5 FEBRUARY 1954, Page 13

SIR, —If the anlysis of ' Perplexed' were correct, there would

be a brisk supply of good candidates for teaching; in fact employers are complaining of shortages and deterioration of quality.

He states correctly that teachers average about 25 ' class-contact' hours. One does not, however, reckon a railway booking clerk's week as the number of minutes actually spent in issuing tickets. If you include lesson pre- paration and marking, supervision and 'duties', and inevitable stand-by time in waiting for classes, the time on the job for the efficient teacher is about 30 hours per week in a modern school, 34 in a grammar school, 36 and upwards in a college of further education. DOUGLAS W. FRANKLIN 20 Smitham Donor Road, Purley, Surrey