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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 73

Eighteenth Annual Report of the Educational Institute of Otago

Eighteenth Annual Report of the Educational Institute of Otago,

The Committee of Management beg to lay before members the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Institute.

During the year six meetings of the Committee have been held, at which the average attendance of members has been eight.

Meeting of the Council of the N.Z. Educational Institute.

The Council of the N.Z. Educational Institute met at Invercargill in January of this year; when the Otago Branch was represented by Dr. Chilton and Messrs. W. Davidson. D. White, and R. G. Whetter. Copies of the report of the meeting of Council have already been sent to Branches; and others will be distributed amongst members at the Annual Meeting in Dunedin, when delegates will report as to the business done.

The most important items of business done had reference to a colonial Scale of Staff and of Salaries. The Council decided to recommend the Minister of Education to amend the Education Act so as to make it imperative for Boards to carry out reforms in the following directions:—
(1).That a uniform Scale of Staff be adopted by the various Boards.
(2).The Council recommend to the consideration of the Minister of Education the Scale of Staff adopted by the Otago and Southland Boards.page 5
(3).That all schools and positions under Boards be classified on a basis of average attendance, providing for a uniform scale of salary throughout the colony.
(4).That, in order to secure a systematic method of promotion, a minimum qualification be required for each class of position.

The Executive, in its Annual Report to the Council, stated, that considering the time had arrived to introduce a Bill into the House of Representatives for the purpose of establishing a Court of Appeal for teachers, it had instructed Messrs. Bell, Gully, and Izard to draw up a Bill for the purpose. This Bill was favourably received by the House, and after passing its first reading was dropped, on the understanding that the Minister for Education would introduce such a Bill next session as a Government measure.

The Committee of Management would draw the special attention of members to the appendix to the Council's Annual Report. This appendix, a copy of which has been sent to every teacher in the province, contains an account of the. work, history, and constitution of the Educational Institute of New Zealand.

The next meeting of the Council will be held at Wanganui on January 7th, 1896.

Text Books.

On the invitation of the Convener of a Committee appointed by the Education Board to revise the list of School books in use in Otago, the Committee of Management, after long and careful consideration, and after consultation with the Branches, submitted the following recommendations to the Board:—

Reading
(A)"Longman's Series of New Readers," and
(B)As an alternative course, "The Royal Crown Readers," Books I., II., and III., and the other numbers of this series if they are equally as good as Books I., II., and III.
Grammar
  • Of all the grammar books examined none were found suitable.
Composition
  • If it is advisable to have a text book, the Institute would recommend "Longman's Junior Composition."
page 6
Arithmetic
(A)"The Southern Cross Arithmetics" of Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs.
(B)"Neilson's Royal Arithmetics"—all the parts of the "B" Series.
(C)"Goyen's Exercises in the Compound Rules." and "Goyen's Complete Arithmetic for Standard III."
Geography
(A)The "Southern Cross Series" of Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs, for Standards I., II., III., and IV., and
(B)Horsburgh's "Zealandia Geography, No. 3," for Standards V. and VI.
History
  • No text book in single volumes brought under the notice
  • of the Institute commends itself as suitable. "Arnold's Historical Readers" appear to be an excellent series; but the range of matter in the various volumes does not correspond exactly with the epochs prescribed for our standards. If, however, the Education Board will accept the periods dealt with in these Readers as equivalent to the present requirements, the Institute would urge the adoption of "Arnold's Historical Readers," Nos. III. to VII.

Classification Scheme.

At a meeting held in October, the Dunedin Branch, after a discussion on the Classification of Schools and Appointments, resolved that the Committee of Management be requested to endorse the following resolutions:—
(1)"That this Branch approves of the principles of classifying schools, of fixing a minimum classification for appointments, and of grading salaries so as to secure a system of promotion that will give experience in the management of the different classes of schools."
(2)"That the Committee of Management be requested to take steps to bring Mr. Davidson's System of Classification under the notice of the Education Board."

After carefully considering these resolutions your Committee decided to forward them to the Board, accompanied with the request that an opportunity be given to Mr. Davidson to explain the scheme.

page 7

"Exceptions."

Owing to the disapproval expressed by all the Branches against the abolition of the regulations regarding "Exceptions," this Institute is of the opinion that the Minister of Education should be asked by the Executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute to reintroduce the former regulations providing for "Exceptions."

The Wrigley Case.

In September, a letter was received from the Secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute, appealing to this Institute to assist in defraying the amount of Miss Wigley's costs.

The Executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute has, also, in its annual report, endorsed this appeal.

Your Committee has arranged to bring this matter up for discussion.

Finance.

The Balance Sheet, duly audited, will be found appended.

During the year a letter was received from the Otago-Central Branch, requesting the Committee of Management to take into consideration the advisability of reducing the contributions from the Branches to 5s. per male member, and 2s. 6d. per female member.

In reply your Committee pointed out that it had no power to reduce the subscription, and suggested that the representative of the Otago-Central Branch might bring the matter up at the Annual Meeting.

Annual Meeting.

This year's Annual Meeting will be held on the 10th, 11th, and 12th July, in the Normal School, the use of which having been kindly granted by the Education Board.

The Board has also agreed to send to school committees a circular informing them of the date of the Annual Meeting.

On the last page of the Report will be found a list of remits from country Branches, to be brought up for discussion.

page 8

A social, tendered by the lady teachers in and about Dunedin to the members of country Branches, will be held at the end of the Conference. A complimentary ticket has been sent, enclosed in the Annnal Report, to every country member of the Institute.

Branch Reports.

Reports from the Dunedin, Bruce-Clutha, Central-Otago, and Waitaki Branches are attached.

Seeing that there is a Branch in every centre except in Tuapeka, your Committee would suggest that steps be taken to re-establish a Branch in that district.

At the beginning of this year the Committee of Management had the misfortune to lose the valuable services of two of its members, Dr. Chilton and G. Simmers, Esq. Both of these gentlemen have, for many years, devoted a very considerable amount of energy and time to the interests of the Otago Educational Institute.

Signed on behalf of the Committee of Management,

C. R. Smith

, President.

R. G. Whetter

, Secretary.

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