Home Oil Distributors, through their television program, REACH FOR THE TOP salutes the teaching profession. Each week* on Reach For The Top aome of the brightest High School students in British Columbia compete in a battle of wits, knowledge and quick recall. In their ability they reflect the superb job being done in our schools today by the teachers who work with such dedicated spirit.
Home Oil Distributors Ltd. is proud to take this means of en• couraging academic accomplishment of the young people in school and of demonstrating to the Community the competence and de• votion of the teaching profession in British Columbia.
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4 PLAN A PROGRAM ON COLD PREVENTION with the delightful film "HOW TO CATCH A COLD" BY WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS
10 min. 16 mm. Animated. Sound and Colour FREE on short-term loan
Children enjoy learning good tiealth habits tho "Common Sense" way. This sprightly cartoon character helps you teach the seriousness ol colds, and how to avoid Ihem. Complete program from the makers of Kleenex KLEENEX is a tissues includes: Film, cold prevention posters, and individual health trademark ol Kimberly-Clark, pledges (lor grades 2. 3, and 4). Schedule your showing soon! Canada Limited
Educational Department BCT-6301 Kimberly-Clark Cimdi Limited, 2 Carlton Street. Toronto 2, Ontario. NAME Please send me tree (except for retuin postage) the 1G mm. sound and (please print) colour film "How to Calch a Cold" SCHOOL GRADE. Bay wanted (allow 2 weeks) 2nd choice (allow 3 weeks) STREET tn addition, please send: copies ot Health Pledge for Grades 2, 3, and 4 CITY OR TOWN ZONE PROV sets of posters (large schools may require more than one) NOTE: Material will be sent to teachers and authorized personnel only
JANUARY. 1963 129 We take pleasure in announcin: that you may now obtain more than 500 titles in HARPERyCREST LIBRARY EDITIONS at American net prices from two sources in Canada
THE COPP-CLARK THE MUSSON PUBLISHING CO., LTD. BOOK COMPANY 517 Wellington Street West 103 Vanderhoof Avenue Toronto 2B, Ontario Toronto 17, Ontario
Write to Musson or Copp-Clark for graded HARPERf CREST descriptive catalogues of books which enrich and extend the basic subject matter. IN THIS ISSUE Dr. Alan Klass, of Winnipeg, has produced a thorough and thought-provoking analy• sis in his article "What Is a Profession:-" See page 130. teacher Eustace Prim is hack! This month Eustace struggles with the problems of teaching with machines. His story commences on page 140. PUBLISHED BY THE BRITISH COLUMBIA TEACHERS' FEDERATION The last of our series on Community Col• Affiliated with the Canadian Teachers' Federation leges appears on page 142. Here is de• scribed the Junior College at Lethbridgc, VOLUME XLII, No. 1 Alberta. JANUARY, 1
The Federation is this year analyzing its What Is a Profession? - Alan A. Klass 136 program of International Aid. Two artic• les, on pages 152 and 153, discuss the Eustace Prim in the Brave New Whirl Maurice Gibbons 140 program in its present form and make suggestions for improvement. The Lethbridge Junior College - - /. H. Hotell 142 Parents car; assist their children to im- • prove poor study habits, ays Colin Brown, The Trustees' Viewpoint - . - - - - ... 148 a counsellor in West Vancouver. On page 174 he outlines the steps he takes to enlist Is Internship the Answer? - - - - M. E. Cottingham 144 the support of parents'of students whose grades are falling. Is Our International Aid Program Worthwhile?
OUR COVER PICTURE Not in its Present Form - - - 7. K. TJ Taylor 152 This month's picture was taken along the Yes, in any Form • - - Skecna River, in northern Ilritish Colum• J. A. Young 153 bia. The picture is by courtesy of the Nag, Nag, Nag! - - t . - ,• - Photographic Division of the Department Colin Brown 174 of Recreation ami Conservation, Victoria. , We Must Stand Together .... H. M. Palsson 176 Articles contained herein reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily erpress official DEPARTMENTS policy of the British Columbia Teachers' Federa- - tion. .* The Editor Comments ------. . . 134 EDITORIAL BOARD New Books - - - - - ...... 163 K. M. AITCHISON Editor and Business Manager. About People -. ... - - - - 166 A. BARBARA MACFARLANE, • Associate Editor. Across the Desk - - ...... - - - - 169 ESTHER G. HARROP it. H. M. PALSSON ''. ' ' U For Your Information - '.'- - - - - H. S. JOHNSTON > 171 F. P. LIGHTBODY STAN EVANS MISCELLANY EDITORIAL OFFICE:..1815..W. 7th Avenue,' Vancouver 9, B.C. Published every month except Your Administrative Staff - - - - -. - . June, July, -August and September. Advertiser's 147 copy received up to the 10th of the month pro- ceding month of publication. What Is •» Little Boy? - , - - - :- Vera Coss 158 Annual Subscription, $2.75; Maternity Leave - - - - Kay Cameron 159 Federation Members, $2.00. .. .And We Quote - - - - - . . .,. . Authorized as Second Class Matt. Pout Office. 160 -D*pa?tmsr.!,-.0!tawa. and for payment of post- : . . age tn cash.
B.C.T.F. OFFICERS AND STAFF Member' President ''• ' — —-H. M. PALSSON, Sooke ; ; :•• ; DUCATIONAL 7irTvice-p7esident >„r"' - T • — -_.-_F. J. CAIRNIE, Victoria RESS : K^nnAVicl^ti&ent : ~~.D. J. S. SMITH, Port Alberni SSOCIATION A S 1 OF General Secretary - -~f~°BY, A^ c ;; - IERICA Assistant General Secretary rr—^r^^^,'*'
Administrative Assistant J.f A. SPRAC^t Printed by Evergreen Press Limited Administrative Assistant ...„:_..-...-....-:.-v---~W. V. ALLKTER. ... Administrative Assistant - ...... K. M. AITCHISON
JANUARY. 1963 FOR THE BEST IJYFORMEB Features Extensive Revisions in Important Study Areas
|8|~ - —jps^^fm,
Democracy—The Cold War—Communism—related articles in the 1963 World Book Encyclopedia.
The 1963 World Book Encyclopedia more than ever Cuba—lean and hungry island, focal point of international] tension. Analyzed, discussed, and documented in the 1968 \ helps students and teachers to keep pace with a world World Book! on the move. In the most elaborate revision in recent i years, this new edition presents changes in 4,900 EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS j pages—more than 40% of the total! Every area of the ABOVE AND BELOW curriculum has received editorial attention. The SPACE - the greatest emphasis, however, has been placed on the soaring science is dra• subjects-of greatest change, Social Studies and the matically and realis• Physical'Sciences. tically treated with informative, factual articles, liberally UNFOLDING DRAMA IN SOCIAL STUDIES illustrated with pic• tures, charts, dia• Democracy...Communism...The Cold War...rival grams, biographies of social systems and their world-wide influences are astronauts. treated in separate but related articles in the 1963 World Book. The new 14-page article, "Cold War," vividly portrays the world situation in text, photo• graphs, diagrams, and charts. Companion articles PROJECT "Communism" and "Democracy" are extensively re• MOHOLE vised. Areas of current tension—Berlin, Cuba, South• A sub-sea adventure east Asia—are covered in depth. planned for 1964 or 1965 is previewed in Revised City Articles in the 1963 World Book Ency• the 1963 Edition. clopedia highlight the study of Geography. Included Your students will see are official flags of major United States cities and new how man plans tc probe three miles be• maps of principal cities. neath the ocean floor! ENCYCLOPEDIA CANADIANS IN HISTORY
UP-TO-DATE ...TESTED ...ACCEPTED
• The 1963 World Book includes com• plete population fig• ures from the latest Canadian Census. • World Book is class• room-tested in five I Y . major school-lab• : -YV, \; \ A / oratory centers in \>V\/\/ Canada. This con• tinuing program helps our editors MATHEMATICS correlate the ency• clopedia with teach• Boolean Algebra and Permutations and er and student re• Combinations are but two new articles quirements. reflecting the emphasis on higher math• • Canadian educators ematics in the schools. Others are Pro• continue to indicate gressions, Series, Determinant, and 1S61 Canadian Census Figures a preference for Binomial Theorem. World Book, evi• denced by a 73% in• FREE! Si'inl for your copy of t lie new 12-pncc Announcement llnicliure that tells all crease in school pur• chases and leasing in ;f;-"otomlc weight — ahouL I lie Worlil Hook Encyclopedia. •55.847 2 .„umberof Reproduced in brilliant, color, it details the past year alone! 'L*}pmin\ iymbblT all tlic iiii|>i>rlnnl revisions, shows liow World Book can lie or even •tomlc 2 3S--.LlI[v:!;.:l,numberT" -26 greater heiielit lo students and teaeliers. Write to Mr. Ken- nelli (iibli. World Hook Kn- eyelo[)edia, HI 1") Louglieed NEW ATOMIC llighwnv at Douglass WEIGHTS Itoad, Burnaby, B. C. , ' ' The basic measurement of matter, as •recently revised by >,dentists, appears VOLUMES J\ throughout the 1963 World Book.
NOT MERELY UPDATED—WORLD BOOK' INCREASES ITS OWN LEADERSHIP! lis* Twenty volumes—more than 11,700 pages (4,900 irevised for 1963)...over 22,400 illustrations with h almost 6,000 in color...1,725 brilliantly executed maps...2,500 contributors... single alphabetical arrang~ement...a comprehensive and continuous 'educational research program that keeps World iBdok-'Xorrefatedy'With-~-stuaent-'and-iclassroom--- requirements..; exciting and informative Trans- vision sections in biology articles. ifc WORLD IIOOK-CIIILDCKAFT OF CANADA, LTD. 321 liloor St. E., Toronto 5, Ont. the Editor comments
YOU - and Curriculum Change
IN THE DECADE of the Sixties the teachers and mittee. Frequent reports have been issued to local students of this province have experienced and will and provincial specialist association officers. A special experience changes in curriculum and school organi• Curriculum Newsletter was instituted in the fall of zation comparable only to those of the Thirties. Grade 1962, and five separate issues were sent out before VII was defined as part of the elementary school in Christmas. Through the Curriculum Newsletter any 1961, school boards were encouraged to expand public interested teacher can learn of proposals for curricu• kindergartens, and an occupational program was be• lum changes that are being seriously considered by gun in many secondary schools. Fundamental changes the professional committees. Replies to questions were made in the elementary school arithmetic pro• posed in the newsletters have been received from gram in 1962. At the same time new courses were hundreds of teachers (many of these, of course, introduced in eight subjects at the secondary level, replies from school staffs or from associations). five changes in Grade VIII alone. 1962 also saw the From questions posed to Federation officers and appointment by the Department of Education of a from correspondence received at our office it is evi• revision committee for elementary reading and lang• dent that many teachers do not yet appreciate the uage arts and of a secondary history advisory com• influence that they can now exert, individually and mittee. As we enter 1963 we are awaiting approval collectively, upon curriculum matters. The article on by the Council of Public Instruction of substantial curriculum development in the November, 1962 issue changes in curriculum organization of Grades IX of this journal made it clear that provincial changes and X. in courses and textbooks are made only after due con• Some of the changes that have occurred or that will sideration by the Council of Public Instruction. How• soon occur could logically have been expected as part ever, the recommendations made to the Minister of of an international emphasis on science, mathematics Education, for submission to the Council, are very and technical education. Many changes have received much affected by teacher opinion. It is most impor• impetus from recommendations of the Report of the tant that local and provincial specialist associations Chant Royal Commission on Education. /The Federa• establish strong curriculum committees which can tion was critical of tlie Government for initiating some serve as the instruments through which an increas• of these changes very hastily—within a few months of ingly large percentage of our members leam about the the time that the Chant Report was /made public. It pending changes and give their reactions to them. is only fair now to acknowledge that representatives The Curriculum Newsletter will be mailed regularly of. the Federation have been intimately involved in to any member requesting it. the more recent changes. Our members on the two As is indicated above, after approximately a year professional curriculum .committees and on tlie many of consideration by the Professional Committee on subject revision comr attees have had an opportunity the Secondary School Curriculum, advice has been to participate in planning the new developments. given to the Department of Education for changes More teachers have become involved in curriculum in the organization of Grades IX and X. Future meet• decision-making than ever: before in our history. ings of this committee will consider the other secon• The appointment in August, 1961 of three repre• dary grades and the possibility of more diversity in sentatives of the Federation to each of the nine-mem• programs than now.exists. ber professional curriculum committees, and the wise Meanwhile the Professional Committee on the Ele• decision of the. Department of Education that these mentary School Curriculum is discussing, at a some• representatives should' consult freely with teachers what more leisurely pace, what effect the addition of concerning problems facing the committees placed a Grade VII and kindergarten should have on elemen• new responsibility on ;the Federation. As a result the tary school curriculum design. Moreover, it should Federation Executive named curriculum development soon be possible for the Department to announce de• as a major field of iBCTF activity and freed ore of tails of new courses and textbooks for many subjects the administrative staff, Mr. Allester, from many for September, 1963. other duties in order that he could devote much of YOU are involved in curriculum change. Are you • his time to this work. The Curriculum. Directors have taking full advantage of the opportunity you have to found themselves by far the busiest Federation com• influence this'change?-^-
THE B. C. TEACHER 134 the Editor comments Reason Prevails
WELCOME INDEED was the news that the ultimately to prevail. school board and teachers' association in North Van• Trustees and teachers in North Vancouver have couver were able to resolve their differences and sign together risen above petty considerations and proven an agreement governing teachers' salaries for 1963. themselves men and women of stature. Special con• Where genuine divergence of opinion on questions of gratulations are due to Mr. Peter Jones of the Board principle becomes aggravated by mutual irritation, and Mr. Michael Ryan of the Association, whose per• emotional tension can readily become tlie governing severance through the period of deepest discourage• factor, and deadlock result. Under such circum• ment was finally vindicated. In times of stress, there stances, the contending parties must summon all their is no substitute for the wise leadership of men of good reserves of patience and understanding if reason is will.*
Staff Room Static
a Guest Editorial
WHAT IS THE TEMPER of teachers? Is there an of elementary teachers, junior high teachers and high indefinable something which can describe what teach• school teachers, institutes, planning committees for ers feel about teaching and about those with whom this and for that, home and school meetings, local they work in education? meetings, sublocal meetings, and so on, and on, and on. We think that the one place where a reading can Meetings require time, time that can be used for be taken of the temper of teachers is in the staff room. other purposes, be it for marking, for preparation, for It is here that teachers talk about what they are doing, reading, or just for leisure. It is not good enough that what they are trying to do, and what others are trying meetings are called just because someone thinks a to do to them. meeting should be held. The need for a meeting ought We think, from the tone of the talk going on in to be demonstrable and unquestionable in view of the staff rooms, that teachers are getting to be a mite testy. matters to be discussed and the results to be obtained. In the vernacular, they are getting fed up with being There is a lurking suspicion in the minds of teachers told not only what to teach and how to teach it, but that many meetings are called because they are part also how they can teach more students more know• of the ritual of an administrative and supervisory cult. ledge better and in less time. They are sick and tired While this notion may not be as close to the truth as of admonitions to be concerned about individual dif• many might think, even the more charitable of class• ferences, when their timetables are laden heavily with room teachers are appalled by the minutiae studding different courses, •. when their noon hours and after the agenda of such meetings and a seemingly unpar• school time are plugged with extra duty and responsi• donable lack of preparation which permits a meeting bility and when endless tocsins are sounded calling which should last a few minutes to muddle along for meetings for this or for that. They mutter darkly about hours. Yes, teachers need to be critical of meetings administration which loads them with multi-grade which take dieir time. classes and yet unctuously assures parents that stu• Another thing that teachers need to learn is the art dents will do as well as those in single graded class• of plain talk. Do the principal, superintendent and rooms. parents of students know that there is just so much "; The problem with teachers is that they still have time in a teacher's day? Do they know that this time not realized that only their blood pressure is reduced is required for professional instruction, preparation by muttering darkly in staff rooms. If they want to and grading? If a school system loads programs on do something to bring to their senses those responsible teachers which cannot be handled properly, teachers for their plight, staff room static is not the way. One must -gather their courage to tell superiors and the of the first things classroom teachers must learn is parents that their time will not permit then', to do all a clear and hard-headed, attitude toward meetings. of the tasks assigned in a satisfactory fashion. Education today is in the throes of "meetingitis." Staff No longer should teachers endure with grace or meeting, grade meetings, subject meetings, meetings Continued on page 176
13S JANUARY. 1963 1 HE SHORTER Oxford English Dictionary lists no less than seven distinct meanings for the word "pro• fession," while H. W. Fowler does not tackle the problem at all. From the "oldest profession in the world" down to some more modern uses—such as ex• emplified by "sanitary engineer" for plumber, "mor• tician" for undertaker and "orbital tactician" for pro• fessional football player—the word has lost any claim "What to precision. Even a legal definition is not much more helpful. It reads as follows: "A profession is a self- selected, self-disciplined group of individuals who hold themselves out to the public as possessing a special skill derived from education and training and who are prepared to exercise that skill primarily in the Is a 1 interests of others." One may be forgiven for seeking refuge with C. L. Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) when in the words of Humpty-Dumpty he said: "When I use a. word it means precisely what I choose it to mean, Profession? nothing more, nor less." Historical In the early days there were three so-called learned professions: divinity, law and medicine. Their origins arose from a need for individuals, acceptable by the community, as competent to administer the spiritual and corporal needs of the individual and to legalize and regulate the disposal of his worldly goods. It is an interesting and sobering reflection on human values and attitudes that, to the present day in many ALAN A. KLASS parts of the world, p*ire educators, although charged B.A., M.D., F.R.CS.(Edin.), F.R.C.S.(C) with the responsibility of the basic education for the three traditional professions, are denied public acceptance of their existence as a professional entity with distinctive rights and privileges. Historically, teachers themselves were members of one of the three learned professions and acquired their status through this preparation rather than by any separate identity. There is no doubt that the public school system, with its emphasis on state employment, has retarded to some extent the organization of educators into a separate and distinct profession. What then constituted a professicr. in the original historical meaning? Here it is important to note that the earliest universities were founded primarily to pre• pare students for the professions. This objective has continued to constitute the fundamental relationship between the universities and professional bodies. On the few occasions in history when the traditional ties between a profession and university preparation has Reprinted with the permission of waned, the profession has fallen to a very low level. the author and The Canadian Medical At the turn of this century, doctors in the United Association Journal. States were turned out by so-called "diploma mills," centers not associated with an accredited university. Until the Flexner Commission corrected this state of affairs the standards of medical practice and pro• fessional conduct in the United States were at then- lowest ebb. Secondly, the university was responsible for the
.199 THE B. C. TEACHER
