MOUNT EDEN DISTRICT SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 212, 6 September 1892, Page 8

MOUNT EDEN DISTRICT SCHOOL.

ALLEGED EXPULSION OF A BOY,

At a special meeting of the Board of Education to-day, evidence was taken in a complaint made against Alfred Hosking, headmaster of the Mount Eden School, by Mr C. Nichols for alleged expulsion of hia boy Cyrus from the (school. Mr Nichols, Mr Hoskinj, and Messrs W. H. Cooper and E. S. Medloj (members of the Mounb Eden School Committee) were present. The complaint of Mr C. Nichols was to tho effect that on the morning of July 12th last hia son Cyrus went to the Mount Eden School, and took with him an orange for his dinner. The boy had left his bag at school on the previous day, and took the orange in his hand intending to put it into hia bag when he gob into th& school. On marching into tho school the boy put hia hand behind his back, and had the orange in his hand. Mr Hosking, the headmaster, took the orange from the boy, aaying, " It is disgraceful to come into school ia that manner. He would nob allow it." The boy replied: "It is my dinner, sir." Mr Hosking said "it was untidy and a disgrace.'. Mr Hosking then put the orange on tho mantel-shelf and told the boy that it was not. to be touched till dinner time. Afterwards Mr Hosking left the room, and Miss Steele, the teacher of the class, called the roll. When the name of Cyrus Nichols was called he replied " Here." The name was called again when the boy replied " Here, miss. Miss Steele then told him to stand out of the class, and she would report him to Mr Hosking for impertinence as ho bad not answered as other boys did. Shortly afterwards a boy named Kolly was ordered to stand out, and he whispered to Nichols, "Score your orange, Nichols." He replied, "No. I'll go home at playtime." Miss Steele ordered the boy to write the conversation on a elate, when it was shown to Mr Hoaking, who said, "I'll give you something to go home with." The boy waß then caned by Mr Burton, being held by Mr Hosking. Afterwards Mr Hosking said to the boy : " Now you can go home, and I'll close the door on you." At the recess tho boy went home and told his mother what had occurred: Subsequently she saw Mr Hosking ut the school. Ho stated in answer to her questions that the boy was impertinent, and that ho would not discuss the case with her, and to take it to the Committee. In explanation, Mr Hosking stated that he told the boy Nichols that if he went home at playtime without permission he should not allow him to come back. The boy did loavo the school without permission, and consequently when he returned, he sent him home for gross misconduct. Mr Hosking stated at the time that if the boy opologioed before his class, where he defied school authority, he had no desire to shut him out of the school. In introducing the matter to the Board, Mr Nichols touched on the several points of hia complaint given above. He stated that from inquiry he had made among tho children of the school he found that it was not customary for them to e&y "here,

misß," when the roll was called. He considered the punishment the boy received was too severe, and Mr Nesbitt and other witnesses would confirm this. Mr Nichols aaid that he did not blame Mr Burton for administering the thrashing, 38 Mr Hosking was present and held tho boy. He contended that the boy leaving the school and going home was only natural after he had been thrashed, and that his expulsion was not warranted. Mr Nichols went on to say that when Mrs Nichols took the boy back to the school, Mr Hosking treated her discourteously and refused to hear what she had to cay. He had the signatures of 22 children in the class showing that the hoy was not impertinent. Mr Cooper said that the Mount Eden School Committee had fully inquired into the matter, and'they considered that the boy had not been expelled from the school. The boy defied school authority and school discipline. Mr Medley, secretary of the School Committee, remarked that the boy could have gone back to the school if he had apologised. Several pupils of the school were examined by Mr Nichols, with the object of showing that it was not usual to reply " here, miss," when the school roll was called.

Mra Stodart stated that she saw the boy twelve days after he was thrashed. The marks were distinct, and looked as if the boy had been severely punished. Mr R. B. Nesoitt, a former member of the Mount Eden Committee, stated that he saw the boy the day after he was thrashed. He considered that ho had been severely thrashed.

Cyrus Nichols stated that he would : 14 years of age next February. lio'v flogged on the hands and back by Mr Li;. ton. He received three strokes on tiii hand and three on the back. Mr Hopkins said that he could go home at playtime, but that ho would close the door on him. He understood that Mr Hoflking gave him permission to go home.

Miss Sreele stated that she did not hear the boy answer his name the first time hia name was called. On the second occasion the boy paid '"here," in tho mo.^t uncivil tone imaginable. She reported him to Mr Hofiking. Tho children wore not allowed to leavo tho echool during intervale for play. Mr Burton, tho teacher who administered the thrashing, stated that ho pave the boy three strokes on tho hand and three on the back, at tho direction of Mr Hosking, the head teacher. Ho did not use any special severity or lose his temper. It was the only time he had puniahod Nichols.

This was all the evidence, and Mr Hoaking made a short statement to the Board. He said that him Steele reported the boy to him ior. impertinence and for stating that he would go home at play time. He ordered that Nichols should receive half-a-dozen strokes. The boy left tho echool without permission and ho sent the boy home for misconduct. If the boy had apologised he would have taken him back in the school,

Mr Nichols, in reply, contended that the boy should not have been called upon to apologise, as ho was unjustly punished. Mr Luke said that he entirely agreed with the action of tho Committee in the matter.

Mr Muir thought that the boy should go back to the school without apologising to the head master.

Mr Udy 3aid it was absolutely necessary that tho diecipline of a school should be maintained. If a boy deliberately disobeyed he should suftbr.

On tho motion of Mr Moat, it was resolved, " That tho Board, having made inquiry into the case of Cyrus Nicholls, of the Mount Eden School, sees no reason to disagree with tho decision of the Committee thereon, but considers that much annoyance might have been avoided if the Committee had fully investigated MrNicholla'e complaint on tho first occasion."