11 A.M.
Adoption of Annual Report, Election of Officers and Members of Committee of Management, Appointment of Committees.
Report of Delegates to Council, 1892.
Thursday, 8 P.M.
Address by the President
—Jas. Rennie, Esq., B.A.
Discussion on Manual and Technical Instruction Bill introduced by the Hon. the Minister for Education.
Friday, 11 A.M.
"The Classification of Schools"
Mr. W. Davidson.
Discussion of a motion forwarded to the Council by the Secondary Schools' Conference.
Friday, 8 P.M.
(a) "Some Notes on the Development of the Brain in relation to Education"
Dr. Jeffcoat.
(b)"Reading aloud : a Test of Intelligence"
R. Peattie, Esq., M.A.
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Educational Institute of Otago.
Statement of Accounts for the Year 1891-92.
W. J. Moore
, Auditor.R. G. Whetter
, Treasurer.July 1st, 1892.