4 education of a candidate prior lo his acceptance for Dr. Klass is Assistant Professor Anatomy and Assistant professional training. Is it too much to ask that a Professor Surgery, University of Manitoba; Associate primary and essential prerequisite to professional Surgeon, Winnipeg General Hospital from tlie Mall training should be a liberal arts education in a uni• Medical Group, Winnipeg. versity? If there is one thing that ought to separate the professional area from those areas that are not, exist as a recognizable group it is mandatory that it is on the basis of education in its broadest terms, on the public grant to the professional body, by legis• a knowledge of the cultural streams of our Western lative statute, more or less tangible monopolies, along society and on an understanding of the relation of with self-governing privileges. By statute a profes• man to his environment. sional group is granted the exclusive right of perfor• Additionally, in the context of the early days ol mance in a specific field, be it the practice of law, professionalism, one had to show evidence of being medicine or engineering. Along with this goes the a "gentleman" as well as a "scholar" before being right to determine its own fee structure or its salary allowed into a profession. A "gentleman" in the his• levels. It is of course assumed that this right will be toric sense meant a person of gentle birth; one could exercised by the professional group with discretion only be born a "gentleman" but in addition there and always with the implied condition that no were assumed qualities of good moral character. Few one shall be denied essential professional service for can regret that the restriction of birth, placed on the any reason. Not for reasons of race, creed, religion or word gentleman, has passed away. There is still, how• ability to pay can needed professional service be re• ever, the implication of standards of acceptable fused withou1- laying oneself open to a charge of non• morality and character expected from members of a professional conduct. It is with this important quali• profession. The supervision of this area represents one fication that the right of self-determination of the of the important duties of a professional organization. fee structure exists. That this right is sometimes "Scholarship," although changed in curricular con• abridged by governmental or private agencies is due tent and narrowed by the avid demands of special• to weakness within the professional organization. ization toward technical material, is still observed by In return for this monopolistic right of practice and required attendance at a university prior to formal pay, enjoyed by professions, there is a reciprocal com• professional training. Recently, in view of the growing mitment to admit to its circle only individuals of length of professional courses, there have been de• proved competence, to guarantee their trustwort iness, mands to abridge even further this period of scholar• to, insist on the observance of an ethical code of con• ship. Apart from the goal of excellence that is die duct, and to protect the public against bungling and common basis of every profession worthy of the name, extortion. there is another serious reason, important to society, No profession can exist without this protection why standards of university scholarship, with empha• under the law. It alone must have the right to set sis on the humanities, must be retained as a pre• conditions of entrance. It alone must, have the right liminary to professional training. Schumpeter2 states, to set codes of professional conduct. It alone must "All those who are unemployed, or unsatisfactorily have the right to determine the values of professional employed or unemployable, drift into vocations in competency. It follows from this tho.t it alone must which standards are least definite or in which exercise discipline over its members and, with due aptitudes and acquirements of an indifferent order regard to basic human rights, remove delinquents from count. . . They enter these vocations in a thoroughly its lists. Doctors are stricken from the rolls, lawyers discontented frame of mind. Discontent breeds resent• disbarred, priests defrocked. ment." It is partly for this reason that the require• Let no one underestimate the weight and gravity of ments for admission to any professional group should this disciplinary power. It takes little account of con• be definite and definable, not vague and diffuse. temporary standards of work hours, of limits of In this brief account of the origin of the pro• fatigue, of expectations of monetary compensation, fessions, the basic, indeed essential element is in its stern view of professional duty. There are hard- established, namely conception and birth within a won and creditable gains accomplished by the growth university. A profession inherits the ideas and ideals of the trade union movement in ameliorating and of a university: scholarship and research with the raising the standards of living of the laboring man single aim of excellence. Without diis idealism bom and of the craftsman. These gains have had no effect in a university, a profession cannot begin to exist. on the meaning of professional duty. One can be as guilty of tlie professional crime of abandonment of a Legal Status patient at three o'clock in tlie morning as at ten. The The second basic essential of a profession is legal forty-hour week, fatigue, and non-payment of fee status. A profession must acquire a statutory basis in weigh nothing as a defence in the professional judg• the law of the country. In effect, there is thus created ment of this offence. Occasionally, in professional a muhjal e-.ohange of definable values between the circles, an envious eye is turned to the gains toward a state ftnd the professional group. For the profession to life "of regular hours with regular pay achieved by
JANUARY, 1963 137 unions by collective bargaining. But never have these particularly, educators to these vitally important achievements become serious considerations in the fields. Our scale of material and social rewards goals of a profession. and incentives reflects an attitude in which these fields are not accorded a very high priority. If The Government of a Profession teachers today and doctors tomorrow are not The internal government of a profession must lie adequately paid, it is at least in part because society with its own membership and it must be on the still fails to evaluate essential social contributions broadest possible democratic basis. No profession can on a scale comparable to business gain. In the af• continue to exist if its internal control falls into the fluent society of John Galbraith, with its areas of hands of government appointees or party representa• "private wealth and public squalor," too often has tives. The power of a professional body is great; it in• dedication to society resulted in personal sacrifice. cludes the denial of entrance and, in extreme eases, But the correctives for this state are not by the the power of expulsion. This is a power too great methods of remuneration, be it fee or salary, but by to be entrusted to the hands of a bureaucracy. It is the the maintenance of high professional standards and duty of government to see that this power is not strong professional organizations. abused but is used wisely and fairly in the interests of society. But in democratic society, it is not within The Spirit of a Profession the right of government to exercise this power bv And finally, having been sired by a university itself. and given corporate structure by the law of the land, what is it that breathes life into a profession, Remuneration gives it character, personality, spirit and soul? What should be the price that society, either col• One can take as a text this line from the Sermon lectively or individually, should pay for a professional on the Mount, "Whosoever shall compel thee to go service? one mile—go with him twain." Professor Wicken- Historically, the professional received not a salary den, speaking before the Engineering Institute of nor a fee but an honorarium. Until early in this cen• Canada, had this to say: tury doctors in England did not submit a statement "Every calling has its mile, of compulsion, its daily of fees but were paid by their patients on a volun• round of tasks and duties, its standard of honest crafts• tary basis that reflected the financial status of the manship, its code of man-to-man relations, which one patient rather than the service rendered. And today must cover if he is to survive. Beyond this lies the in spite of the generality of the "fee-for-service" mile of voluntary effort, where men strive for ex• basis of professional claims, there is a tacit understand• cellence, give unrequited service to the good, and seek ing that neither the quality nor die essential quantity to invest their words with a wide and enduring sig• of the service is limited by the size of the fee. The nificance. It is only in this second mile that a calling honorarium has almost completely disappeared. In may attain to the dignity and the distinction of a pro• all the professions including the medical, substan• fession." tial numbers have departed from the traditional "fee- Herein exists the area of the conscience of the indi• for-service" basis to a straight annual salary. There vidual member of a profession, his own personal and are many in die professions who deplore this trend as private sense of dedication to society. It is in this subtle an indication of the degradation of professional status area of private endeavor that a profession, in its total• to that of a craft, with the comment that "we are ity, achieves greatness. Sometimes it is called profes• becoming just another bunch of employees." sional spirit. It is the result of the association of men So long as the professional association remains and women of superior type with a common ideal of strong, so long as its standards are upheld, so long as service above gain, excellence above quality, self-ex• entrance into it is controlled by the professional body pression beyond pecuniary motive and loyalty to a and by none other, and so long as the association • professional code above individual advantage. commands respect from the general community, these Furthermore, no professional man can evade the fears appear to be groundless. Of greater importance obligation to contribute to the advancement of his than the technique of remuneration, whether by fee group. His own knowledge is part of a common or salary, is this essential condition: That the motiva• fund, built up over the centuries, an inheritance tion of service to society, the hallmark of a true pro• which he freely shares but to which he is obligated fession, should be properly rewarded. "We must to add. Hence the duty to publish freely the fruits recognize that one important factor in the unwill• of his research and to share any advances in pro• ingness of youth to undertake certain critical tasks fessional technique. is due to a ratiier severe imbalance in our current system of incentives. The skills that we need most The Professions and Human Progress critically today are not those we reward most Aside from service in specific areas of society's needs, highly."3 Today we are worried about increasing have professions any other value? Do tiiey represent failure in attracting prospective doctors and, more any significant position in humanity's tortured climb,
138 THE B. C. TEACHER and do they point to any area of hope in a troubled appeal. This is to the general professional opinion as world? indicated by the practice of accredited professional institutions. The State of Tennessee did not err in Democratic so-called free societies are faced with a upholding the principle that there are limits to the great dilemma: either to become increasingly social• freedom of teaching in schools and colleges. But it ized with an inevitable restriction of personal freedom; exhibited gross ignorance of its proper function or to go back to nineteenth century laissez-faire, with when it defied a professional opinion which was prac• emphasis on unrestricted personal freedom, and a re• tically unanimous. luctance to enter the sphere of social planning. The extremes of these divergent paths are intolerable to Professional organizations thus became a bulwark against the invasion of individual freedom. In a many of us, rooted as we are in the Hellenic philo• world of growing restrictions there is need of such sophy respecting the dignity and worth of the indi• bulwarks, a need far greater than the average man vidual. In both extremes the individual is sacrificed, realizes. on the one hand to the power of the bureaucrat, on the other to the power of the entrepreneur. Excellence—A Common Meeting Ground Is there a middle course? If there is a middle way, Professional organizations, because they are born it lies not with an all-powerful government employing out of universities, whose central creed is aptly sum• as civil servants its teachers and its doctors, its lawyers med up in a single phrase "the striving for excellence," and its engineers, and ultimately stifling these all- can be a unifying influence in a clashing, strident important areas of personal freedom. If there is a mid• world of opposing political ideologies. Excellence dle way, it lies not in the unrestricted power of the is the common meeting ground, the common denomin• entrepreneur to whom the burden of the distribution ator of all professional organizations, be they East of social services becomes an intolerable restriction on or West. profit. There is much less separating physicians, teachers, Alfred North Whitehead4 wrote: "The effectiveness lawyers and engineers true to their professional credo, of a solution to this dilemma demands institutions from whatever corner of the world they derive, than founded upon professional qualifications. The most there is between their respective, politicians made rigid important function of professional institutions lies in by fixed attitudes. Witness the cultural and scientific • the supervision of standards of individual professional exchange that can go on, even if limited by security competence and of professional practice. In this area considerations, in a bi-polar world. This is an avenue the problem of personal freedom is resolved. For it is that can never be closed, that may yet lead to the not opinions that are censored but the degree of broad highways of peace. And there is hope that this learning and ability. Thus, in the more important may be an avenue to some common ground between fields of thought, opinion is free and so are large clashing ideologies not in outer space, not on the moon, differences of practice. Society is thus provided witii but right here on earth. objective information as to the sort of weight to be attached to individuals and as to the sort of freedom Summary of action that may safely be granted. Whatever is done The development of professional responsibility can be subjected to the test of general professional had its birth /in the university, was granted corporate opinion, acting through its institutions. The impact of form by die law of the land, and was given this professional freedom can be important to non• breath of life by the aspiration toward excellence. professional areas. For the professional organizations A strong professional organization may become an im• should be able to demonstrate the dangers of ex• portant influence in the protection of freedom of the travagant notions." individual both within and without the profession. A It was a professional organization, the Canadian profession can provide a durable bridge between con• Bar Association, in assembly that felt free to censure flicting ideologies.^ . the Canadian Government's handling of the post• war spy trials, by the following resolution: "It is recom• mended that the Association go on record in un• References compromising support of the rule of Law, and of 1 Wright, 1'.: Cmiad. liar Rev., 29: 7'I8, 1951. strongly disapproving any action by government or by - Schumpeler, J. A.: On capitalism, in: The Images of Man, any individual or organization which infringes in edited hy C. W. Mills, George Ilrazillcr, Inc., New York, I960, any degree the freedom of the subject under the law."5 p. 391. As an example, in the teaching profession neil'her 3 Rockefeller..Brothers Fund: Prosjiecl for America. The Rocke• the general community nor the government is com• feller'panel reports. Douhlcdav & Company Inc., New York, petent to determine either the subject matter to be 1961', p. 352. taught or the permissible deviations to.be allowed. -i Whitehead, A. N.: Adventures of Ideas, Mentor Hooks, The Nor can the community or the government deter• New American Library, New York, 1955, p. 01. mine individual competence. There can be only one 5 Canadian Bar Association: Canad. liar Rev., 2-1: 705, 19-16,
139 JANUARY, 1963 Eustace Prim in the Brave New Whirl
MAURICE GIBBONS
Our hero faces the problems of leaching in the classroom of tomorrow.
EuSTACE PRIM STOOD at the control panel of tor's office, glancing nervously around to make sure no his amphitheater, watching his morning lesson on a one heard him. Then, taking a deep breath, he monitored-video-playback screen. The lesson had knocked on the door and was called in. been wretched and his chances for top-billing on a "I received your internal memo, D.N." television course of his own seemed more remote "Come in, Prim. It's about your inspector's report." than ever. He just could not get the hang of teaching Network, a big cheery man with a square mustache to cameras and controlling the teaching devices that and horn-rimmed glasses, turned away from the bank filled the studio or waited hidden behind the wall of monitor screens that windowed every amphitheater panels. The young fellows with double degrees in in the building. "I was just . . . for goodness sake, education and engineering seemed to be gradually man, take off that make-up when you're not on the seeping into all the top jobs while old hands, like set. You want to start rumors about our unit?" himself, were being eased out. As he watched the "Sorry, D.N." playback, he realized that the only thing new about "Look, I'm going to lay it on the line, Pally. Your his English lesson on Jonson was its appearance on literature series is flagging badly. C.B., in Produc• television. He winced as his image on the screen tion, is frankly dubious about picking up your option threw the switch that began the catastrophe watched next season. Your Student Ratings are off twenty- by eight hundred pairs of eyes. He could not bear to five points; the Teachers' Survey shows that forty watch the debacle again. Suddenly the inter-amphi- percent of the classes in our zone are relying solely theatric - central - control - communications - simplifier on teaching machines; the P-TA is threatening to crackled and the face of David Network, director of cut their sponsorship—I tell you, our whole operation English programming, appeared in a small square of is in jeopardy." light on the panel. "Sorry, D.N. I just can't get the hang of those "David Network: memo to Eustace-Prim: report for camera changes in mid-sonnet. And in this morning's a brief debriefing session between thirteen and four• show, when I threw the overhead projector switch on, teen hundred hours. All and out." the whole room seemed to come te pieces. The cinema- The face faded with the voice and Prim's hopes. complex rose from the floor right under the inspector, He switched off the monitor, waved his hand leth• toppled him into the aisle. Then the lights went argically through an electronic beam to shut off the out, the automatic blinds closed and the screen drop• lights, and slouched toward the door, which hissed ped out of the ceiling a id hit me right there—you can open before him ominously. As he stepped onto die still see the mark." traffic conveyor, he heard them again, the voices of "Yes, I'll admit there were a few bright moments die machines cackling and chattering in his room. in the show, Pally, but it's not enough." The Director At Central Control lie passed the office of Claude of English thought for a moment. "We're stuck witii Boomer, no longer principal but Chief Producer, and the script material I suppose: Jonson, Milton, Shake• walked through Communications, where the auto-secs speare, Melville and all that stuff." were typing letters. "Well, it's been with us for—" "Good afternoon, ladies," nodded Eustace from habit "I'll get through to the research department, get rid ; before he remembered and stopped before the direc- of those old curriculum boys—get some fresh blood.
140 THE B. C. TEACHER Mr. Gibbons, a teacher at West Vancouver Senior But, in the meantime, we've got to salvage diis series." Secondary School, has contributed "Prim" stories in the David Network walked around Eustace Prim, drag• ging on a cigarette as he scrutinized him. "Pally, what past. you need is a gimmick." "I ... I don't follow you, D.N.; before television and white ducks. We would be half vuy through the and all this machinery came in, I—" assignment before they realized it Was a study of "Well, it's time to wake up and get in step. You've Milton." seen Youngblood's Canadian history series, right? Re• "Hey, that's number one—fine, fine. You're really member that show on Confederation? A marvellous getting the—" closing effect! While an offstage voice read from the "And our study of the novel could be called, I'm charter, 'O Canada' came in as a rising theme. Then Dickens, He's Fielding." a spotlight tightened on Youngblood and at the David Network was smiling for the first time in final chord of the anthem, he opened his jacket and their interview. His pen could hardly keep up with there was a huge phosphorescent maple leaf sewn to the ideas that poured from Prim's lips. The teacher's his vest. It was brilliant. Every show he does some• eyes were glazed and he. sounded entranced as he con• thing like that. Has the kids hanging on their seats tinued: every time. Mark my words, he'll have a star on "Review shows could be called I've Got a Secret. his amphitheater door before his second season is First we bring in a man dressed in a kilt and I say, over." 'This is Mr. Macbeth and his secret is in the realm "But in English I don't think—" of national affairs.' Then we bring in a man with a "Of course you can. Look at Maria Palpitalli's Ele• stethoscope around his neck and I say, 'This is Dr. mentary Reading series. Top of the ratings even in Jekyll. His secret is something he does for a change, Senior Matric, Pally. Now there's a gimmick you could and if you guess what it is, he'll demonstrate for you use. right before our cameras.' Next we bring in a weather "That's no gimmick, D.N. I can't match—" beaten chap in a sailor's uniform. I say, 'This is "So she's a dazzler. Move some of those shapely Captain Ahab and his secret is in the realm of salt seniors of yours to the front row and have camera two water sport.' Then Antony and Cleopatra. Their zoom in on them while you read Romeo and Juliet. secret is—" Get a marking assistant who's got. . . er . . . presence." "Hey, slow down. You're in, honey. You're in." "All I've got is a square old markovac . . . I'm The Director of English clapped Prim on the back and afraid . . ." escorted him to the door. "Just work some of those "All right, then, let's see if we can't storm this ideas into your shows, rehearse some of those awkward thing with brain. Toss some ideas into the hall and moments out, and you'll be right up there with Maria see if they get trampled." Palpitalli. You'll have a star hanging on your door." Eustace brightened. "Write some on the blackboard The teacher's eyes still gazed vacantly ahead and he and see who takes notes." continued talking mechanically: "I'm finishing Jonson "Now you're getting the idea, Pally. We don't want tomorrow with a study of poetic structure. I'll call it to dump you, old gump, but you've got to swing Scan-o-rama—no, Scan Party. Chubby Checkers in the or it's out in the spring." Network chortled at his background playing 'Drink to me Only with Thine bon mot. Eyes'. . . me dressed as Jonson down at the autograph Prim loosened his tie and leaned forward desper• table. All the kids twisting to that swinging iambic ately, if not eagerly. beat . . ." "Let's see . . . Your series is a literature survey, and "You got it, baby. Now just iron out the wrinkles. at present you're doing. I'll tell C.B. he's got nothing to worry about." David "The seventeenth century." Network' waved his cigarette happily and was about "Of course . . . hmmm!" Suddenly Network snapped to close the door when an afterthought struck him. "Oh, Prim. You mentioned bizarre comments in his fingers. "How about opening with a close-up of your show today. That's out, honey. P-TA bazaar next your hand writing on the board 'man . . . woman ... week. Can't have any negative sponsor-identification. : birth; . .death . . .infinity.' Then we blow up to you Right?" . hunched over the lectern with.your academic gown "Right, D.N." tossed back on one shoulder while the announcer says, "Cheers, Pally" The door closed. 'Northside High is proud to present, Ben Jonson, As Eustace Prim stepped off the traffic conveyor at Ph.D.!'" his amphitheater door, he heard the "Ivnrb," "gleeb" "I don't think" he graduated, actually. He—" and "screek" of the machinery making noises like a "Neither did Ben Casey, Pally, and if you're going swamp on a spring night, and his enthusiasm waned. to be short-sighted about this .. ." The electric eye buzzed and the door swung open. He "No, no, I was just . . . thinking that ... that we Continued on page 157 could call the lecture on the Restoration writers Adventures in Paradise. I could wear a sailor's cap JANU^;«TV"1963
4 The Lethbridge Junior College
J. H. HOTELL
This Alberta college provides a model which might be considered for many areas in British Columbia. This is the final article in the series which has been appearing in this journal.
