The seventh annual conference of the National Union of Elementary
Teachers has been held this week at Liverpool, and it appears from their debates that at least some of these useful public servants really think that the only persons fit to inspect elementary schools are men who have themselves been school teachers. Mr. Smith moved and Mr. Rankellor seconded an amendment on a motion to the effect that the Inspectorate ought to be opened to practical teachers, re- quiring that the inspectors should be taken exclusively from the ranks of "experienced elementary teachers ;" and this amendment seems to have had substantial support, though the opinion of the meeting was against it, and it was fortunately withdrawn. That showed the good-sense of the Conference, though it is hardly creditable to them that so exaggerated a view should have received any adhesion at all. What would be thought of a condition that all the inspectors of factories or coal mines should have been factory operatives or colliers, or that all Poor-law Inspectors should have been Poor-law Guardians ? What you want in In- spectors is a mind conversant enough with the matters inspected to master the detail, but above all, not too much prepossessed with the prejudices of the class into whose efficiency and short- comings it is proposed to inquire. There is every reason why elementary teachers of exoeptionally large views should have access to the Inspectorships, but also every reason why the ranks of the Inspectors should contain a considerably greater number of men who never were elementary teachers. As a rule, you do not go to the members of a clique for the freshest and most in- structive view of the clique which they represent.
Previous page
