WOMEN TEACHERS FOR BOYS ?
Stu,—The President of the National Association of Schoolmasters recently pleaded that boys (presumably all those above the "infant " stage) should be taught by men. This has been urged by schoolmasters (who, after all, have been small boys themselves and should understand them better than women) almost annually for a quarter of a century or more. Yet successive Ministries of Education not only ignore the plea, but seem determined to bring more and more boys under the domination of female teachers. May an old schoolmaster, who had long experience in various types of schools, venture a protest?
To begin with, it is futile to argue from the particular to the general. Doubtless others will write to say that Miss A. "loves " her class of small boys ; that Miss B. manages to interest hers keenly in their lessons ; that Miss C. has hers under perfect control ; or that Miss D.'s are devoted to her. All this is beside the point. The. principle of the thing is what matters. Let us look at it from a psychological point of view. About the age of seven (often earlier, rarely later), the small boy begins to realise that he is no longer a nondescript child, but a boy growing up to be a man. If his father is the right type, he takes him as his model. I suggest that from now onwards it is his birthright to be mainly at least in the hands of men. His mother will supply the needful feminine influence, but nurses, governesses and schoolmistresses should have no further hand in his upbringing. Will those who disagree give (if they can) clear and convincing reasons why small boys should not be taught by men?—Yours faithfully, Ex-DomIN1E.
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