IN 1951 THE PEOPLE of the Lethbridge area were (a) departmental grants to local school districts for convinced that they needed some form of post-high operation and maintenance of public schools, (b) school instruction. With no similar situation for guid• millage levies against the assessed valuation of the ance, they contacted Dr. S. V. Martorana, Assistant" district, and (c) tuition charges to students. Professor of Education at the State College of Wash• This report was received and carefully studied. The ington, located at Pullman, to survey their situation. outcome of the survey was the establishment of the In June of that year he spent a week in Lethbridge Lethbridge Junior College in 1957. Since that time and the surrounding area and subsequently published the College Board has attempted to make the insti• a. report. tution a community college, with federal assistance This report advocated the establishment of a com• from Bill C 49. munity college, primarily to bring more educational The college is modelled on the California junior opportunity to more people—to democratize the oppor• colleges, and has two types of study: (a) transfer, tunity for advanced training and study. . regular university work for students who transfer to In order to ease the financial burden, it was recom• a university, and (b) terminal, vocational studies mended that the college make use of the existing designed to turn out people for employment. Origin• facilities of the present high school. There would ally the college offered only Business Education in have to be adequate library facilities and proper the "terminal" studies, but with the assistance of Bill laboratories for science. The recommended staff was C 49, it is moving into the technical-vocational field. to consist of a minimum of six members who were Dean W.J. Cousins, when questioned on the possi• required to hold at least a master's degree. The bility of a junior college's turning out an inferior teaching load was to be similar to university loads. product, has this to say: "This does not have to be. The costs of such an institution would be met by When the University of Alberta set down the rules for affiliation they stipulated that teachers had to The author, a teacher cit Prince George Senior Secon• have master's degrees or equivalent in their .special dary School, is a member of the Community Colleges fields. All staff qualifications were approved by the Committee. university. Anyone with less than a master's degree
THE B. C. TEACHER was approved only from year to year, contingent year after Senior Matriculation) of programs leading upon continued education. We teach University of to degrees in the faculties of Arts and Science, Den• Alberta courses down to course number, texts and tistry, Law, Education and Agriculture. It also offers final examinations. Most of our papers are marked a one-year training in business education and conducts in conjunction with the University of Alberta depart• an evening program for adults. ments. Our failure rate in the first year at the univer• There are many advantages to such a community sity has always been very low. Last year 95% of or junior college such as that in Lethbridge. They the subjects were passed." include the following: The Lethbridge Junior College library meets uni• 1. Small classes and individual guidance assist stu• versity standards and is growing constantly. Initially, dents to find themselves. die University of Alberta set up a standard minimum 2. Expenses can be kept to a minimum. of books. 3. High admission and examination requirements The college experimented originally with joint regis• assure students of the best standards. tration with the University of Alberta but ended up 4. The facilities of expensive buildings serve the by granting its own credits. These have been accepted people of the district for a longer period of time. as full university credits by all universities to which 5. The widespread support from the area provides its students have transferred (including UBC). a strong financial foundation. : Lethbridge has a population of over 35,000, and 6. Graduates of the academic courses are admitted the surrounding area, including such towns as Taber, to university classes without question. Gardston, Fort Macleod, Pincher Creek and Raymond, The Lethbridge endeavor has worked out very well. has more. A recent check showed that about two- The writer believes that a similar model would be ad• thirds of the students came from outside the city; Of .-. visable for many areas in British Columbia. Teachers these; half boarded and half commuted from towns in B.C. should take a keen interest in the post-high within a iwenty-five mile radius. school education movement so-that they may have an The college offers at present the first year (i.e., the aerive voice in its implementation.*-
The Trustees' Viewpoint
A.T THE B.C. School Trustees phasis, if they are developed vitally important. A representative convention in October, 1962 a panel through universities; overemphasis provincial advisory and co-ordinat• discussion on community' colleges on federally subsidized programs, ing committee should take an active revealed the following opinions: if they are developed by the pro• part in the planning. B.C. should develop comprehen• vincial, government; workshop all, An adequate supply of com• sive continuing education centers no development at all. petent teachers is a priority con• to meet varying demands, to pro- Not. enough attention is paid to sideration. o vide for flexibility in programs, and the impact of community colleges There must.be adequate provi• to permit easy transfer between on the communities. The colleges sion for financing a study of pro• programs. attract good teachers, make educa• vincial sharing in the costs of all "School boards now have the plant tion available to all persons in the forms of higher education. and the organization to look after area, provide a goal for many senior In small areas a start on con• the educational needs of the com• secondary students, and are of real tinuing education could be made
munity. Possible dangers if trustees economic value to the communities. ; now, by using the schools after do not give leadership in continuing A community college should be 3:30 p.m. (assuming suitable finan• education include: • vocational. and considered as a service, not a cam• cial arrangements). Meanwhile, "technical concentration if the col• pus. ;•' school boards should encourage the leges are developed through busi• .Careful planning of community education of iidults through night ness and industry;' academicrem- college i development in B.C; is school.
JANUARY. 181*3 143 Many teachers have strong opinions about the value of practice teaching. One proposed solution is internship. The results of an experiment con• ducted during the year 1960-61 may surprise you.
Is Internship the Answer?
M. E. COTTINGHAM
TRADITIONA L PROCEDURES for the training of of the literature prepared by a graduate student in secondary school teachers are often the subject of education at the University of British Columbia. criticism. This dissatisfaction is shared by teacher- "After a decade of intensive 'experimenting' in educators themselves. In Canada, the most frequent teacher-internship (with millions of dollars spent in effort to effect reform has been the establishment of time and effort), teacher training institutions are undergraduate programs within the established uni• still far from knowing whether internship programs versities, while the traditional one-year program for produce better teachers than regular programs." grrtduat.es has also been retained. In the United The British Columbia Study was conceived by Dr. States, where four-year undergraduate programs were J. R. Mcintosh, Director of the Secondary Division the rule, reform has been sought in the establishment of the Faculty of Education, as an initial step in cre• of university programs for graduates. A number of ating conditions which would permit one form of these have taken the form of internship plans, usually internship to be investigated with some degree of one year in length and leading to a Master's degree. objectivity. For the most part these are being carried out on a small scale with highly selected graduates in high- The Procedure in the B.C. Study prestige universities and colleges which do not have It was decided to select equivalent groups. The Ex• responsibility for teacher supply as does the Faculty perimental Group would be exposed to a form of of Education at the University of British Columbia. internship training and the Control Group to the Canadians who are attracted by the activities in Yale, regular program. The latter consists of: Harvard, and Claremont should bear, these facts in mind. (a) Thirteen to fifteen hours per week of lectures •Qualifications; about internship are equally invalid, throughout the entire year. The courses are as follows: for verifiable data as to their superiority over other 1. Education 400- plans is almost nonexistent. A thorough search of the Survey of Educational Thought — 3 hrs. per week literature brougbxto light over 75 items on intern• 2. Education 301- .. ship. In. only one experiment, at Temple University, Educational Psychology — 2 hrs. per week was a control group used. Moreover, while the stu• 3. Education 410- dents in the experimental group were trained at Classroom Administration — 2 hrs. per week Temple University and carefully supervised by the 4. Education 435- staff during three years of the experiment, the stu• Introduction to Evaluation ' — 1 hr. per week dents in the control group were trained at four differ• 5. Education 403— ent State Teachers'! Colleges arid not supervised at all Introduction to Guidance during the experiment. Neither the amount nor the Services < — 1 hr. per week quality of the academic training of the two groups 6. Education 404- could be- assumed to be comparable. The experiment Curriculum and Instruction in tal group would have had four years of academic Specific Subjects (Methods) preparation at a well ranked university before begin• (Each student takes two two- or ning the three" years .of •professional education at three-hour-a-week sections.) . 4-6 hrs. per Temple, while the control group would have had week four years: only- of academic and professional educa• tion at one of four State Teachers' Colleges. The fol• Total: 13-15 hrs. per lowing quotation is taken from the fifty page summary week
THE B. C. TEACHER Miss Coitingiiam, a BCTF past president, is a member (b) Observation and Practice Teaching as follows: of the Faculty of Education at the University of B.C. 1. One day per week prior to each of (2) and (3) below. students obtained the fullest possible experience 2. One week in November. during their time in the schools. Each student re• 3. Two weeks in February. corded his activities on a check chart, which in• cluded, in addition to routine observing and teaching, 4. Three weeks in May. such items as observation and participation in home 5. A one-hour seminar per week in small groups of room routines, student assembly, examination pro• 15 to 20 with a practice teaching supervisor. This is cedures, audio-visual aids activities, sports activities, scheduled on campus and continues throughout the dramatic and musical productions, student council year. meetings; supervision of hallways and study halls; The experimental program, which was similar in observation of reporting to parents, of department several respects to one followed at Harvard, was con• and staff meetings, of special classes. Every student on ceived as follows: the Experimental Group participated in all these (a) Six hours of lectures per week, scheduled for activities. No student on the Control Group experi• enced all such activities. mornings only, in the following subjects: In some instances principals and sponsor teachers 1. Education 400- assistecl the student interns to plan their observation Survey of Educational Thought — 3 hrs. per week and practice each week. These students were able to 2. Education 301- use their time to best advantage. Some were left to Educational Psychology — 2 hrs. per week seek their own sponsor and plan their own time, a 3. Education 435- condition to which the more resourceful adjusted Introduction to Evaluation — 1 hr. per week immediately. For some students, however, this was Total: 6 hrs. per week a nerve-wracking ordeal, especially if a teacher re• fused permission to observe and to practise, or, hav• (b) Two one-hour seminars per week on campus as ing accepted the student, proved to hay? insufficient follows: experience and interest to give much assistance to 1. With the principal college supervisor, the writer of a novice. this article, discussions centering upon problems of Another feature was the attempt to establish closer method. liaison with the sponsor teachers of the Experimental 2. With two members of staff, Mr. O. J. Thomas and Group. On two occasions principals and sponsor Mr. W. H. Auld, discussions centering upon prob• teachers were invited to the campus to discuss their lems of administration and guidance practices. role and thresh out problems. It was, however, im• (c) Library study based upon reading and study possible to include all sponsor teachers on these occasions, and much responsibility remained with the :- outlines prepared by. the seminar leaders in (1) and N college supervisor for interpreting the program and , (-2) above. for encouraging co-operation between the sponsors and the students, who made heavy demands on their (d) "School experience as follows: 1. Observing, teaching and actively participating in a time. 'Wide variety, .of classroom activities four afternoons The Experimental Students a week. In addition, the students stayed on in their Eighteen students volunteered for the experimental schools for the one- and two-week concentrated program. From these were selected twelve with practice sessions of the regular program and went, undergraduate majors in English and social studies like the rest, to other schools for the three-week who seemed best to represent die one-year graduate period of practice in May. class as a whole as to age,, sex, range of ability, and 2. A one-hour seminar a week with .their regular academic achievement. Tlie group was reduced to supervisor in one or other of the two co-operating eleven members shortly after the experiment began, schools. It was always attended b>' one or more of when one withdrew from the University because she die participating sponsor teachers arid by the prin- had been undecided about teaching as a possible cipalin each school upon at least one occasion. Dis• career. The Control Group,of .eleven students was cussion centered upon problems encountered by selected before the experiment began from the re• the students or observed by the supervisor or by maining pool of candidates with English and social the sponsor teachers in the course of the student's studies backgrounds. Members in both groups were' '•'••^^••teachmg•"•irj.'':'the.,.school.*'Some sponsor teachers matched according to academic aptitude as measured found these discussions helpful in their own work. by the SCAT and the University of British Columbia "C" tests, average marks as undergraduates, age as at One feature of the experimental program was a September, 1960. schedule of suggested activities that would ensure that
JANUARY. ,1963 In the two standardized general ability tests a very arily taken in widely scattered schools outside the slight difference favored the Experimental Group. Vancouver area. Two comparisons between the groups There was no significant difference in academic per• were made upon this practice. The first was the formance. There was rough equivalence in age. averaged mark out of 10 given to each of the students by two College Supervisors. The second was the The Results in Academic Courses averaged mark out of 10 given to each of the students In the average for seven examination papers written by two or more sponsor teachers in the schools. In in April there was no significant difference between addition, two further bases for comparison were used. the two groups. Both performed on average at roughly A general "suitability for teaching" rating out of 25 the 70% or second class level. One in each group re• was assigned to each student by his personal College ceived first class standing (80% or over); three in Advisor. This mark was derived quite subjectively by each group fell below the second class level (65%) and the advisor cn the basis of close contact with the received pass standing; none failed the year. Two student throughout the year. In these judgments, students in the Experimental Group and one in the weight was permitted to personality factors, organiza• Control Group failed individual papers. Supple• tional ability, leadership qualities and factors other mental examinations were written in these. than technical teaching skill. The final comparison In only one individual subject, Education 403, was made on the composite scores resulting from these Introduction to Guidance Services, was the average ratings and the February rating. difference statistically significant. This difference, 4.9 Again, none of the comparisons yielded mean score marks out of 75, favored the Experimental Group. differences that approached significance. This was one of tho courses which this group accom• However, a change in the trend of difference was plished without lectures through a bi-weekly semi• apparent. Whereas in February all differences fav• nar. It is interesting to note, also, that in two Edu• ored the Experimental Group, at the end all but that cation 404 courses (pedagogy in English and in of the College supervisors favored the Control Group. social studies) which this group managed by a With regard to the Experimental Group, the differ• weekly seminar and library study, their averages were ence in rating between the Vancouver teachers with slightly higher than those of the Control Group. On whom the students "interned," and those of the out• the other hand, in those courses in which they side teachers, who had no knowledge of the experi• attended regular lectures, Education 301, 400 and 435, ment, is particularly interesting. The former gave Psychology, Philosophy and Evaluation respectively, the group a mean 8.0 out of 10; the latter, a mean they made somewhat lower averages than the Con• of 7.1, a difference of 0.9. trol Group in every case, but none of these differences The final ratings in practice teaching yielded the was statistically significant. following distribution: Experimental The Results in Practice Teaching Final Grades Group Control Group For practice teaching five comparisons were made First class ~~ 2 3 ~ between the two groups. These were based upon Second class 5 4 performance in the two weeks of continuous practice Pass 3 4 completed in late February. The first was the averaged Fail 1 0 mark out of 10 of the sponsor teachers in the schools, of whom at least two ordinarily rated each student. 11 11 The second was the averaged mark out of 10 given to each of the students by the regular college super• Other Data used for this Study visors, of whom at least one observed and rated each Twenty-three sponsor teachers of the Experimen• student. The third was the result of ratings given by tal Group submitted returns to a questionnaire which • myself as the college supervisor of the Experimental was sent to all teachers who supervised their practice. Group. I visited- and' rated all members of both None of the twenty-three had experience during the groups. The fourth was the result of ratings given by yoar with students on the regular program, although Dr. Melntosh and Mr. Auld who visited and rated most had had such experience at some time during half the members of both groups. The fifth was the the preceding three years. Interpreted in this per• average of all ratings combined. spective their responses can be summarized as follows: In every comparison fractional differences favored Most teachers considered that the plan involved more the Experimental Group but in no case did these work on their part, but felt that the student became approach significance even at the five parcent level. better acquainted with the total program of the Two members of each group were judged to be out• school, more involved in its activities, became more standing in their performance; one member of each confident and was hence better prepared to assume group appeared to be failing; the rest were distributed his role as a teacher. Nearly all would like to see the between the two extremes from mediocre to good. plan tried again. A number proposed changes in .The May period of three weeks' practice is custom• Continued on page !55
.146 THE B. C. TEACHER Your Administrative Staff
Foreword
H. M. PALSSON BCTF President
ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES of the BCTF stem from the Federation's objectives (detailed in the Con• stitution) and from policy established by resolutions passed by Annual General Meetings. In large measure the programs of activities are developed by BCTF committees, and when approved by the Executive Committee, are implemented by the administrative staff. As problems in implementation are experienced, they are referred back to the Executive Committee for further direction. A great deal of planning is inherent in the whole process of establishing, directing, and controlling the programs. With the growth of the Federation and the broaden• C. D. Ovans S. Evans ing of its spheres of influence and concern, it has become necessary to separate the total operation into functions, and to have the administrative officers be• sideration, to keep minutes, to prepare reports, and come specialists. The operation of the Federation has ensure that terms of reference as established by the been structured in terms of function into three divi• Executive Committee are followed. It is too much to sions, each directed by one of the assistant adminis• expect teacher volunteers, who have a full time job trative officers. The General Secretary and Assistant to do, to attend to details. Practice is to assign adminis• General Secretary oversee and co-ordinate the entire, trative staff members to committees engaged in work operation and, in addition, carry out specific duties of related to their division. their own. This article, prepared at the request of the Executive Complete specialization is impossible. There are Committee, outlines some of the responsibilities of peak periods of activity in some areas of work, and each member of the administrative staff. It should emergencies do arise which must be dealt with by be noted that in addition to the duties listed, all of whoever is in the office at the time. the administrative staff spend a considerable amount Experience has shown that committees work pro• of their time dealing with inquiries from and problems ductively only when they are given staff support. of individual teachers. Telephone calls, interviews, and correspondence with individual teachers constitute an Someone has to produce studies for committee con-
