CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 164, 14 July 1890, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

) THE PATUMAHOE SCHOOL. (To the Editor.) Sib,—ld your issue of Tuesday, July Bth, I see an account of a presentation of a purse of sovereigns and a testimonial to Mr A. Short, head-teacher of Patumahoe school, on his removal to Paparata, and it would be uiiwortby of notice were it nob for the fact that it would appear from the account that the householders of Patumabbe Bchool district) as a 'majority regretted the teacher's removal. However, quite the contrary is the fact, as the Patumahoe School Committee some tima ago were unanimous in requesting the Board of Education to remove Mr Short, as the Cocamittee found it impossible to work in harmony with him—the teacher, by his action in connection with the Committee, apparently feeling that he was entirely independent of the Committee and in no way to be guided by the Committee's instructions. The Board of Education, upon receipt of the Committee's resolution, placed Mr Short's name upon the list for removal, which has just taken place, contrary to the intermittent action of a minority and of the teacher himself. No doubt the action of the Board was a wise one, as by ignoring tjjie just wishes of local committees, a verjf undesirable precedent would bo established, by" placing the teachers above the Committees, and thus making the election of committees by the householders a mere farce. Teachers, as a rwle, from having the management of children in school, and having their entire control, acquire the feeling of a right to exercise the same influence aparb from actual school teaching.—l am, etc., Joseph Henry. i Secretary of the Patumahoe School Committee. Mauku, July 9th, 1890.