DEVONPORT PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 30, 3 February 1894, Page 2

DEVONPORT PUBLIC SCHOOL.

MR BENGE'S DISMISSAL,

MEIfTtfG AT DEV-ONPORT.

PETITION TO THE BOARD OF

EDUCATION.

Last evening a public meeting was heldl iv ihe Devonporb Hall with reference to the fecenb dismissal of Mr Alfred H. Benge headmaster of the D^onporb Public School, by the Auckland Board of Education. Nobhwibhatandifag* the shortness of ihe notice there was a large and representative attendance of parents and othera residing ab the North Shore. UiE. ,W, Alieo.D.^ayar of Devoupoit, waa voted to the chair. He explained the t,biecb of'the meeting, an* stated - that people we»e thefo to consider what, action they should, take with regard to the rliaSal of Mr Benge by the Board of Educa tion... There was* hesaid, a large representative* attendance of those who desired to gxprflsa Jheir sympathy with. Mr Benge, S to assist him, Sub he thought that if the meeting were to be postponed, an even larger attendance would be obtained whea more notice waa given. The meeting, however, decided to proCSMr Gerald L.'Peacockfi eaid that the meeting was called hurriedly, at the requesb of a number of 'householders, who were anxious, to • protest against the undue severity of the sentence ton Mr Bengo. lor eleven years past, he went oh to say, ' Mr Benge had been a model teacher and a ' thoroughly good citizen at Devonporb. The demeanour of the children and their conduct in every respect reflected great credit on their' headmaster, to whom the thanks, and, grafciude of every parent were due. ' "(Applause.) It was remarkable thab in this case of Mr Benge s his paßb record should have been entirely ignored when sentence was passed on him. His long years of faithful aud arduous service^ ,wibhoub any "black marks" againab him, should have been taken into consideration when the verdict was being arrived at. It was quite possible that the Board of Educatio.a bad settled the mabter somewhat hurriedly,, 'the .amendnienb to allow him to resign was 'negatived, which looked very much as if the Board were determined to jnflj^b the veryheaviesb and gravest penalty which was'in their power. He thought thab they might feel h'b to alter their decision," and helio'ped they would. (Applause.) The large attendance thab evening in spite Of the .short notice given and the web weatEer, showed how very strong was the f feeling in Devonporbin favour of Mr Benge. Thß effect pt the Board's decision would .be to actually debar Mr Bohge from l" flte^ping a "living. ''After 22 years of school teaching, what else could he engage in, now that his profession had been taken away from Kirn. if they liad merely suspended Mr Benge for a while—granting tbab he wstß guilby of the alleged offences—the sentence would have been quite heavy enough. The Board 8 decision meant absolute and complete ruin to Mr Benge, who was a man ■who had carried out hia duties amongst them most punctiliously and successfully. (Applause.) H.e (Mr Peacocke) admitted the necessity for punishing faults, but in thjs case there were particular circumstances surrounding bhe mabter so that ib was nbsolutely necessary, in the interests of justice and mercy, thab bhe Board, should übe induced to make some reversion of the very severe sentence which they bad imposed. (Applause.) Capbain Steel© considered thab Mr Benge had been very harshly dealb with.. ' 'Without wishing to palliate any offence, he considered chat the past service of Mr Benge to the Board aim to Devon- \ port,, should have been taken into account. Nob only in school work, bub in athletics, swimming, theatricals, and in many other wiys, he done hia best to get tha young people of Devonport on in bhe world, and > that should entitlo him to the gratitude and help of the parents of Devonporb. (Applause.) Mr.Rt lioche said thab he had been a resident in the Waikato when Mr Benge vnuMa" charge of a school there, and the children of his school were always known by their polite demeanour and their civil ways. There was no larrikinism in the plac6 amongst the schoolboys, and no bad behaviour, and that should count for a '. great deal, (Applause.) '^r.Mrf^Niccol also considered thab the sentence was too severe. •Mr Peacocke moved tho following reaolu-