14T JANUARY. 1963 important part of each staff officer's work. Visiting ternal relationships. Grievances of individual teachers local associations and school staffs, investigating prob• arising out of salary, tenure, certification, or ethical lem situations, and writing articles for The B.C. problems are handled, in the first instance at least, by Teacher are other duties common to all the staff offi• the General Secretary. Some of these grievances in• cers. Moreover, nearly all of them are involved in volve travelling to any part of the province at a some way in salary activity during the fall months. moment's notice. Some can be settled by mail or tele• No brief listing of duties can do justice to the phone. Every clay brings several new grievance cases devoted service our staff officers render to the teachers or individual problems. of the province. The BCTF is fortunate, indeed, to The General Secretary also has the important re• have in its employ such capable and dedicated pe "ile. sponsibility of acting as secretary for the Professional Relations Commission and for the Code of Ethics Committee. In these capacities he is often called upon to investigate, and if possible to solve, personnel prob• General Secretary lems. Mr. Ovans also works with three other Federation MR. C. D. OVANS HAS the important responsibility committees: Finance, Teacher Education, and Com• of directing the entire operation of the Federation munity Colleges. The Finance Committee supervises office. The office exists to carry out the directions of all financial affairs of the BCTF. As the staff officer and to be of service to B.C.'s 13,000 teachers. Mr. assigned to the Teacher Education Committee, Mr. Ovans is directly responsible to the Executive Com• Ovans maintains a close contact with the College of mittee for everything that is done in the name of the Education, and serves as one of the Federation's Federation. Planning is therefore a most important representatives on the Joint Board of the College. He part of his work. He must keep abreast of the current also represents the Federation at conferences of literature and must continually project the Federa• teacher educators. The work of the Community Col• tion's programs into the future. The Executive Com• leges Committee is very important at the moment, for mittee expects Mr. Ovans to offer advice and opinions the whole course of higher education in B.C. will concerning the direction in which the Federation is soon be decided. or should be moving, and to make suggestions con• cerning how the BCTF can best accomplish its objec• In addition to his regular committee work Mr. tives. Ovans meets from time to time with the Agreements An integral part of the planning is the co-ordination Committee. As part of his responsibility for planning, and overall direction of the work done by the three he pays special attention to long term objectives. administrative divisions in the Federation's office. Con• Each year at the Annual General Meeting the ferences of the staff officers are held periodically so General Secretary serves as the main resource person that each member of the administrative staff can be for the business sessions. He is responsible for pro• kept aware of the total operation. Mr. Ovans is also viding information, acquainting delegates with past responsible for staff training. action of the Federation, and, as the person whose As General Secretary, Mr. Ovans is the official duly it is to see that Federation policies are carried avenue of contact with the Federation for all outside out, for giving his opinions regarding proposed poli• organizations. The work of the Federation often in• cies. volves such agencies as the B.C. Government, the One of Mr. Ovans' duties as General Secretary is Department of Education, the University of B.C., the to conduct the official correspondence of the Federa• College of Education, the B.C. Education, Research tion. Each of the other staff officers takes care of cor• Council, the B.C. School Trustees Association, the respondence related to his division, but there is, in B.C. Parent-Teacher Federation, the Canadian Teach- addition, a great deal of correspondence dealing with /tors' Federation, the Canadian Education Association, the Federation as a whole. There are also many letters • and the other provincial teachers' organizations. from individual teachers and local associations request• Liaison activities and the maintenance of sound re• ing 'advice, Mr. Ovans is responsible for providing that lationships with these organizations are an important advice. part of Mr. Ovans' work. The role of General Secretary of a teachers' federa• The General Secretary accompanies all official dele• tion is an arduous one. Each day that person is called gations to the Department of Education and to liaison upon to make critical decisions and to offer respon• meetings with the B.G: School Trustees Association. sible advice. One indication of how effective: Mr. These delegations consist of table officers of the Fede- Ovans is in the position is the fact that he is frequently •ration and the chairman of any committee concerned. called upon by other provincial teachers' organiza• He also serves as an advisor to the President of the tions to act as a consultant and to offer advice. •Federation, and accompanies him to important con• Perhaps the best way to summarize Mr. Ovans' ferences. duties is to say that anything that concerns the teach• Just as important as external relationships are in• ing profession as a whole is his responsibility. •
148 THE B. C. TEACHER Assistant General Secretary
IN ADDITION TO assisting Mr. Ovans with his responsibilities, Mr. Stan Evans has several areas of work for which he is personally responsible. As Director of Public Relations, Mr. Evans carries out the policies and programs of the Public Relations Committee. He advises, assists, and prepares materials for the regional Public Relations Co-ordinators and local association Public Relations Officers. He main• tains a close contact with various news media per• sonnel throughout the province, and issues Federation news releases to the press and to radio and TV W. V. Allester J, A. Spragge stations. He also serves as the Federation's liaison person with such groups as the B.C. Council on Edu• assistance without being prescriptive. He is charged cation (of which he is secretary-treasurer), tire B.C. with such responsibilities as collecting and summariz• Division of the Canadian Association for Adult Edu• ing statistics of existing agreements, preparing econo• cation (vice-president), and the UNESCO Com• mic statistics of all kinds bearing on teachers' salaries, mittee of the United Nations Association in Canada. assisting the Agreements Committee in formulating He also arranges for the annual student-teacher policy recommendations, assisting the area repre• workshops at the College of Education in Vancouver sentatives with the co-ordination of local salary and Victoria. efforts, serving as a consultant for local agreements Mr. Evans has the important responsibility of chairmen, administering an information service for arranging for the Federation's two major conferences local agreements committees during the negotiation —the Easter Convention and Annual General Meet• period and preparing material for and presenting ing, and the Summer Conference. He serves as secre• arbitration cases. tary for, and carries out the directives of, both plan• Pension matters consume much of Mr. Spragge's ning committees. Each August he serves as Director time. He serves as the Federation representative on of the week-long Summer Conference. the Teachers' Pensions Board and assists the Pensions A new responsibility of the Assistant General Comr- .tree with research leading to policy recom• Secretary is that of serving as Registrar for the Board mendations. He is called upon to prepare and present of Admissions and Review. In that capacity Mr. to the Provincial Government briefs re the improve• Evans is responsible for assigning membership cate• ment of the pensions plan. Moreover, he is called gories when candidates obviously meet the require• upon to answer many pension inquiries from both ments, referring to the Board any cases involving the active and retired teachers. assessing of competence or the withholding or with• Federation action in such matters as sick leave, drawal of a category, and exercising supervisory sabbatical leave and group insurance depends heavily authority over the record keeping system. on analyses and briefs prepared by Mr. Spragge. The Mr. Evans also supervises the operation of fbe Federation's elected officers recently presented to the Salary Indemnity Fund and the Benevolent Fund Minister of Education one of his briefs on extended and serves as secretary of the Benevolent Fund sick leave provisions. Committee. The study of education finance has been and con• tinues to be an important part of Mr. Spragge's work. Education finance is a complex study. Mr. Spragge's work over the years has given him a fund of know• Economic Welfare ledge in this field held by very few people. As well as assisting die Education Finance Committee, Mr. J. ALLAN SPRAGGE directs the division which Spragge is called upon to do required research and deals with those areas of Federation activity designed writing. He prepared, for example, the Federation's to be of economic • value to teachers. Agreements, 32-page statement of education finance policy, A pensions, sick leave, sabbatical leave, group insur• School Finance Plan For British Columbia. ance, education finance and /property management Another important responsibility Mr. Spragge has give Mr. Spragge a busy schedule. He is assisted by is that of superintending the physical operation of the Miss Iris Hill, Research Assistant. B.C. Teachers' Building (in which the BCTF office is Each year local associations want up-to-date, accur• located) and the Federation's other property holding, ate information to assist them in their salary negotia• a revenue producing parcel of two commercial lots tions. Because each association has local autonomy at the corner of Broadway and Fir Street in Van• in1 salary matters, Mr."Spragge is required to be of couver. The fact that the Federation's land and build-
JANUARY. 1963 149 ings represent an investment of approximately PSA's and local in-service committees with special $470,000 indicates how important a responsibility projects, and organizes special projects of the pro• property management is. Mr. Spragge serves as a con• vincial committee — such as the major Federation sultant to the Property Management Committee. undertaking in Grade III arithmetic and Grade VIII Although not strictly an economic matter, another mathematics. He is responsible, too, for organizing duty has been assigned to Mr. Spragge because he is the non-credit short courses sponsored by the Federa• particularly suited to the work—assisting the Consti• tion each summer. He produces a periodic newsletter tution and By-Laws Committee and the Resolutions for local in-service education committees so that in• Committee. The latter group is charged with receiv• formation about successful programs can be ex• ing all AGM resolutions and by correspondence with changed. the sponsoring bodies, ensuring that each is in suit• Mr. Allester also serves as secretary of the Philo• able form for discussion by the AGM. Both these sophy of Education Committee, whose work comple• committees do specialized work. Because he has what ments that of the Curriculum and In-service Educa• has been described as a "bi-lawgical mind," Mr. tion Committees. Spragge is particularly effective in working with the Because he was formerly Co-ordinator of PSA's and two committees. still works with the associations in curricular and in- Because he is already involved in providing in• service education work, Mr. Allester meets with the formation on agreements to local associations, Mr. PSA Committee, which is studying the role and Spragge supervises the operation of a miscellaneous operation of the specialist groups within the Federa• information service for local associations, committees, tion. and individual teachers. The workload in the Division of Economic Welfare has reached such proportions that it is beyond the Communications capacity of just two people. For that reason the Executive Committee is now advertising for someone to fill the position of Assistant Director of this As THE FEDERATION has expanded in numbers division. and activities, communication has become an increas• ingly important concern. As the Federation's efforts have more and more been concentrated in profes• Professional Development sional development activities, the volume of printing done by the BCTF has steadily increased. The Divi• sion of Communications is now responsible for the A MAJOR PORTION of the Federation's time, various publications. The importance of this division tIFort and money goes into the development of the is attested to by a communication recently received profession. This work is directed by W. V. Allester. by the office addressed to The B.C. Printing Teachers' The division has three main concerns: curriculum, in- Association! service education, and philosophy of education. Mr. The work of this division is directed by K. M. Allester works with the Federation committees in all Aitchison, who is assisted by Miss A. Barbara Mac• three areas. farlane. The division is responsible for The B.C. By Executive resolution curriculum development is Teacher (editing and business management), the the Federation's top priority endeavor. Mr. Allester BCTF Newsletter, the BCTF Handbook (revised is responsible for the minutes of the frequent meet• annually and available free to teachers), the BCTF ings of the Curriculum Directors and the full Curricu• Handbook for Student Teachers, the Manual for Local lum Committee, for numerous meetings with Depart• Association Officers (revised each year as required to mental and university personnel, for a heavy load of assist local officers in their task of running the local correspondence and telephone calls dealing with cur• associations), and the Policy Handbook for Executive riculum matters, and for various reports on auricular Members (which lists Federation policies established developments—including the regular issue of the Cur• during past years 1 which is updated each year). riculum Newsletter. He serves as a Federation repre• Publishing The J. Teacher requires an astonish• sentative on both of the Department's Professional ing amount of work. Apart from reading and evalua• Committees on Curriculum (Elementary and Second• ting a great many manuscripts in order to select those ary ). Another important part of Mr. Allester's work most appropriate for the journal, the work involved is co-ordinating the curricular efforts of the twenty- in any given issue consumes much time and effort- one provincial specialist associations. Manuscripts must be carefully edited both for style In-service education is vital to any profession. This and accuracy of fact, and marked in detail for the • work is, therefore, another important responsibility printer. The palley proofs must then be proofread for Mr. Allester. He works with the In-service Educa- word by word to catch any errors in type-setting. .tion Committee, assists local convention chairmen to The 48 dummy sheets are then made up from the obtain suitable speakers, conducts a training work• galley proofs and the advertisements (previously shop for convention chairmen, advises and assists checked and proofs sent to the advertisers for authen-
150 THE B. C. TEACHER tication). Much thought is required to come up with From time to time tape recordings of visiting a pleasing lay-out. This is something readers do not speakers are made available to local associations and normally notice when it is well done, but the process school staffs throughout the province. The division is takes hours of patient work. also responsible for making available reprints of The dummies are sent to the printer, and back articles of particular value to teachers from the come page proofs. Each line must be checked again various professional journals. to see that all errors have been corrected (and no new In addition to the above work on which Mr. Aitchi• ones introduced), and the lay-out of each, page must son and Miss Macfarlane pool their efforts, each has be confirmed or changed, for once the page proofs certain areas of work for which he or she is solely have been returned to the printer no further changes responsible. can be made. Mr. Aitchison administers the Lesson Aids service. After several days have slipped by, a truck descends The revision of the service carried out last summer upon the office with 16,900 copies of the journal. Six resulted in a phenomenal growth in the service. members of the staff drop everything for two days Lesson aids now account for approximately one-third in order to mail out the mountainous stacks of maga• of the total amount of printing done by the Federa• zines. This arduous task is supervised by Miss Mac- tion. Much work is involved in keeping the service up farlane, who requires for the purpose a detailed know• to date and expanding it to meet the demand of ledge of every transportation route and postal zone teachers ail over the province. in B.C. The position of Co-ordinator of PSA's is an im• Copies of The B.C. Teacher are mailed to active portant one, for Mr. Aitchison has to assist each of and retired teachers, district superintendents, school the twenty-one organizations with their administra• board secretaries, faculty members of the College of tive problems and publications. He is also serving Education in Vancouver and Victoria, MLA's and De• as secretary of the PSA Committee. partmental officials, editors of daily and weekly news• Mr. Aitchison is also charged with the responsibility papers, and other teacher organizations. Some 1500 for preparing special reports and publications. This copies are provided to those student-teachers who year, for example, a pamphlet has been prepared to will be teaching next September. explain the BCTF Membership Plan to school The business management of the journal involves trustees. the advertising and the job of ensuring that the jour• An innovation this year has been the preparation of nal is produced as economically as possible. This part reports on Executive and Consultative Committee of the work, too. is time consuming, but very neces• meetings. These are designed to make the meetings sary. of these important committees meaningful to people The division is also responsible for the editorial who were not present at the meetings. Minutes of the supervision of the newsletters and journals for tlie meetings do not necessarily do so. (Minutes are still twenty-one provincial specialist associations. These kept, of course, and the Division of Communications publications are becoming more and more important is responsible for them.) One of Mr. Aitchison's and require a great deal of attention. The division duties is the preparation of the reports. assists the PSA editors in various ways, not the least The printed word is, of course, only one form of of which is the obtaining of source material and communication. Mr. Aitchison is therefore one of the manuscripts. Federation's representatives in the new B.C. Edu• Another important responsibility of the division is cational Television Association. Moreover, he is the publication of the booklets required for the assigned, from time to time, to present Federation Annual General Meeting — Committee Reports and thinking in television interviews and discussions. Policy Resolutions, and the AGM Program. Miss Macfarlane processes the many salary indem• nity claims. This service is greatly appreciated by the K. M. Aitchison Miss A. B. Macfarlane teachers who are eligible for SIF benefits. Many induction ceremonies are held throughout the province each year, and Miss Macfarlane is res• ponsible for assisting the local planning committees and making sure that BCTF membership certificates are sent in time for the actual ceremonies. She also supervises the distribution of BCTF Handbooks for new teachers. Miss Macfarlane also acts as secretary to two com• mittees, the Public Relations Committee and the Edu• cation Week Committee. She is therefore involved in carrying out some of the work ordered by these groups. Moreover, she assists Mr. Evans in some of the public relations aspects of his work. *•
JANUARY. 1963 151 Is Our International
Not in Its Present Form
says J. K. T. Taylor, who was sent to Saratvak by the BCTF
As OF JUNE 30, 1962, we had spent $13,249.50 stration of the WCOTP via our national body, the (2.28%) of our BCTF 1961-62 fees to send my family CTF, if we are to get the most value from our in• and me to aid an underdeveloped country (Sarawak) vested dollars. in its educational development program. In August, We should continue to give international assistance 1962 we sent Mr. Graham Smith to Nigeria at a cost in some form. However, if a person is sent to aid of $500 to date. Are we getting our money's worth? an underdeveloped country, the following conditions I believe we are not. That is one reason I brought my should be met: family home from Borneo instead of spending another 1. The request for assistance must come from an year there. Most of my time was spent in teaching and indigenous representative of that country. aiding in the setting up of a new secondary school 2. The post must be one of responsibility but, only. These activities were all that was required of nevertheless, only, advisory in function. me. However, my wife and I were able to arrange 3. The post should be related to Federation activi• some in-service education by contacting individual ties. school heads on our own. My wife, a trained teacher, 4. Freedom of investigation and evaluation must could not obtain a teaching post nearby because of bo given the person assigned to the posting. red-tape and, we suspect, forthright interference and Through no fault of the Federation the above condi• negligence on the part of some officials. We did act tions were not met in full in the case of either myself as lecturers at an Easter In-service Course given in or Mr. Smith. John Young's well-organized Kalaka District, but even Why should the request come directly from an there we were just filling in for an official who could indigenous representative of that country? If the in• not go. digenous peoples of a.country do not feel that the Mr. Graham Smith was not given a work permit person has come at their request, but through an' in Nigeria because one of the Nigerian officials took intermediary person, jjossibly of a different race, the exception to some ideas he had expressed on a pre• same emotions are aroused in them that we Canadians vious Nigerian assignment for the U.K. Colonial Office. would feel if an Asiatic or African in a Canadian post This year's project had to be cancelled, therefore, and of responsibility asked for an Asian or African to the balance of funds was offered to the Canadian advise us on how to improve the conditions of our Teachers' Federation to help in another CTF-spon- Indians or Eskimos. The request for aid to Sarawak sored project like the one reported in the December, came from the Education Office of that British colony, 1962: issue of The B.C. Teacher. Now that we have whose chief officers are all U.K. personnel who are had the experience of these two pilot projects, it is not true representatives of the Sarawak peoples and a time for' retrospection and re-examination of the who accept non-U.K. educational aid from political whole program. expediency. I do not wish to condemn the project; I want to Why should the post be one of responsibility but, • make sure we are getting our money's worth. Locating nevertheless, only advisory in function? We cannot a specific post, finding a suitable person to fill that afford to send personnel to fill teaching posts; we post and making arrangements to ensure a proper must feel that our representative is making a greater reception of the individual in the country to which contribution. Underdeveloped countries may need he has been assigned are difficult and.time consuming, qualified teachers, but let government agencies supply no matterchbw worthwhile'the project may be. I be• these needed teachers—when requested by the indi• lieve th.-it our provincial body has neither the time genous officials. Having a post of responsibility will nor the contacts adequately to handle, the project. I give the person respect from his peers which, in.turn, feel that we should continue to give international will enable him to make a substantial contribution to assistance but that we must do so through the admini• Continued on page 154'
THE B. C. TEACHER id Program Worthwhile?
