MR O'DONOGHUE'S GRIEVANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 4278, 9 February 1884, Page 2

MR O'DONOGHUE'S GRIEVANCE.

Boports Uy Inspooto.rs of Schools. Thk disputed question nf the head-master!» ;;.,:■!•.! of KdnoriHon again yesterday ctftor- 1 noon, wlion it wn* agreed, on the motion biffi ■•■ ■ <"■■>■■■>■:■■■■■"- '«■"■ '■ ■■-'■ ■■;■-•':.'■'.r; Qn - |~, ~.viM-M. :>n- n. uii.,,,r»trM., o . Head, master of Waiokaraka School, lvrot « asking who furnished information concerning him published in the leading column of the Star, and also requesting information ; regarding the Inspector's report adverse to him. The following minutes on Mr O'Dono. I ghue's letters were submitted by the I n . specter":—(l) Ido not consider the manner in which Mr O'Donoghuo has conducted tho Waiokaraka School to be such as to entitle him. to tho head-mastership of an itn- 8 portantschool like Newton East.— R. J, Q'g' (2) The Board will judge of this letter them" ''I selves. I would suggest that the writer' I who has forwarded one memorandum from an Inspector, be asked to furnish tho meiaorandum ho received from me, and the memorandum he received from Mr Peaeocke '■% after the last standard examination of the I Waiokarnkn School, or copy of the same I ": f submit to flic Beard the correspondence with ■ the writer as to the stute bo left the Tuakau I School, find also a letter of 19th July, I^B3 from tbeteacherof theWuiokarakiiHchoo',in I reply to a memorandum of mine in whiehltijM J obliged to toll him that judging irumrumlts ■ "'■*' i>o of"little value.■-■H.'',)."blii!-Vario U 8 i reports of Inspectors on Mr O'Ponoghne's work and cmalifications were then sub- 9 milted. Tho first was by Mr Goodwin on • the Tuakau School, on June 2ud, 1882 *• 3 and stated:—"The results at the late standard examination at this school are I very unsatisfactory, both as regards tha percentage of passes and tho character of the work done. The percentage of passes I to numbers examined is but 24, while on tho two previous examinations, 1880 and' ; 1881, it was over 75." An explana- ; tion was forwarded to this by Mr O'Donoghue, and Mr O'Sullivan then wrote I as follows :—"Keferring to your explana. : tion of tho failure of the Tuakau School at the Lite examination, it appears evident to the Board, from your own showing, that -f tho system of teaching pursued by you at I Tuakau was not one of training, but pure 1 9 cramming. You assume, unconsciously all I through your explanation that the pupils ■ ■ failed in an examination for a maximum of results. It is perfectly plain that no ■ ; children properly trained could have broken down so wretchedly in an examination for a maximum only. The crammed children I who are always veiy helpless, broke down I for want of that last month's stuffing you '$ describe. A system of teachiug which requires such stuffing to produce any result is worse than worthless."—Under date of July 19, 1883, Mr Peaeocke reports • on Waiokaraka School as follows i—"This school, when taken over by the present ' teacher, was' in a very bad state, but allowing for this, I think that tho sohool might have made a better result after a lapseof twelve months. Tho writing was very inferior in most of tho standards, and arithmetic and composition both very V weak. lam glad to be able to report that ■''< in tho discipline of the school there is a £ manifest improvement, and in the general : appearance and tidiness of the building a ■'■ great change has been wrought by the present teacher."—Mr O'Sullivan followed this up by sending a letter of complaint to Mr O'Donoghuo, to which that gentleman replied :—" Waiokaraka School. I havo to add that if tho results of my ■ Jj teaching and supervision appear to be of little value, I can't help that they are so. I I have worked hard and earnestly to redaoe the school to a satisfactory state since I 1 came here, and it is not in my power to work harder or more earnestly in the future. g —Some further correspondence was read, and it, was agreed, on the motion of Mr 1 Cooper, that Mr O'Donoghuo bo written or I telegraphed to, notifying him that Master Parr would bo questioned re the telegram published in the " Herald " and other mat- I tern connected with the scholarship exam- ! ination, and that he might be present if he •;■ so desired.