tions :—"1/ That .■ thia meeting of parents and others in Devonport School district views with regret the undue severiby under alithe circumstance of the deciaion arrived at by the Auckland Education Board with xe^ard bo the absolute dismissal of Mr Alfred Benge, the headbeacher, as a result Of the Devonporb School inquiry, and trusts the Board may see its way to the re-ap-pointDaen.t Mr Benge ab an early date. 2. That this meeting expresses ita high apjireciation of Mr. Benge's abilicy and untidng energy in. the discharge of his duties as hettdmaster of the Devon port School for th.c i?aeb 11 yeafe, and bhe special efforts he has made in the interests of the school and

of .the children under his charge. Wbilab ptjrjiiing irith him, this taeebinf^reccrds ifcs conviction that he has rendered great services^ a teacher and trainer of children in t_his,4ißtricfc, and that he will give satisfaction wherever lie may be employed in a »miik»* capacity." .Mr I?eftcocke said he bad been a teacher jifnafealf for two years, and he knew how readily such accusations as thoee lodged against Mr Benge could bo made, and h&w trivial occurrences could, bo magnified into crimes of great import), It was the system of iospecbioii that wan at fault, and not fibe inspectors themselves or the teachers. In Mr Bongo's cauo the circumstances surrounding the case were such as to very greatly mitigate themoral guilt&ttaching to the !offence of which. Mr JJenge had been adjudged guilty. They knew that when Mr Bengo first cams to the school it was in a state of great demoralisation, but he had "licked" it into shape, and now tba school was second to none in poisib of discipline and general progress. Ib would be a tnost lamentable thing to deprive the country of the services of such a capable teacher. The Rev. J. Bates seconded the proposition and in doing so said that Mr Benge had been almost brutally treated in this

matter.

A Eian's previous record should

weigh with the jury, and then ib was not ijuifce cleafr to everyone that Mr Benga was ■really guilty. (Loud applause*) There weife very many who considered that Mr Benge'a removal from tho school should have atoned for all* if any, mistakes. Mr »Batefi paid abigh tribute to Mr Bengo's vteaching abilities aud to his general uprightness.

/Mr Wilkinson, formerly Chairman of the : School Com.mittee, Bpoke fco similar effecb. Tii6 Chairman said th&b oven admitting '.the charges. bo be provtid, no harsher eontenca could ilavia been passed by the Board far the greatest offence in its category of offeaces., JVsr many yeara Mr Bengehad held a tasdel record in Devonporb—socially, morally and, in every otbar respect—and Be urged thab such' a character should be v takea iisto account by the Board. Ib was only fair (he said) bhaJb they sbould romgmber to temper justice wifcH mercy. I; The ; raoL-i«>n of Mr Peacocke waa carried uaaaimously airiidsb loud applause. Mi Oi Mays, Ghairsnan of School Cemmitbee, saM it) bad pleased him-to hear the opiSkffls 4f bbc parents on the matter, and ac one regretted more than he tho decision cHfte &da;r\J. Ho Wiiil3 tld all he could ba *M6iab Mr 'B'wpa ~ Ort the ujoiiion of Captain Steelo, it was ■i3acidesl thai) a Commibbee bb appointed tc prepare a petitiers for sigaatura Rnd prol BSfltafcion ti; too Board of Education, prayfaff ttftti boiy to taksj ititv c*asideratie»

Mr Boiige's'pasb record, and tp reconsider their sentence of dismissal. The following tnembsrs of Committee were, elected :— Mesara E. W. Alison, 3tee)e, Harvoy, M. Niccpl,. Wjlkinspn, 0. Maya, G. P-oacocke, aucl Ilev. if. Bates. ■ —' - It was decided thab the petition should be signed by. F3f erjt8.PJ"'.?yf bub ibwaa also SUgaeated that a petition should bo preser.teu' to bho Board by bhe residents and ex-pupils-of Mr Ben;-.:. A vofco of thanks fco the Chairman, and three hearty cheers for Mr Benge, concluded tbo meeting.