Yes, in Any Form
says J. A. Young, who originally suggested the project
OiFU R WESTERN CIVILIZATION has been built from B.C. who have taught and are teaching under up by ideas—ideas which have inspired men and which international assistance schemes of various kinds. Man- have urged men to action. son Toynbee, for example, has done a tremendous job I believe that the BCTF scheme of help to under• in Sarawak. He has had a great impact on the develop• developed countries is basically a good idea, and I ment of education in. that country. He has used his am very distressed that it has not worked out well opportunity to make a great contribution to the ad• in practice. Although I brought the idea to the floor vancement of his fellow man. What red-blooded Cana• of the AGM some two years ago, I do not take any dian would not give a few years of his life for the credit for the idea. The idea of helping the underdog same opportunity?1 —be it one's fellow man or the country on the other It should not be forgotten that there are many side of the mountains—certainly did not originate with schemes in existence for helping underdeveloped lands. me. Therefore, what I may have to say about this Yet, for all the help, we are still a frightfully long whole matter can be, I believe, quite objective. way from making a real impact in the whole area of It should be realized that diis sort of scheme to assistance. UNESCO, for example, has only about 65 help the less privileged countries has been going on million dollars a year to spend on a world-wide basis for quite some time. The United Kingdom is operating for all of the many activitie.v-. which it undertakes. a very successful scheme—in fact, several schemes— One can readily see how th:.dy this sort of help is of help. The British take diis sort of thing; very much spread. Indeed, tlie city of Vancouver has the same in their stride. After all, the British have been sending budget as that of UNESCO! their youth to the four quarters of the world for I could cite staggering statistics concerning the several hundred years. We Canadians not only lack plight of world education—well over one-half of man• experience in this sort of thing; but seern to be a kind still illiterate, for example—but I don't diink litde frightened of the idea itself. Who ever heard of there is any argument whatsoever over the need for a Canadian teacher going to Borneo or the Upper international assistance. What our problem seems to Volta? Indeed, one gains a certain notoriety by simply be is die difficulty of making the idea a reality. The going to,' or living in, some of these exotic lands. In administrative problems are all that are holding us European countries widr a long history of colonialism, back. In this connection, I admit that the BCTF may exotic lands do not arouse the same sort of wonder not be administratively equipped to handle the task. and awe. I think the BCTF scheme must be viewed I would therefore concede that the BCTF may well in the light, of the provincialism—indeed, "townism"— be advised h> attempt to involve some other organiza• which pervades our country. We Canadians still have tion which has the administrative experience to handle not grown up, internationally, speaking. A few years all the details. ago I was very much in demand as a speaker sirr.-ply From my own experience and knowledge I believe because I had spent a year studying in France, in : that the most pressing need in education in under-' addition to having travelled throughout much of west• developed lands is for good secondary schools. The ern Europe! :• I was in demand simply because I had need for all teachers is great, but the need for sec• done some travelling outside of Canada. How provin• ondary teachers is particularly pressing. Probably.over cial can we get! • •• 75% of all elementary teachers in Africa have had •L can't help feeling that the BCTF international no teacher-training of any kind. The hard-pressed edu• assistance project went rather sour "simply because. cational authorities have simply pressed into service , we do not have sufficient experience in this sort of all people who are able to read and write. But there thing. I admit that there may be difficulties in attract• is an even more desperate situation in secondary edu• ing the right kind of people for the overseas posts. cation. People who are simply literate cannot do an However, there are already highly successful teachers Continued on page 154
JANUARY. 1903 Not in its Present Form tangible. No matter what the need, it must be specific so that we know our money is being well spent. Continued from page 152 Finally, why must freedom of investigation and evaluation be given the person assigned to a posting? that country. However, his position must be advisory In accepting the aid, the officials of the country must only. No longer can whites safely and arbitrarily insist also accept the responsibility of giving the advisor on other races accepting their authority without ques• complete co-operation so that he can avoid wasting tion. Strong nationalistic feelings and racial pride time trying to figure out what is going on and get on require that we advise only—when the advice is asked with the job. The slow, leisurely pace of the Tropics for by indigenous officials. we cannot afford. This co-operation must be in the Why should the post be related to Federation ac• form of freedom of access to correspondence and files tivities? There are other agencies (Colombo Plan, related to the job; of free and available transportation UNESCO, etc.) to carry on other-than-Federation ac• throughout the territory envisaged by the job; and tivities. Our activities should aid in furthering the on insistence of co-operation from all officials, clerks development of teachers' federations in other countries. and workers with whom the advisor coines in contact. Struggling federations in these other countries need Without this co-operation, much time is.wasted and help. What form the help takes is best left in the little can be accomplished. By taking a genuine part hands of WCOTP. It may be in the form of advisors in and responsibility for the program, the indigenous to help set up a federation. It may be in the form of peoples will realize that the advice is genuine and cash donations, office equipment, or a combination of sincerely offered, and much will be accomplished. If these. Much Colombo Plan aid is in the form,of these recommendations are followed, a two-way learn• machinery and equipment, textbooks and supplies ing process will take place and the ultimate aim of sent along with advisors. People receiving material aid the program—the promotion of international under• are more apt to listen to advice backed by something standing—will be accomplished.*
Yes, in any Form way attributable to the work of the BCTF. A strong, Continued from page 153 progressive teacher organization makes an enormous contribution to the advancement of education. effective job at the secondary level. Hence the great Third, we might be able to work out some arrange• success of the U.S. Peace Corps—many, if not most, of ment with the Canadian Teachers' Federation. the volunteers working at the secondary level. Fourth, we could also make some arrangement with If'the Peace Corps can be a success, why can't our the Canadian version of the Peace Corps, i.e., CUSO own BCTF scheme j be successful? Surely there must (Canadian University Service Overseas). be teachers in B.G:;.wbo have all the qualities needed One thing I feel strongly about is that we, the for the operation of the project. Let's resolve to put BCTF, should not give up. Most certainly, we should • in enough effort to make the thing work, not give up to the extent of stopping the annual con• If the BCTF is,absolutely forced to undertake some tribution of $1 per teacher. I believe the average mem• other means of providing assistance, I would make ber of the BCTF—at least the thinking member—is four suggestions. rather proud of the fact that he is personally and pro• First, consideration should be given to underwriting fessionally involved in lending direct assistance to the cost of overseas students for their study in Canada some underdeveloped country. I personally take pride —that is, for prospective teachers from underdeveloped in belonging to an organization which is concerned lands. . • • with more than the welfare of its own members. I be• Second, we could consider sending someone ex• lieve that the gesture of BCTF members, when they perienced in organizing teu'chsrs. Or, alternatively, pay overwhelmingly endorsed the idea of international the cost for some overseas teacher to come to Canada assistance, did much to raise the status of the organi• to study the BCTFy'or example, in order that on zation. I am proud of the fact that the BCTF is in• his return he might undertake an organization drive volved in international assistance. I don't believe that among the unorganized teachers, of his J own country. there is another professional organization in the In other words, we could use the/money to train country which has embarked on the same sort of teacher "organizers." After all, the quality of teaching scheme. LET'S NOT GIVE UP-AT LEAST, NOT that goes on in the province of B.C. is in no small YET!!*
THE B, C. TEACHER Is Internship the Answer? sonal discipline was desirable. One graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, with nine years' previous teaching Continued from page llfi experience in Britain and Eastern Canada, shared time arrangements, which usually involved committing the anxieties and concerns of the most inexperienced the student to full days rather than half days of members. One keen critic and concession-seeker none• practice, and to even more practice time, usually in theless, against the counsel of his college advisor, solid blocks such as May and June, or the following added to his burdens the responsibility of lecturing in year. English to a class of freshman engineers. One honors Opinions of students were recorded constantly dur• graduate refused to accept any concessions or to be a ing the year, but because they had no experience part of the petition, and seemed to carry on without against which to interpret their feelings, these seem strain despite an emotional turmoil in her personal to have little place in a comparative study. I accumu• life. One student worked a seven-hour day in industry lated several files of notes from seminar discussions in addition to his University program and practice
and from private interviews with students. Since I teachii,6; His lessons showed the effect of lack of had been for a number of years a teacher-sponsor of time for adequate preparation. practising students as well as a college supervisor, It was apparent, also, that students can graduate the reactions of the Experimental Group were inter• from the Arts Faculty with a major in English and esting. In addition, the opportunity to be in the schools second class standing and yet be inarticulate. It is four half days every week made it possible for me to impossible within a one-year professional program maintain close contact with teacher sponsors. Every to develop in such a graduate, facility in -writing and group of student-teachers includes one or two who speaking his native language, the medium through are "problems" requiring the utmost in understand• which he will teach. Does this point up the need to ing and assistance from the college advisor. Some• demand from those who intend to become teachers, times personality conflicts between students and spon• demonstrated proficiency in oral and written English sor teachers require the exercise of tact and diplomacy before graduation from Arts? on die part of the college sponsor who must endeavor to keep these relationships running smoothly. None• Conclusions theless, I had never before encountered such a It is probably correct to say that any bias in the plethora of delicate situations, nor been obliged to experiment favored the Experimental Group. Mem• strive with such ingenuity to encourage patience and bers of the group, the sponsor teachers, the college understanding. Whether it was because the Experi• staff most closely associated with it, were all aware mental Group knew they were part of an "experi• that they were participating in something new and ment," or .whether the dual pull four days a week of different; the Control Group and its teachers had no being an academic student in the morning and a knowledge.of involvement. The sponsor teachers were practising teacher in the afternoon was too much of a made much more of by the college than were the strain, these students were more often upset, anxious teachers on the regular program. Two months before and discouraged than the regular students. They ; the term opened Dr. Mcintosh obtained the co• sought reassurance'and concessions more frequently. operation of the authorities at the Vancouver School At one point in mid-January, when term papers Board who, in turn, enlisted the support of the prin• were coming due for every university course they cipals of the two schools. They forwarded the names were taking, they i sent a petition to Dr. Mcintosh, of teachers who would sponsor students in the Ex• signed by all but two members, asking to be allowed perimental Group. These principals and teachers were to revert to the regular program. Discussion revealed invited to dinner at the Faculty Club early in that they felt they were falling behind in their course September where the plan was explained and detailed 'work, were becoming bored with their daily visits materials were issued then and later. Despite this to the schools, felt that much of the time there careful preparation communication proved faulty. would be better applied to their college work, and,in Both the students and 1' spent a great deal of time some cases were unhappy''with dieir relationships explaining to sponsor teachers the experiment'• and : within the school. Students, if they wished, were per• its purpose. Much of my seminar time for the first mitted to forego the term papers in three courses term was taken up with problems of adjustment which out of six, and satisfactory adjustments were made students were encountering. without affecting 'the experimental conditions. On one occasion I spent an hour with two seminar Throughout these tribulations the human aspect teachers endeavoring to suggest to them ways of help-: of individual differences was most interesting. One of ing.and appraising students. Some points which theyr the group, a graduate in Social Work, who had pre• made at that time are worthy of note: viously spent five years in that profession, found this 1. They stated that they had had no instructions.; experience more harrowing than any soifar encoun• 2. They fek that the best equipped, most experi-: tered; One of the most vociferous critics in the group enced teachers "escaped" from sponsoring stu• refused any concessions on the ground that the per- dents;
JANUARY. 1963 -155 . 3. They had never thought of checking a student's the percentage of interns who withdrew from training lesson plan. during the first year was significantly higher than 4. They seemed reluctant to engage with die stu• in the case of students on regular programs. (27% dent in discussion of a lesson, but preferred to and 14%). The present study might be considered hand him a written critique without comment. indirectly to support such findings. While only one Of course, time is a factor here. member of the Experimental Group in fact with• 5. They maintained that their teaching methods drew, and that not evidently because of the nature had to be determined by the demands of of the program, the unusual stresses experienced by examinations. They feared that their pupils most members of the group would suggest that had would not do as well in examinations if they it not been for prompt and continuous support from had student teachers too long. members of the College staff, several more might have 6. They thought sponsor teachers should be paid given up. No members of the Control Group withdrew for their extra work. nor did a single member feel it necessary to carry his 7. Even in this large city school a teacher with troubles, if any, beyond his personal college advisor. no previous experience was called upon to On the other hand, the Director was frequently called assume responsibility for a student teacher. upon by individual members of the Experimental Nonetheless, there was evidence that the teacher Group and on several occasions was asked to meet sponsors of the Experimental Group wanted the ex• the group as a whole to assist with their problems. periment to succeed. (e) This study indicated that interns quickly became bored with all aspects of their practical In spite of these advantages to the Experimental experience except actual 'teaching in front of a class. Group, the following conclusions seem justified: Moreover, non-teaching activities other than observa• 1. Under the conditions of the experiment, addi• tion brought early disenchantment, perhaps because tional and continuous time in the school, more the students could not be directly involved or res• involvement in its activities, increased supervisory ponsible in such activities. assistance from both school and college failed to pro• (f) Notwithstanding the above, if students as• duce teaching performances that could be rated bet• sumed too great a load of supervised teaching — even ter than those of students on the regular program. a period a day in the early stages — many of them 2. While the drastic reduction in lecture time became physically exhausted and emotionally upset. might have been expected to cause the course work Some comment on (d), (e) and (f) above may give of students in the Experimental Group to suffer, this perspective to these particular conclusions. In all fair• was not the case. This may well be the most impor• ness, it must be observed that since these students tant finding of the study. With graduate students knew they were the subjects of an experiment for at least/'it points to the possibility, even the desir• which the chief responsibility lay with the Director, ability, of less lecturing and more individual respon• they naturally sought his help when their frustra• sibility for learning in the professional subject fields. tions mounted, since their whole professional year Two hours per week of seminars for four courses was at stake. Disenchantment with non-teaching seemed to work well. activities may be accounted for in part by the fact .3. It was apparent to all associated with the ex• that observation of the best of teachers is helpful to periment that internship creates many problems and the student in direct proportion to his own experience. difficulties: Until he has had either success or disappointment (a) If it is done thoroughly, it is more time- with a particular classroom problem, the student is consuming for both college and school staffs. not likely to benefit greatly by watching a teacher (b) The administrative problems which accom• make repeated efforts to deal with a similar problem. pany internship are more difficult to handle in the Two factors made significant contributions to the Canadian university pattern than, in the quarter or physical exhaustion and emotional upset which fol• semester systems7 that are typical in universities in the lowed too great a supervised teaching load. One was United States. - ~ the obligation laid upon the student every day of (c) Many good teachers, ordinarily willing to filling a dual role, i.e., student in academic courses
: sponsor practising students, will avoid involvement in the morning;; practising teacher in the afternoon. in an internship plan—some because of the additional Indeed, many capable teachers of considerable ex• time required; others because they find the longer, perience find the burden of taking extra-mural more intimate relationship with a student uncon• courses in addition to their teaching a heavy strain genial. There is some reason to fear, also, that many and have difficulty in giving satisfaction to both teachers who agree to work with an intern will tend, responsibilities. The other factor was the difficulty of • as:time goes on, to leave the student increasingly on integrating the five-day university' week with the fhis own, unsupervised. This shortcoming is frequently . seven-day high school week, which is the administra• noticed in many of the American plans. tive custom in the Vancouver system. When the stu• dent taught afternoons only, the rotating time table •(d) ; According to the Temple University study
180 THE B. C. TEACHER did not permit him to :.ieet the same class twice within an entire week. He was constantly meeting new quired by law to receive student teachers in their classes for single lessons, assigned on short notice with classrooms. It is, however, their own realization of little time for satisfactory preparation. the paramount importance of this work and their determination as a professional responsibility to The Role of the Spona r Teacher demonstrate and encourage through inspired and en• thusiastic example that prepares students to find a To me, who met mo.-'t of the Experimental Group lifetime of satisfaction in teaching, five days a week and visited the schools to watch their practice and talk with their sponsors three days I have permission to conclude this article by quot• a week, the most valuable part of the experience was ing the hypotheses drawn up by Dr. Mcintosh. die emphasis it placed upon the essential role of the Hypotheses sponsor teacher in tlie preparation of recruits to the profession. The capable sponsor finds the time and Because this is but a small Pilot Study and because the energy to receive the student with understanding this is only an interim report, the following should be and to demonstrate with skill and enthusiasm. He viewed as hypotheses rather than recommendations: helps the student plan, watches his efforts with a 1. Internship, if in time it be demonstrated to be critical eye and tempers praise for success and com• useful, should follow a protracted period "f prelimin• ment upon shortcomings to the student's growdi ary training, rather than be a continuing part of it. in a ' demanding new experience. The capable This preliminary training should include a reasonable sponsor sets high standards and inspires the student prescription of practice teaching and other school to reach for them. He has the courage to recommend experience. that a student of shallow intellect and cavalier ap• 2. The internship phase may occupy the period im• proach be not admitted to teaching. Such a spon• mediately following the preliminary phase or occur sor is providing the student teacher with the most in the following year. Several administrative plans important part of his practical preparation. This dis• could be developed consistent with this policy. cipline can be obtained nowhere else. 3. With graduate trainees, the burden of didactic Teachers who consider their vocation a profession instruction should be reduced. Much of it can be keep the quality of their service high. They give only replaced by occasional seminars and increased directed of their- best to student teachers. As in any other pro• study. This, however, will in no way reduce the bur• fession, they know that high quality of service in den of work for the instructional staff. It will merely education depends upon the unrelenting pursuit of alter the nature of the student-staff relationship. excellence. In British Columbia teachers are re• Tlie reader is referred to the Research Report for further details.*
Eustace Prim illuminating the amphitheater. In surprise he reeled Continued from page 141 • back against a control panel thistley with switches. would make one more attempt at success and star- Suddenly die subdued sounds, became an uproar. dom. .;- Spotlights burned down upon him. His hands on the Walking to tlie front of the room, he. stood in die overhead projector plate became huge claws on the • dark for a moment, listening to the whirr and click of wall. He dashed for the door, but the cyclopic TV ; the markovac.as it squinted and glared, mysteriously, cameras whined and b.«nked him back. Turning up inscrutably checking: off the assignments of the day the aisle, he was met by the uproar of two hundred before..Timers ticked in the panel and the lesson-< windows clicking in programmed teaching machines; programmmg-multi-orientation machine hissed and and there among them the cinema-complex rumbled crackled with foreboding activity. Eustace sighed and up like a three-eyed beast. He stumbled back to die: for a moment thought of the old days when the staff panel, shaking off coils of TV cable as the automatic room thronged with teachers; when chalk, blackboard, blinds clanked shut, die lights went out and the pro• and textbook had been the tools; of the trade; when jection screen struck at him blindly from the ceiling. Dumping over cameras and displays, he scrambled;: he could remember the, names 0f nearly all his stu• dents; and—He stopped himself in mid-thought. "No to die door just, as the recording tapes clicked on, sense looking back," he soliloquized. "We must pre• and above the cackling and whirring he heard, his pare f or; tomorrow." own voice bellow in his wake,."No sense looking back; we must prepare for tomorrow" . He raised a finger to emphasize the point and, (r with a buzz, as a beam broke, the lights flashed on, Eustace Prim kept running until he could hear noth• ing but the wind in the trees.* JANUARY.' 1963
