Recently someone sent me a faded photo of my standard four class in Lower Hutt, 75 years ago.
The oddities vis a vis the current situation were first, a total of 44 of us. I’m told in state schools today the maximum class size at that age is nearer 30 or less and in private schools, about 20.
But the strangest feature was the gender ratio, specifically 16 boys and 28 girls, God knows why there was such an imbalance.
Other oddities compared with today was not one fat kid and the male teacher, Mr Nicholson, spectacled, besuited and moustached. It wasn’t until I went to secondary school that I encountered female teachers, and then very few.
Imagine today a bloke telling you he was a primary school teacher. One would view him as embarrassingly wet, but back in those post war blue collar days, any white collar and suit-wearing job, of which there were few, automatically commanded prestige.
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And all the teachers wore a suit.
Like you I didn’t have any women teachers till high school and to be frank they might as well have worn a suit, not many moustaches though.
I too remember classes numbering late 30s to 40 in the 60s. They were the norm but I don’t think we were disadvantaged as the style of teaching was much more formal. I had only one lady (in those days) primary school teacher, the rest were men and ‘formally dressed’.
Excellent. Good old days, before socialism!
We had a Labour government from 1935! And while I’m sure there were plenty of National voting teachers there were lots of Labour ones too.
In the UK my wife said there were 60 in her primary school classes!
I remember when I was in standard one, the teacher persuaded the whole class to sign a petition opposing the Manapouri power station due to the adverse effect on the natural environment. She never mentioned the alternative was running more fossil fuel powered power stations.
An interesting development, and I’ve seen most of it.
The big change has been females entering the workforce. Being a parent myself, might I suggest the hours of holidays suited the female of the house. Typically, they were expected to cook dinner. How times have changed
I was unlucky enough to be a child that experienced divorcing parents, however with no dpb mum had to go out working. The odd mouth was washed out with soap in afterschool didn’t harm. The carer who probably be jailed for this today.
While not exclusive to teachers, what females have brought to the workforce is a different approach to decision making and discipline. Males need very different discipline to that of females.They now have a dominant presence in government jobs, and this created this imbalance in direction. Generally, they are far more risk averse, and this has been to the detriment of males and wider society. The concern is global organisations.now dominate the landscape, and strifle the growth of new ideals. The bravery and extreme hard work of Elon Musk being the exception.
Going forward, we can only hope those in power see the value of readdressing this imbalance, so that we see more invention through risk taking; and a better future for all.
Mr Nicholson became the Science teacher at Naenae Intermediate for my Form 1 and 2 years. Remember him well, suit, spectacles, moustache and all!
Sir Bob,
Mate I love reading your blog, and enjoy your blunt, direct, to the point views, which I mostly support as you intend them to be received.
I also agree if I met a bloke that said he taught kids at Primary School, my impression would be unfair (similar to a Catholic Priest – although those buggers are clever enough to leave the collar at home and bull-shit if asked how they earn a crust).
Fact is we need more blokes teaching young kids. I sat next to a young man, who taught 11/12 year old children in South Auckland (for a pittance), at a wedding in Sydney. He was a fantastic bloke, he shared his struggles as a male teacher at a decile one school.
My view changed from what you implied in your blog, to one of a young hero with the ability to provide a future for these kids to aspire to, other than a prison cell.
Thanks for providing some humour while we traveled through a dark period of wokeness.
(I just loved your views on that Green MP you called a turd – lucky turds don’t have feelings).
Tony Wood
As a young teacher in the 60s I can tell you that it was the women teachers who started the decline in dress standards. We all wore a tie and proper shoes. Many women started wearing jandals/sandals and substandard clothing compared to the men
Sir Bob,
I greatly admired the journalism on display at the NZ Herald website today. From and article entitled: “Auckland police make arrest after 14-year-old boy killed in hit-and-run”
” … A group of students could also be seen performing a haka as the van approached.
Kaea’s family could be seen embracing students, while others could be seen in tears.”
How many ‘could be seen’s can one expect from two sentences?
Cheers and best regards.
Richard H.
Any chance you might comment on the tax payer funded Left Estate corrupt propaganda attack on David Seymour as Act valiantly attempts to save our country from LabourGreen Marxist insanity ?
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