157 What Is a Little Boy?
VERA COSS
WHAT ARE LITTLE boy- 'made tedious or too time-consuming, and time that his pockets are collecting a wide assortment of trinkets and of, made of? the willing helper becomes recal• keep-sakes, you can be sure that What are little boys made of? citrant, leaving the work half- his prodigious memory is collect• Snips and snails and puppy-dog finished or carelessly clone. He is ing an astonishing number of tails, brash and confident, anxious to facts and details, such as the popu• And such are little boys made of.1 hide any signs of sentiment, em• barrassed by tenderness but melted lations of cities, the kinds of cars Perhaps — but to a teacher, a and airplanes, or the names of little boy is a paradox—a delightful by a look of disappointment or ges• ture of comradeship. He shows his hockey players. Science appeals to mixture of innocence and guile, of his developing logic, and geo• charm • and annoyance; at one .loyalty in unconventional and eccentric ways, such as leaving a graphy to his adventurous spirit. minute a captivating diplomat, the His absorption in stories of animals, cookie or an apple on your desk next a perplexing nuisance. He mysteries, travel or sports is only when you're not looking or leaning has as many moods as the day has matched by the same interest in a comfortably against your shoulder minutes. He is as changeable as competitive game. He will play when standing at your desk. An April, and just as refreshing. ball till his knees are wobbly and inveterate tease, he likes nothing Tousled hair, grubby knuckles, the perspiration pours from his bulging pockets rattling with mar• better than to annoy little girls to face (and then cool his head under bles, flopping shirt-tails and smelly tears or upset an adult's equilib• a cold-water tap); or shoot agates sneakers—this is the ten-year-old a rium with disconcerting remarks until his hands are chapped and teacher usually sees. Not for one such as, "Curled your hair last bleeding from the cold and damp. minute do you believe that he left night, eh?" or "What kind of fur is He is never bored; if reality is not home in that condition! But his your coat made of?" or "Why don't interesting, imagination will do, flushed, damp face, his loud, ex• you play ball with us?" Though he and a meeting of his "secret" cited voice, and his dirty hands all dislikes the girls in general, he society, or a game of "Cops and proclaim the fact that he has just sometimes becomes infatuated with Robbers" or "Cowboys and Irtr won a close game of agates or one whose blond hair and blue dians" will provide the thrills he played a boisterous round of ball eyes have capnired his fancy. He wants. before he entered the school. You exhibits his love by pulling her pig• In the schoolroom, a boy is like will have to remind him to speak tails, stealing her possessions, or mustard, providing tang and zest more qu'etly, to lift his feet when showing off and strutting like a to an otherwise tasteless day. He is he walks, and to wash his hands. bantam rooster. Like this small just old. enough to understand, but But all these petty annoyances flee fowl, he is often pugnacious and too young to be disillusioned. To when the day of work and study sometimes cruel, maintaining his prestige through "play-fights," as him, life is just beginning—an ex• begins.; Look into his eager face- citing adventure. watch his eyes sparkle with he calls them, and wrestling The mind and character of a curiosity and interest, or crinkle matches that often result in blood• little boy are like plasticine with with laughter and good humor, or shed, torn clothing and copious which he loves to play — easily fill up with tears of quick sym• tears But the belligerence is momentary, as are his tears, for he moulded and marked. It should be pathy, and you forget the black the humble desire of every teacher fingernails and the tell-tale traces never bears a grudge; *and his lively good humor and friendly to inspire him to the highest ideals of cocoa around his mouth. of manhood and maturity, for • A small boy is an amazing com- smiles soon return; \\ "Train up a child in the way he . bination of mature responsibility A little boy is like a bundle, of should go and when he is old, he and'childish carelessness. He will fire-crackers whose fuses need no will not depart from it," said the run errands with alacrity and per• lighting; full of abounding energy, wisest man, and form almost superhuman tasks to and insatiable curiosity. His in• "A teacher affects eternity; he please you. But let the job become terests are unlimited, from the \\can never tell where his influence number of hairs on a dog's back, stops," said Henry Adams. * to what the stars are made of, or The author,-formerly of Penticton, ViSouthcy, "What All the World Is ; why gas explodes. At the same now teaches in Vancouver. Made Of."
THE B.C. TEACHER An important issue for B.C.'s married women teachers is the lack KAY CAMERON of maternity leave tcith salary. This report, prepared for the Saska; chewan Teachers' Federation, discusses the maternity have provi• sions of several countries and calls upon school boards to adopt •adequate" policies governing the granting of maternity leave.
Maternity Leave
W^ITH THE INCREASING demand for, and oc• The North American countries are behind the currence of, married women working in general, and times compared with some European countries. teaching in particular, it is increasingly important to The Scandinavian countries have legislated social have provisions for maternity leave. With the short• insurance, which covers health and maternity pro• age of qualified teachers, married women must not grams, as a public service for citizens in general. be discouraged from .teaching. School systems must All natal care in Sweden is given free of charge. establish adequate policies with regard to maternity Mothers are also entitled to special maternity benefits. leave. These benefits are co-ordinated with the health in• In the United States; as in Canada, there is no surance scheme and are administered by the sickness nation-wide policy for maternity leave. In most of funds. Mothers receive an allowance for childbirth the states the local school boards have the authority expenses, including necessary medical attention and to give or withhold ,leave and pay. Only California, care at a maternity ward. Cost of the journey to a
Delaware, Kentucky,: Louisiana and Tennessee have ward is covered by the insurance, as well as that part specific state laws relating to maternity leave for of the cost of the return journey exceeding four teachers. In Canada, the provision for and the length kroner. A maternity grant is also given. The basic of leave vary from province to province. grant is 270 kroner where one child is born and 405 kroner for more than one child. More Leave Being Granted Sweden has a law prohibiting an employer from There has been an increase in the percentage of dismissing an employee on grounds of engagement or school systems in the United States granting mater• marriage. Moreover, a woman with at least one year nity leave. From 1951 to 1956, for example, the num• of permanent service may not be dismissed on grounds ber of urban school systems granting maternity leave of pregnancy. Every woman is entitled to a maximum increased from 50% to 67%. Usually the more heavily leave of six months. She may have six consecutive populated the district, the more likely it is to grant weeks of leave prior to confinement. leave. In urban centers of population 30,000 and over,; Sweden also gives eight months' leave of absence three-quarters of the school systems have definite for caring for the new child. It is usually taken after policies regarding leave before and after child• maternity leave. The teacher receives no pay during birth. Eighty percent of the systems agreed on four this period, but is reinstated in her position at the : to six months' leave before childbirth, and over half end of the period of leave. required the child to be at least a year old before In Norway pregnant women teachers may obtain the mother could return to teaching. Leave can vary, leave of absence for three months with full pay with• from three months to three years after delivery. As out loss in wage-seniority. This concerns temporarily in Canada, maternity leave is, as a rule, without pay. employed as well as permanently employed women In both countries there is strong resistance to the teachers, providing that the temporarily employed employment of married female teachers. It is common have at least one year's service and start in teaching for single women to be given preference, although again after the leave of absence has expired. this discrimination has lessened somewhat in the last In both Norway * and Sweden pregnant women ten years. Continued on page lfil
.JANUARY. 1963 159 . . . And We Quote
I am a teacher. I might have Teachers don't run their own tion of children ... I can assure pursued other courses — paths affairs. They are decided by the you that when somebody writes which would have led to / jrtune state. Doctors can take out an the history of WCOTP after 10 or to prestige I may not hope to appendix without advice from Vic• years, after 15 years or 20 years, have. I might have stopped my toria. he will refer to this document (on ears against die cry of my fellows Father Edwin C. Garvcy, Berlin) and the document on Viet and lived a life untouched by the principal of St. Mark's College, Nam as the human documents UBC, speaking to B.C. Catholic which entitle WCOTP to remem• need of others. I did not do these Teachers' Association annual things for I am at heart a teacher. meeting November IS, I9G2 brance not only among the teacher organizations but among those I am Michaelangelo striking the people who love freedom and who base of the unfeeling statue and There is an increasing need for love the world of freedom and crying: "Speak!" I am the cham• varied types of education to fit the who are devoted to the task of pion sharing the exuberant laugh- capacity of individuals. I somehow education. li-r of the young. I am the lover feel we are not putting the proper emphasis on the educated hand. Professor D. C. Shaima, of India, so obsessed with humanity that I during debate on the adoption of plunge into the secrets of the earth Creative activity through the use tlie report of the Commission of and ransack the universe for its of the hand gives such a sense of Inquiry in Berlin at the Eleventh sake. I am the father for firmness satisfaction to people who have WCOTP Assembly in Stockholm and the mother for tenderness. I skill. Look at the work from Den• have—with all due reverence—the mark, for example, and the part Some educationists hold this Godlike mission of enlightening the the educated hand has played in weird theory, and have tailored mind and strengthening the will of design and production. Perhaps textbooks for unfortunate children youth. My immortality lies in the most important of all is the edu• so that they emerge from their future of the democracy. I am a cated heart—a recognition of the schooling wiUi a vocabukry of a teacher. - dignity of the human spirit, the thousand nouns, four adjectives, importance of spiritual values, the Very Rev. John R. Aherne, and a couple of undernourished at a S?.n Diego meeting complete life, which are necessary and overworked verbs; enough to to build the concept of service we order a hamburger, but not ade• The'policies of government may hold. ; quate for the comprehension or sometimes be as capricious as the Lillian M. Gilhrelh. Ph.D., conveyance of a serious idea or weather, and politics may be just President, Gilbreth Inc., the carrying on of a civilized con• as often selfishly practised, bring• Management Engineering ing only dross to its practitioners versation. Tony Emery, in the and peace to none,'-But truth en- What one country thinks'today, Victoria Times, December 8, 1902 ••i dures eternally; die teaching of the world will think tomorrow. truth; profits all who listen, The teachers are the moulders and ''strengthens them hi knowledge the• fashioners of the minds of the In the past Canadians-have not and understanding. : From the people and not only of the people acceptedthe responsibility for teacher s classroom—where burns :of their own country but also the educating those persons who be• ;v.;the torch of truth—there is lighted peoples of other countries. There• come tlie great energizing forces 'the way toward fulfillment, of th^ in society—die very few who are hopes and dreams of humankind. fore it is up to an international able to push back the boundaries Dwight D. Eisenhower, at a assembly like the WCOTP to ex• special session of the Eleventh press its views clearly and un• of the known and venture into the WCOTP Assembly in equivocally and emphatically on unexplored regions of knowledge. Stockholm on July 1, 1902 problems which affect the educa• We have sent our most brilliant
160 THE B. C. TEACHER students elsewhere to be educated many decades to recover from such formance on the one hand, versus -to the U.S.A., to Britain, to tragic negligence, and the whole education of the masses, college France and Germany. We have nation will be vastly poorer if we education for all, low standards not even provided Canadians to fail to make adequate provision and a record of mediocrity, on the other. The argument assumes that teach Canadians; and all our uni• not only for the present but for the quantity and quality are incom• versities are obliged to seek many future. patible. It is given force by observ• of their staff members abroad. To Dr. Phyllis G. Ross, C.B.E., ing that excellent institutions like an extent this is good: the pres• chancellor of the University of B.C. at the Seminar on Harvard or California Institute of ence of persons on a university Canadian-American Relations at Technology accept only perhaps campus with rich and varied back• Assumption University of Windsor in Novcinhcr, 1962 one percent of the cream of high grounds adds stature to any insti• school graduates. At the opposite tution of higher education. Yet we extreme it would be possible to de• will not long be able to recruit Equality and competition share importantly in our heritage and sign a college to accept virtually some of our ablest persons abroad, all college age students who we have difficulty in reconciling simply because of the universal applied. Such a college would have demand for professors. The foster• the apparent conflict in demanding to operate at approximately the ing of Canadian graduate schools both. It appears in our universities intellectual level of a TV western. is a matter of the greatest urgency, and colleges under the guise of Dr. John B. Macdonald, in his for unless we do so Canada will opposing philosophies of educa• inaugural address at the lose out in teaching, in research, tion—education for the elite, high University of British Columbia and in scholarship. It may take us standards and excellence of per• on October 25, 1962.
The International Labor Organization has shown Maternity Leave concern for maternity leave and protection as part Continued from page 159 of its larger effort to provide adequate social security for the world's workers. It has established inter• receive free medical examinations as part of the national standards of maternity leave and benefits. services provided by the maternal and child wel• Convention No. 103 concerning Maternity Protection fare centers located all over the country. Confinement adopted by the International Labor Conference in in Sweden is practically free of charge for all women. 1952 fixed the standard for maternity leave at twelve More than 90% of all births are now institutional. weeks on full pay. Forty countries and five territories 'In-:] the other Scandinavian countries, institutional under United Kingdom administration grant mater• confinements, although steadily increasing in impor• nity leave on full pay. With regard to the length of tance; are less widespread. leave, thirteen countries grant the period specified in In Denmark permanently appointed female teachers the ILO Convention, ten grant more, and fifteen may not be dismissed because of pregnancy. Absence countries and five territories less. due to pregnancy is looked upon as absence due to As mentioned before, practice varies cor.siderably illness and does not cause a reduction of salary. There in regard to maternity leave in Canada, and for the are no fixed time limits for the leave, but a period of most part, leave is without pay. The cost of confine• one ri&nth after delivery is considered normal. ment and doctor's care may be covered by the many • Temporary female teachers may be dismissed be• hospital and medical insurance plans across Canada, cause of pregnancy, normally .with three months' although the type and extent of coverage vary.* notice. If they are not dismissed, they are entitled to one-half their salary during their leave of absence, but not for more tlian two months before their delivery Bibliography 1 George R. Nelson, (editor) Freedom arid Welfare, Section IV and one month after. —"family Welfare," Social Affairs Ministries of Denmark, .The Netherlands handles the maternity leave situ• Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, 1953. - Goran Teirncr, Social Security in Sweden, "Family Welfare ation by giving pregnant women teachers paid leave Policy," The Swedish Institute, 1956. ..from four months before confinement until at least >: NEA—Department oi' Classroom Teachers and Research Divi-. six weeks after confinement. If prolonged leaver's sion. Teachers' Leaves of Absence, "Reasons for Leaves of Absence," Discussion Pamphlet No. 7, November, 1952. necessary they will still receive full pay. ... •f International Labor Conference, ConventionConcerning Temporary women teachers may be dismissed ?>-'.•: Maternity Protection, (Revised 1952). ' cause of pregnancy, .but they have a claim to full pay •"' CTF—Research Division Correspondence with Dr. Yv". G. Carr, WCOTP, December, 1960. j;'frpm the day of dismissal until six weeks -after cpn- " UNESCO, Access of Women to the Teaching Profession, Paris, •finement, if theyVshave been teaching six or nine December, 1961. months of the twelve months immediately preceding ' CEA—Tables on Hiring of Married Women Teachers. Report No. 62, March, 1953. the dismissal. This length of service stipulation is to s International Labor Organization, Social Security, Geneva, prevent the appointment of teachers already pregnant. October. 1960.
161 JANUARY. 1963 B.C.T.F. Co-operative Association 1815 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver 9, B.C. Office Hours: Monday to Friday—9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday—9:00 a.m. to 12:00 REgent 1-8121
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THE B.C. TF.ACH Carcajou, by Rutherford Mont• f gomery. Longmans, Toronto, 1962. 132pp. 6 illus. b & w. $ .90 This is fascinating story of the cunning }• nertboo h of a wolverine, Carcajou, centered around the life of an Indian trapper, his family, a tame bear, and the attempts of two traders to cheat the trappers by, violence ESTHER G. HARROP, Book Review Editor if necessary. The story shows how the wolverine plays a part in overcoming the treachery of the traders, and indicates one of the unwritten laws by which the trapper sometimes lives. Junior-senior high levcl.-R.E.G. Sons of the Steppe, by Hans Bau- mann. Oxford, Toronto, 1962. (School edition) $1.35 ADMINISTRATION FICTION A well-written and humane novel about The Canadian School Principal. Reindeer Girl, by Margaret Ruthin. the great Mongol military machine by a Edited by A. W. Reeves, J. H. Dennis Dobson, London, 1961. German soldier, stressing the civilising in• Illus (Can. Agt. McClelland & fluence of the Chinese Chancellor, Yeliu, Andrews, and F. Enns. McClel• Stewart, Toronto.) $2.75 on Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan. Use• land and Stewart, Toronto, 196).. This story is about a girl who as a ful apparatus includes 8pp. historical in• 311pp. $7.00 baby was separated from her parents, troduction, 27pp. of notes and questions: This book should be of interest and whose mother died, and whose father hardbound, recommended.—G.H.C. value to all school principals. It is a wished her to rejoin him. The principal Rodeo Round-Up, by Haskel Fran- carefully compiled collection of 32 dis• interest lies in the account of life among kel. Doubleday, Toronto, cl962. courses, most of them by contributors the Lapps. So its chief value is as a whose names are well known in Cana• Social Studies agent.—E.G.H. Illus. $2.95 dian educational administration. The A description of the pleasures and dis• book gives the key lectures, papers, and Overture to Victoria, by McKenzie appointments of rodeo-riding, calf-roping addresses derived from the numerous Porter. Longmans, Green, To• and ranch life. Dan Pearson, the leading principals' leadership courses offered in ronto, cl961. Photos. $5.50 character, finds friends and nemies, and most provinces since 195G, and collates, After a great deal of painstaking re• learns that the joys and pains of the in one volume, the thinking which has search, the discovery of important records rodeo do not measure up to the better come from these courses so that it may and personal interviews have revealed side of life that could be in store for him. A well-told story for teen-age or older become more generally available through• material which has given us in Overture out Canada. horse-lovers.—E.G.H. to Victoria a delightful historical biog• The papers, all with brief editorial raphy. It is arranged in the form of a Fur and Gold, by Roderick Haig- introductions, fall into two main cate• fascinating novel, and based on fact, it Brown. Longmans, Toronto, gories. The First part focuses attention furnishes readers with an enjoyable ac• cl962. Illus. $2.75 upon the priucipalship itself. The second count of Georgian days and Canadian A story based on the very early history part is concerned with the kind of school episodes E.G.H. of British Columbia, Canada's western• program toward which the principal most province. The fur-trading days of should lead, containing chapters describ• Miney and the Blessing, by Mason. ing leadership in the areas of policy the Hudson's Bay and the North-West considerations, classroom practice, and Brett-Macmillan, Gait, cl961. Companies; the troublesome and hostile pupil evaluation. Illus. $2.75 Indians; the clever device of vaccinating these same Indians so as to prevent them There is something to be learned from This story combines episodes of the each article. Theory and practice, ideals American Civil War days with those of from attacking the white traders; and and attainments, goal setting and goal family life in the early 19th century. the discovery of gold along the upper achievement, illustrated by specific refer• Pupil's in Grades V-VIl'will find it ex• reaches of the Eraser arc all woven into ences to Canadian, and, occasionally, tremely interesting.—E.G.H. a very clever plot. The last event—the American, school systems, are lo be found Kickapoo, by Miska Mills. Little, swearing allegiance of this territory to throughout the book. It should prove in• Queen Victoria, and the appointment ot valuable as a source book on the role of Brown, 1961. $3.25 lames Douglas as the first Governor of the principal in Canadian cduation.— Interest is held throughout this story British Columbia makes fascinating and H.R.L. of a mule who won the Pony Express historical reading.—E.G.H. race. It would appeal especially to boys in Grades II and III. Clear type and in• INDUSTRIAL ARTS teresting pencil sketches.—D.L. BIOGRAPHY Hand and Machine Woodwork, by Amanda, by Ruth Loomis. Brett H. G. Miller. Macmillan, Toron• Louis Jolliet, Explorer of Rivers, Macmillan, cl962. (Can. Agt. to, 1962. Illus. $1.90 by Virginia S. Eifert. Dodd, Collier Macmillan, Gait) Illus. Mead, Toronto, 1961. $4.75 This is a good introductory book to by Sheila Greenwald. $3.40 tlie woodworking field. Each chapter closes The biography of Louis Jolliet, 1G45- Here is a lively talc for Grades 1V-VI. 1700, who was. born in French Canada with a number of assigned exercises.— The heroine, Amanda, leads two other and who spent his life in exploring the R.T.C. girls, Liz and Keechie Dunn,.into adven• St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, makes tures that take a make-believe course. The Automotive Mechanics: Principles excellent reading. Later he travelled to two little girls arc sometimes fearful and and Operation, by Merviri J. Mc- the Great Lakes. With Marquette he traced.the course of the Mississippi and unbelieving, but the capable Amanda can Guffin. Macmillan, London, Ont, its tributaries. His last voyage was the make anything happen.. 1962. Illus. $1.90 one he took along the uncharted coast This story, written with a subtle humor This book sets forth very well the basic of Labrador. This is the story of an and remarkable insight into children's fundamentals of a working knowledge of outstanding' woodsman, hydrographcr ways, is bound to please young readers.— the automobile. At the end of the book and explorer—E.G.H. M.B.M. there is a good glossary.—R.T.C. u • •
JANUARY. 1963 163 LANGUAGE the various conclusions. Appendices in• 12 tables, a general bibliography, and a clude notes on telescopes, observing bibliography to accompany each of the Dictionary Practice Book. Holt, heavenly bodies, and lists of Astronomical three parts of the text. There is also a Rinehart and Winston; Toronto. Societies. Photographs and diagrams aid good index. The book, extremely well- $.80 in charting the constellations and in written, will make a splendid reference work for senior matriculation history A workbook to be used with the Wins- giving an insight of the universe. pupils, for college students, and for his• Ion Canadian Dictionary. A teacher would This book is suitable for most students find many worthwhile exercises and ideas in Gr. VH-XII, and for interested adulti. tory teachers The reviewer unhesitatingly to use in Grades III, IV, and V, giving an —E.G. recommends it.—E.G.H. excellent foundation in the ability to pro• Methods of Science 4, by Edwin F. Europe, Where, How and Why? by nounce, spell and use many words that are difficult. Also good for enrichment Brackenborough, George W. Allan Murray. Collins, London, classes.—D.S.L. 1961. (Distributed ii Canada by Erwin, Robert G. Rist, and H. Longmans, Green.) $1.90 Canadian Language Arts Book 2, Kenneth Wooster. Clarke, Irwin, With the tremendous Canadian growth by Lillian E. Jones and Ann Toronto, 1962. $2.95 in interest in the European Economic Pullan. Holt, Rinehart and Win• Methods of Science •/ continues in Grade Community, this book will provide use• X the program of science instruction be• ful background material for both teacher ston, Toronto. Illus. $1.60 gun in Methods of Science 3. Since Book and student. The maps are clear, concise The second of a scries. Owing to the 3 consisted of two main divisions, viz., and accurate. The quiz map; provide size (I0i/5" x 14"), it is not practical for physics and zoology, and since Book 4 also good reviews as do the quer.iions and individual use, but it is helpful for the consisted of two divisions, viz., botany and exercises at the end of the botk. Teachers teacher and for remedial work.—D.S.L. physics, one realizes that in two years the of Social Studies 20, History 31 and 101 student squeezes one year of biology be• will find this volume a v.'iuable refer• tween two half-years of physics. The ques• SCIENCE tion arises, "Is there no instruction in ence—W.D.M.S. Motor Car Engineering, by E. T. chemistry at this level?" The Parliament of Canada, by Westbury. The Young Engineer Each chapter is well supplied with dir• George Hambleton, Ryerson, To• ections for experiments, the answers for Series. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, which can easily be read in the text or ronto, rev. ed. 1961. $3.50 London, 1961. (Can. Agt. Mc• found in the diagrams. The chapters also For those interested in how our Cana• Clelland and Stewart, Toronto.) conclude with a series of questions which dian parliamentary system developed, this require subjective answers. There arc is an excellent little volume. In the pre• Illus. b. and w., glossary. 143pp. numerous physics problems to be solved. face, the author says, "The purpose of $2.25 The level of achievement demanded of the book is to bring Parliament home to This book is easily read by junior high the students would appear possible of you." He succeeds very well in his, task. school students, and is suitable refer• attainment by the academic group in B.C. This is well written and fascinating. ence for Science 20. It outlines many of but it probably would be too difficult for —N.R.S. the inventions, and trials and failures, in the average pupil on the general program. This is San Francisco, by M. Sasek. the development of the modern auto• Macmillan, New York, 1962. mobile. The two and four stroke engines Illus. 60pp. No Index. $3.95 arc summarized, and the transmission, SOCIAL STUDIES steering and suspension, and braking sys• Here is an excellent book for a child tems are discussed. Improvements in The Land of Promise—The Story about the Grade IV level in studying materials, machine tools, and chassis and of Canada to 1800, by J. L. social studies. The art work is of a very body construction arc shown to make high order and the running commentary possible both the mass production of the Field and L. A. Dennis. House is adequate. For the reader' who has automobile and further improvements in of Grant, Toronto, 1960. Illus. visited the city this book conjures up the future. Over 350 terms, including many memories of interesting places. For English ones such as petrol, arc included $2.75. Canadian Heritage Series, in the glossary.—R.E.G. Bk. I. the novice, This is Sail Francisco will whet his appelite.-W.D.M.S. This book has been approved for use The Meaning of Light, by Colin A. in the Grade VII course in Ontario. Very well written and contains, many useful SPELLING .Conan. Young. Scientist Series. line illustrations, maps and charts. An• Macmillan Spelling Series 7 and 8, McClelland and Stewart, Toron• other outstanding feature is the inclusion by Sybil F. Shack, Robert F. to, 1962. 143pp. Illus. and in• of a section of excerpts from original Bomhokl, K. H. D. Hall and dexed. $2.25 " sources. It should he a very useful sup• Gordon F. Mann. Macmillan, plementary text for Social Studies 8 in Toronto, 1962. $1.10 This little book gives a very good intro• B.C.—N.R.S. duction to the theory, action, and uses of Macmillan has published seven hooks in' light. It includes discussions on refraction, A History of England, by John this series. Each is similar to our present reflection, color, mirages, and introduces Thorn, Roger Lockyer and David text except that the words arc chosen topi• •..•the problems associated with telescopes Smirt. Ernest Benn Ltd., Bou- cally, i.e. one unit deals with sports, one and spectroscopes. The, book could be with health, etc. No examples of actual enjoyed by most secondary school students verie House, London, England, use arc provided, these presumably to bo and adults.—E.G. :•.'•• 1961. (Can. Agt. McClelland & supplied by the teacher. Nor is there any The Stars, by Patrick Moore. Young Stewart, Toronto). Illus. Maps. dictionary of the chosen words, but study Scientist'Series. McClelland and Tables. $5.50 exercises arc adequate, and an advanced section to challenge good spellers is in• Stewart, Toronto, 1962. 144pp. The authors, well-educated and well- Illus. and indexed. $2.25 read scholars in history, arc exceptionally cluded in each unit.—W.C.E. This is another well prepared book. It fitted to undertake the preparation of this Basic Keys to Spelling—Grades 2, •deals with most aspects of stars from their text. Part I, Mr. Thorn's work, deals with Prc-History up to the close of the Middle 3. J. B. Lippincott Co. Illus. possible origins, through their life pro• Ages; Part II, Lockycr's work, goes as far $1.10 cesses,'to their ultimate decay. It treats as the accession of the Hanoverians; Part A series of work books combining phon• binary": stars, novae, clusters, nebulae, III goes to close of World War II. Recog• ics and spelling which contain many ex• galaxies, in an interesting manner. It also nition of the importance of J. R. Green's cellent ideas. Would be particularly use• discusses the theories, pro and con, of the Short History of the English People is ful in remedial teaching. Eye-catching expanding universe and gives reasons for stressed, and there arc numerous maps, illustrations.—D.S.I..
164 THE B. C. TEACHER Adolescence:.. the process of growing up. A time of complex changes in a girl. An important time to review her knowledge of menstruation, and give her helpful suggestions about! diet and grooming. Schedule a repeat showing of the finest film of its kind—
The Story qjk:. Menstruation11 by Wait Disney Productions 10 minutes, 16mm. Animated: In sound and colour. Preferred by church and school groups throughout the world. Available free on short-term loan from the makers of Kotex napkins ... plus coordinated teachitigt^ aids listed below" : !
Kimberly-Clark Canada.Limited, Educational Dept. BCT6301 2 Carlton Street, Toronto 2, Ontario
Please send me free (except for return Name — postage) your 16mm. sound and colour film "The Story of Menstruation." School- _Grade_ Day wanted (allow 3 weeks) _ 2nd choice (allow 4 weeks) —-—; _Street - Also send: .Booklets, "Very Personally Yours" City. _Zone- _Prov.. -Teaching Guide -Menstrual Physiology Chart Note: Material will be sent to teachers and authorized personnel only. -Information on free Kotex vending machine service KOTEX is atrademarkof Kimberly-ClarkCanada Lifted c vcnuniy MIUU w «•-• j In Menioriani
On Friday, November 23, the one of its champions, and was its He was the director of the Bach teachers of British Columbia lost president for two successive year;, Choir in Vancouver, and the first an outstanding figure by the death 1930-32; one of two of its leaders president of the Vancouver Com• of Ira Dilworth, B.A., M.A., LL.D. who attained this distinction. In munity Arts Council. It was Ira Dil• He was not a native son, but he 1936, in recognition of his services worth who was instrumental in had lived and worked in the pro• to education, he was the recipient gaining recognition for the Can• vince so long and so faithfully that of the Federation's highest honor, adian artist, Emily Carr, and he it had adopted him for one of its the Fergusson Memorial Award, was the literary executor of her own. In 1934, Dr. Dilworth gave up estate. With Lawren Harris, he was Ira Dilworth began his teaching his career with the public schools a trustee of her paintings. career in 1915, at the Victoria of this province and accepted a So in the passing of Ira Dil• High School, where he nad been position as associate professor of worth, Canada and British Colum• a student. In 1926 he was pro• English at the University of Brit• bia suffered the loss of an out• moted to the principalship, one of ish Columbia, a post for which standing personality, a man who British Columbia's youngest, and he was eminently suited by his was teacher, musician, writer, critic remained in that position until training and his literary achieve• and executive. His colleagues from 1934. The students whom he ments. A few years later he be• the classroom, and the public gen• taught during all of those years re• came full professor, but for a short erally will mourn this loss, and ex• member him with warm affection, while only, because he was attrac• tend their sympathy to his sister and admire him for his scholarship, ted now to another field, the Can• and two nieces who survive him.— his humanity, his dedication to the adian Broadcasting Corporation, H.D.D. profession. which he pined as regional direc• Even in those days, Dr. Dil- tor for British Columbia. The field Election Results of radio and television provided worth's influence and interests In die recent municipal elections, him with a wider scope for his spread beyond the classroom. Dur• a number of teachers won election. manifest talents, and he rotated ing this time he edited an an• J. H. Robertson, Kitirnat, G. A. II. through a series of important thology entitled Nineteenth Cen• Holt, White Rock, J. G. Pnrker, tury Poetry, and later in 1945 pro• posts with C.B.C., which took him first to Montreal and then to Toron• Nanaimo, and K. W. T. Wright, duced another volume of poetry New Westminster, won election to called Twentieth Century Verse. • to, and finally back to Vancouver, where broken in health, he died. council. J. A. Dunster, a Vancouver When the British Columbia teacher, was elected to Surrey Teachers' Federation was compar• A word should be said about School Board. G. J. Puil was elected atively young, Ira Dilworth was sd'.->e of his other accomplishments. to the Vancouver Parks Board.
MUSIC SUPERVISOR for THE VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD Two FREE Catalogs Available The Vancouver School Board invites applications for the position of Music Supervisor. Desirable Qualifications ;Advanced straining', in music; B.C. Teacher's Certificote from (P.A." or equivalent); teaching experience in .music, prefer-; ably at both elementary and .secondary levels., 1962 Salary LESSON AIDS ?:Minimum—$9060, rising; by annual increments to a maxi• mum of $10,220. Car allowance provided. 1815 W. 7th AVENUE /./^Applications;should!ihclu'de,,the\.fpNowing information: age, details of-'formal . education- and training, degrees and/or VANCOUVER 9, B.C. : certificates held, scholarships, awards, and -~.fuH employment 'history.'-'Applications should reach the office of theSuper- Please indicate whether you want the Elementary (Grades intendent of Schools, 1595 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver 9, l-VII) or the Secondary (Grades VIII-XII) catalog. not later than January 31, 1963.
166 THE B. C. TEACHER VANCOUVER VICTORIA
S3G.OO for TiilUm years 823.OO for THREE pjvurs
provides ALL the following insurance on our
NEW "TENANTS PACKAGE POLICY" for teachers residing in apartments or rented homes
$ 3,000. °n furniture and personal belongings in your suite agair 1 loss by fire, theft, burglary, water, explosion and smoke damage.
S 1,000. insurance on personal belongings away from your apartment against losses by burglary, theft, fire and other perils. (While camping, in hotels, motels, locked cars, etc.)
$ 600. applying to additional cost of living while you waited for your suite to be repaired following a fire or other insured loss.
$25,000. liability insurance in case you were judged responsible by the courts for injuries or property damage. (Golfing, hunting and fishing accidents, for example, can cause substantial court awards.) Also covers fire damage to your suite if you are legally responsible.
$ 500. for medical bills for people injured in your suite (excluding you and your immediate family) even though you weren't legally responsible for their injuries.
$ 250. for damage you might do to other people's property, even though you weren't legally responsible. (You might drop someone's expensive vase, camera, etc.)
$ 1,000. on each item of jewelry and fur against fire, theft, burglary and other allied perils.
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$4,000.—42.00 for 3 years 36.00 ' Apply to Agency $5,000. — 48.00 for 3 years 39.00 Apply to Agency
Direct Enquiries by Phone or Mail
CHRISTIE agencies limited VANCOUVER VICTORIA 198 West Hastings 610 Courtney Tel. 683-2188 Tel. 383-1323
JANUARY. 1963 r———— • —•—•• B.C.T.F. CREDIT UNION
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Comment on a Book with no more mock-ups ol depart• Review mental examinations before the Vancouver, B.C. holidays, would not be in their The Editor, desks; hence before the days of Dear Sir: holiday marking, undue teacher- Complete Rent Estotc Service fatigue, and enthusiasm at an ebb, Residential I am sorry that the reviewer of Comcrcial £• Industrial the book, You Can Trust The Com- all tests and examinations other than departmentals were held when Appraisals inun:sts (New Book Department, Property Management & Rentals T)t(, B.C. Teacher, September-Octo• the subject teacher felt them to be opportune. for personalized service call ber, 1962), showed so little know• Residential Saics Manager ledge of the background of the Once upon a time, before the author, Dr. Fred Schwarz. days of departmental heads com• BERT EDWARDS — Office MU 3-8411 Dr. Schwarz may be sincere in missioned or commandeered prim• 24 hour service his anti-Communist activities; but arily in the interests of uniformity, BELL-IRVING REALTY LIMITED the teacher had freedom to teach. he shows little respect for facts, Head ONicai 930 Pandor Si. W. often presenting a distorted one• All this, and more, was most un• North Shore Office: Park Royal sided picture. His writing is not tidy, not too amenable to regula• Member Vancouver & New Westminster that of a knowledgeable critic but tions, and very bad statistically; Real Estate Boards that of a propagandist. but most satisfying to the individ• George Kennan, former Ameri• ualist—and more than tolerable to can Ambassador to Russia, a spec• understanding officialdom with a ialist in Russian Affairs, fluent in blind eye. TEACHING the Russian language and a master Without seeking to identify Dr. strategist, might be a more reput• F. E. Ellis and R. M. Sanford with IN THE able source for information on this the above heresies, the writer does SOUTH PEACE subject. He has written about Com• acknowledge deep indebtedness S. D. 59 munism with perception, imagina• for the stimulus and challenge arising from "Education for Free• tion and close knowledge of the Opportunities for rapid advance• dom" and "Just a Teacher" in the facts. ment. Sincerely, November issue of The B.C. •fa Vacancies In administrative posts. MARILYN S. ELLIS. Teacher. Yours very truly, Openings for Primary, Intermedi• I Remember ERIC H. WHITTINGHAM, ate and Secondary teachers. Victoria, B.C. The Editor, Letter to Mr. Bryan INTERVIEWS: Dear Sir: A recruiting team will be in Van• Once upon a time, before the Lake Cowichan, B.C. couver and Victoria In February to days of school bus schedules, it was Dear Mr. Bryan: interview interested parties. Watch possible to dismiss school an hour It is always good to hear some• Lower Mainland papers for dates. earlier than usual for the purpose one else voice one's pet peeve. Just of holding a staff meeting that often to say I'm in complete agreement APPLICATIONS: included discussion educationally with your article "If I Were Teachers are invited to submit ap• beyond that concerned with imme• Teaching English," in the Novem• plications as soon as possible to: diate school routine. All the better ber issue of The B.C. Teacher. R. E. FLOWER, Especially in connection with elim• when the inspector was on the District Superintendent, scene and accepted the invitation inating grammar for grammar's S. D. 59, (Peace River South), to be present. sake and tying it in with written I029A- 105th Avenue, Once upon a time, before the and verbal communication. DAWSON CREEK, B.C. days of anxiety lest some pupils, MAMIE MOLONEY BOCGS,
JANUARY. 1963 169 The B.C.T.F. invites applications for the position of
Assistant Director of the Division of Economic Welfare
Being sought is someone with the potential to advance to the directorship of this division. Minimum requirements are experience in salary negotiations and a university degree. Applicants should state their ncord of service in B.C.T.F. activities in the economic sphere, or equivalent experience.
Duties will be to assist the Director of the Division of Economic Welfare with particular reference to: (a) preparing statistical materials; fb) conferring with and advising local associations in salary matters; (c) preparing and presenting arbitration briefs; (d) preparing briefs for presentation to the Government; (e) assisting such Federation committees as Agreements, Pensions, Workload, Sick Leave; (f) advising individual members in respect of individual salary or pension problems. Salary will be negotiated on the basis of qualifications, past experience and present earnings. Applicants are invited to state expected salary. Applications are to be submitted no later than March 31, 1963, to:
Mr. C. D. Ovans, General Secretary, 1815 West 7th Avenue, B.C. Teachers' Federation, Vancouver 9, B.C.
VICTORIA COLLEGE, VICTORIA, B.C.
Applications ore invited for faculty positions. Applications should be supported by university transcripts, roferencos, and a recent photograph.
FACULTY OF EDUCATION: Women's Physical Education, THE FERRY, QUEBEC J. W. Morrice Advanced Reading, Geography and Social Studies, History and Social Studies (one year appointment), Physical 100 Sciences. CANADIAN PAINTINGS Applications to Director of Teacher Education, Victoria Col• lege, stating agu, general and professional education and One of the 100 silk screen reproductions faithfully repro• duced in full colour by sonic 35 representative Canadian experience in public schools. artists, including A.Y. Jackson, Tom Thomson, Arthur Lismer and Charles Comfort. Sponsored by the National Gallery of Canada, these repro• ductions arc widely used in school halls, auditoriums and COUNSELLING OFFICE: Assistant Counsellor (male), with class rooms. previous experience In counselling students or in personnel Send for our illustrated catalogue with details of sizes and prices. work. State academic field.
Applications to Principal, Victoria College, Victoria, B.C. SAMPSON-MATTHEWS LIMITED 1165 LESLIE ST., DEPT. "B.C.", DON MILLS, ONT.
170 THE B. C. TEACHER lowing. Return llighl is then-lore scheduled lor August 12. CTF's plan permits teachers and their wives, husbands and children jor^our information to visit as maiiv places as they wish in South America—the undiscov• ered continent. Arrangements are being made for side trips to oilier parts ol Brazil, especially the exciting new- capital of Brasilia, and other South American countries. Individuals Opportunity to Lecture specialists in secondary school geo• will be able to choose between to British Schools graphy and history. several planned, all-inclusive tours. Teachers who are interested in Further information, and appli• An opportunity has ari.se;> for such an opportunity as the one cation forms, available from CTF, the Federation to submit a nomina• oil'ered are invited to write the 444 MacLaren Street, Ottawa 4. tion to tho Canadian Teachers' General Secretary of the Federa• But hurry! Applications must bo Federation for a teacher to go to tion, 1815 West 7th Avenue, Van• returned by January 30. England for the 1963-64 school couver 9, giving details of their year under the auspices of the background, by February 1. Nom• Commonwealth Institute of Lon• inations must reach CTF by Feb• don. The Institute annually asks Apologies Offered ruary 15. Announcement of the CTF to find two teachers who will Two errors occurred in our Nov• CTF choice will be made later. undertake lecture tours depicting ember issue for which the editors life in Canada, at the expense of wish to apologize to the authors the Institute. (One teacher has al• BCTF Scholarships concerned. ready been employed through a Applications for BCTF Scholar• Mr. Irvine Dawson, who wrote prior arrangement by the Institute; ships for Teachers for both summer "A Literary Desert Surrounds Ele• one vacancy remains to be filled.) and winter sessions should be in mentary Pupils," was identified as The majority of the talks would be the hands of Dean Walter Gage, a member of the faculty of the to primary and secondary modem Dean of Administrative and Inter- Victoria Branch of the College of school children in the age group 9 Faculty Affairs, University of B.C., Education. Mr. Dawson is actually to 11 and 11 to 15, but more for• Vancouver 8, by March 15, 1963. principal of View Royal Elemen• mal talks would also be given to The various scholarships avail• tary School, Victoria. Vth and Vlth form groups of gram• able are described in detail on Through an unfortunate com• mar schools in the 15 to 18 age pages 59 and 60 of the 1962-63 bination of circumstances, Dr. group. In the course of the 5-day edition of the BCTF Handbook. Denis C. Smith was made to say tours the teachers visit practically that "one college recorded a total every kind of school in England CTF Charier to Brazil of 73,000 hours of counselling in and arrangements are made for half hour interviews." The correct Canadian teachers now have a them to visit Teacher Training figure should, of course, have been chance-in-a-lifctime to visit South Colleges, and talk to administrators ,%000 hours. in education. America—at practically half the regular economy (light fare! The Canadian Teachers' Federa• The money available from the tion is planning a charter flight in Alherla Fellowships Institute (about £700 in fees) is July to Rio dc Janeiro, site of the Tho University of Alberta has considered sufficient for the nine 1963 WCOTP meetings. announced a number of research months of the school year, but in The price: $380 return by jet and teaching fellowships, each addition the teachers need their re• from Montreal to Rio. (Normal valued at $2,400, for graduate turn fares from Canada, plus about economy fare is $694.) TCA rales study in Educational Psychology £350 for their maintenance during Vancouver to Montreal arc $21S for the year 1963-64. These will the school holidays. This means a each return if a group of 10 or be awarded on the basis of aca• total of about £500 for a one-year more travels together. demic and professional achieve• visit, or £850 for two years. The The flight is expected to leave ment, and will be used to finance Canada Council makes a grant of about July 12 and passengers will graduate study leading to the $2,000 to each teacher and this is be given four full weeks in South M.Ed., Ed.D., and Ph.D. degrees. intended to cover such items. America. WCOTP in Rio this year In return for the fellowships candi• Experience has shown that the is slated for August 1 to 7 with re• dates will be required to render best lecturers for the -"purpose are lated meetings immediately fol• service to the extent of six hours
JANUARY. 1963 171 per week in teaching, observation $1,50(1 scholarship is a married of student teaching or assistance in man, the company increases the research. Information concerning amount by $600. Film on Drop-outs these fellowships and the programs Application forms may be ob• leading to graduate degrees may Tlie University of Southern tained from the Dean of lnler- California has released a new 11- he obtained from the Chairman. Faeulty Affairs, University of B.C., Division of Educational Psycho• ininute, Ifiinm sound, black-and- Vancouver N, and must be sub• white motion picture dealing with logy, Faculty of Education, Uni• mitted by June 30. versity of Alberta, Edmonton. the drop-out problem in the ele• Applications accompanied by mentary, junior high and senior high schools. The film, entitled transcripts of academic record and British Summer Schools the names of four suitable refer• simply "Mike," portrays a clay in Once again three universities in ences should be sent to the Chair• the life of a boy who is a drop-out, Britain have arranged a program man before February 15, 1.063. and takes the potential drop-out of international Summer Schools on a realistic journey with "Mike" The W. J. Gage Limited Re• which will be held in Oxford, and helps the student understand search Fellowship of $3,000, ten• Stratford-upon-Avon and Edin• the importance of school at this able for one 12-month period, is burgh during July and August. age. offered for competition for 1963- The University of Birmingham Further information is available 64. This award is for a suitably will offer a course on Shakespeare qualified student in a Ph.D. pro• from Film Distribution Division, and Elizabethan Drama at Strat• Department of Cinema, University gram for research in concept for• ford from July 8 to August 16. mation in and through language, of Southern California, University From July 1 to August 9 the Uni• Park, Los Angeles 7, California. preferably in children, and may versity of Oxford will offer His• be held cither in the Department tory, Literature and the Arts of of Psychology or the Division of Seventeenth-Century England. The Educational Psychology. Applica• Scottish Universities will offer at Teaching Aids Available tion forms should be obtained Edinburgh from July 1 to August The Canadian Citizenship Coun• from The Administrator of Stu• 9 British History, Philosophy and cil has published a useful booklet dent Awards, University of Alber• Literature 1688-1832. Teaching Aids Available from the ta, Edmonton, in time to be com• Fees for all courses will be £90 Departments of the Government pleted and returned by March 1, for resident students. This amount in Ottawa, The aids are listed in 1963. covers board, residence; and tui• groups under the nanus of the tion. The fees for non-resident various departments. Copies of tho students vary. booklet are available from the Du Pont Scholarships A brochure containing detailed Canadian Citizenship Council, 268 First Avenue, Ottawa 1, Ontario. Under a program instituted in information, application forms and 1956 designed to help improve other information may be obtained science and mathematics teaching from Dr. G. C. Andrew, Executive in secondary schools, Du Pont of Director, Canadian Universities Teaching Gifted Children Canada Limited makes a total of Foundation, 77 Metcalfe St., The Gifted Student—a Manual 15 grants of $1,800 each through Ottawa 4. The general closing date for Program Improvement is a re• ten participating Canadian univer• for applications is March 30, 1963. port of the Southern Regional Pro• sities, of which die University of ject for Education of the Gifted British Columbia is one. which was supported by the Car• New Study on Gifted negie Corporation. The manual is Each grant may be awarded in intended to provide guidelines for one of three ways: as a $1,500 Dr. Helen Marshall, psychologist action in the local school. It sug• scholarship in teacher training for at Stanford University, has com• gests what is good practice and a student intending to teach pleted a new study of 163 of Ter- occasionally condemns bad prac• science or mathematics; as a $1,500 man's 1,500 gifted children. Among tice. The manual is written in an scholarship to enable a science or her findings: The income of the interesting fashion and is thor• mathematics teacher to take a year men rose from $2,675 to $13,500 oughly practical. The section on of post-graduate work; or as five in the 1940-60 years, that of the the differentiated curriculum is summer scholarships of $300 each women from $2,287 to $7,800. They especially noteworthy. to give secondaiy school teachers find themselves getting more con• additional training in science or servative; Republicans outnumber While the 6,000 copies last, mathematics. For each $1,500 Democrats two to one. Their teachers and administrators may scholarship, the company grants greatest satisfactions: work, mar• obtain a free copy by writing $300 to the university for admini• riage, children—in that order. Southern Regional Education stration costs. If a winner of a Ed press Nczuslettcr, Board, 130-Sixth Street NW, At• November 2(i, 1902. lanta 13, Georgia.
172 THE B. C. TEACHER CANADA'S No. 1 CAR IN 1963 PONTIAC
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JANUARY. 1963 173 COLIN BROWN
The author thinks that loo little attention is paid to the training of students in good study habits and that teachers, with a full program, especially al the junior secondary level, loo often have too little lime to develop study lechnupu's. Mr. Brown would call upon parents to bear their share of the load.
MllS CARVETH WAS waiting impatiently when you, yourself, have been doing a tough job for a I rushed into the office to keep my appointment for good many years, and need a rest from it, from super• an interview with a parent. vising Tom. I have a plan that Mr. Carveth could After we had commented on the weather, the noise put to work without any more than a business-like of the school bell, and the stampede she, had just approach to any job. He won't be doing the home• survived in the halls, she arrived at the point of her work, merely strawbossing an efficient job to bo done visit. by Toin." "I want to know what's to be done about Tom's "Well, it sounds good to me," sighed Mrs. Carveth. homework. He never has enough. Every night he "I'll see if I can get Mr. Carveth to come in soon. whips through it and wants to watch TV. /Vll 1 do Thanks For giving up your time." these days is nag, nag, nag. And he does hardly any Tom's father arrived al the school two days later work. I wouldn't mind if he got good marks, but lie's with an air of "Let's get down to business—I've had getting lower and lower every report card, ever since the full dose from my w'1'1—you're the doctor." he got into this school. Can't his teachers check up I whipped out my gii nick again and explained on him? Does anyone here ever give him assign• it all to Mr. Carveth. He was surprisingly receptive, ments? As far as I can see, he's going to have to willing to try anything. This seemed to be it! switch to general program and we don't want that." When we had finished, I gave him the sheet to Mrs. Carveth and her anxieties were par for the take home. We shook hands, and I offered to find course after the October reports. I whipped out my out in two weeks whether any of this effort had made trusty little gimmick—a sheet of paper containing a any difference in Tom's work. I saw in the eyes of message for both parents and students regarding study Mr. Carveth a new security for Tom, and a glint of habits and homework. I kept this sheet just out of her challenge to be met by Mr. Carveth. reach—a distant hope. "Mrs. Carveth, is your husband worried about Tom, Homework is Scheduled too? Would he be willing to help?" I am fortunate enough to work in a school district "Yes, but he's tired at night and besides, he never where principals and teachers insist that each student finished high school and doesn't want to be bothered; carry either a specially ruled homework keytab or a he's just too tired." blank timetable sheet for recording each day's assign• "Mrs. Carveth, if you could arrange to have your ments. husband phone the school secretary about coming Tho tradition is there. Each student whips out his in to see me, I think I can assure you that we can homework record book or sheet each period and work something out for Tom's benefit." writes down the details of the work assigned. A father "Oh, I don't think Mr. Carveth could get time off; can be glad of this knowledge. He can ask to see the besides, he doesn't think it's his job to look after home• assignments each night. It gives him an anchor for llie work." planned study outlined below. "Now that Tom is a teenager, it becomes increas• When Tom goes home each evening, he and his ingly important that changes are made in the father can sit down with this homework record and methods we all use in developing his sense of respon• organize a timetable for the evening's study. Here is sibility. It's been my experience that teenaged boys a sample timetable. respond best to a father's enthusiasm. On top of this, Short-term assignments: L. learn punct. rules p. 16 — 10 minutes Mr. Brown, on the staff of West Vancouver Secondary 2. French vocab. p. 26 — 15 minutes School, has been counselling for ten years. 3. Math. prob. p. 75 — 15 minutes
174 THE B. C. TEACHER I,ong-tcrin assignments: dents and parents will encourage this parent to see 1. l'lan for Kn. Kssav .15 in ii iuti's that it really does work if applied properly. 1 point out 2. S.S. Map 10 111 i I 1111 < • s that one student's marks jumped two letter grades Examination Study (all ill after one term's work under this organized plan. Now, when teachers comment on report cards that Social Studies •15 niiuiit-.'S " • needs to reorganize his home study habits," TOTAL 110 minutes the steps to take are obvious to parents. As a coun• minimum sellor, J have never met a teacher who feels that this type of advice is an interference. In fact, most There is no need to explain to Mr. Carveth the teachers arc grateful lor the changed outlook of their intricacies of the homework for short-term and long- students. term studies as Tom, himself, is fully aware of the 1 encourage students to see teachers concerning the work to be done. Mr. Carveth is responsible for in• work which the teaclier hopes to accomplish in class sisting that Tom write down this timetable before he by the next examination period. The student will then starts, and is responsible for seeing that this amount be able to summarize the course ahead of class les• of time is spent on each job. By the way, if Tom can• sons, will be able to discuss fully any new work taken not finish a specified job in his specified time, he up in class in the light of his forward progress in the pushes the books away from him, leaving them open text. It is not a case of pulling the wool over a teacher's at the right pages, goes on with the next jobs, and eyes; it is a case of a student taking renewed interest in the course. returns to the unfinished business at the end of his whole timetable. Next time, he will estimate more Mr. Carveth will contact: the school from time to accurately the timing of the job. Next time, he will time. He will ask if a tutor would help in weak sub• work more efficiently. jects. He will ask if his son is taking part in too many The whole effect here is TIME-PARENT PRES• activities. He won't be a nuisance, this father, because SURE. The effect on Tom is that he no longer his questions will be aimed directly. No longer will wonders what books to work on next; he knows! we have the problem of "Can't his teachers check up Examination study is something that too few stu• on him?" Mr. Carveth knows his job, and he knows the teachers' jobs. Tom may not have enough short- dents understand and it is at this point that Mr. Car• term assignments, but he can always review the work veth and I get into a real huddle. At the outset, it is taken and summarize his text and any other refer• very difficult to supervise real work despite the fact ence book on the subject. that 1 have explained it already to Tom. I tell Mr. Carveth that if Tom has decided to study social studies all this week for 45 minutes to an hour The Plan Works a night, then he must be systematic. 1 suggest the Let me be enthusiastic enough to say that the plan following attack: does work, has' worked, and will work with the 1. Read through your notebooks to see what the majority of cases. Let me be realistic enough to say teacher has emphasized. that where it doesn't work, it just can't. Tour will 2. Read through the text book quickly to gather a be efficient in his study habits this year. Tom's work general impression of tlie whole course so that you can habits and his study habits will be better. All this see what the textbook writer is trying to emphasize. because Tom's father, mother and Tom himself, arc Read only those chapters which your teacher has desperately in need of guidance only. selected, but read them quickly. For every successful case like Tom's, there will be 3. Make up a summary sheet straight from the text• five or six complete or semi-failures. Home condi• book, listing chapter, section and paragraph headings, tions, emotional problems, personality clashes, and and, under those, listing important details (especially too great a period of time since the learning of funda• those difficult to remember). This is done by skim- mentals all contribute. reading. All students need training in this or they will With regard to the ability of the child, I make it put down too many details. Guidance teachers are clear that we don't expect more than C marks as Tom's usually glad to help train students in making up sum• best after all this study program is developed, or mary sheets. English teachers—in fact all teachers- that we do expect Tom's highest mark to be B in his have students practise this in regular classtimc. By best subjects, depending upon his standard achieve• explaining the system to Mr, Carveth, 1 reinforced the ment level based on his I.Q. and upon his past per• training Tom was receiving in school. I bring Mr, formance in academic subjects. Carveth into the picture. Now he can judge whether By the way, parents, after such an interview, are or not Tom is studying for examinations properly. most receptive to the suggestion that their offspring The keynote of this interview with parents is "opti• are capable of achievement only on the general pro• mism." Parents of teenagers are notoriously discour• gram, the commercial program or what have you in aged by their own efforts to get the most out of their your school. Rapport has been established. Take it offspring. A few statistics on past successes with stu• from Ihcrc.-^r
JANUARY. 1963 H. M. PALSSON BCTF President
R.ECENTLY WE HAVE directed our thoughts to• by our efforts are raising our status without the com• ward age-old phrases—"Peace on earth, Goodwill to plex pare1.1 body which some of us refer to as the men"—"Ring out the old, ring in the new"—and some BCTF. of us have seriously resolved to do better in our day Finally, are we prone to believe, in our local asso• to day living. Unfortunately the good intentions of ciations, that as a local we are autonomous to the Peace, Goodwill and a multitude of resolutions are extent of being overly ii'dependent of the parent not always adhered to by all men in the present day body? world. To understand why this is so is difficult, for A long time ago, micro-organisms continued to exist the majority of us want peace; a good many of us only when they worked in colonies. Individual cells want to help our world brothers in times of strife and behaving independently were wiped out, and today disaster, and most of us want in some way to become exist only as geological specimens. More complex better citizens in our relations with our fellow men. organisms suffered a like fate when they failed to Lack of understanding, ignorance, arrogance and group together in order to promote their species. false nationalism are responsible for most of the differ• Still more complex forms of life learned the need for ences of opinion expressed by nations of opposing co-operation and united activity to continue their ideologies today. Only a sincere attempt to under• existence. Surely from the past we must recognize the stand, to study, to be humble, to recognize inter• necessity for a "oneness" within the group if we arc national brotherhood will overcome present day going to achieve our goals, world problems. Any action which we take, either individually, as Perhaps a somewhat similar situation exists within local associations, or as specialized groups, should be our own Federation. Perhaps as an organization we taken only in terms of the total effect on the group. fail to recognize our purposes. Perhaps many of us Within united group action lies the strength of the do not put forth the effort necessary to understand Federation. Let us then resolve at this season to have those purposes. Perhaps as individuals we feel that Peace within the ranks and Goodwill to all those we can do just as well without the Federation; we associated with the education of the youth of the believe we are doing our jobs in our classrooms and world .V«r
Staff Room Static But teachers have been so busy listening that they Continued from page 135 haven't taken the time to speak out in their own behalf. They listen to everyone tell them what to teach humility all of the burdens and responsibilities others and how to teach it. They listen to politicians and would thrust upon them. No teacher worthy of the some trustees tell them how more and more children name should permit a parent of a child in his class• can be taught in a classroom. Even architects tell room to think for one moment that the child is getting them what kind of buildings are needed for education the best service which can be provided, if class num• today. More of the same is in the cards unless teachers bers, course load, multi-grades, or extra duty and learn that only teachers can speak for themselves.-^- responsibility prevent that quality of service. —Reprinted from The ATA Magazine, December, 19G2.
176 THE B. C. TEACHER lil' - CATALYSIS
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