"A HOT TIME."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 133, 28 February 1908, Page 4

"A HOT TIME."

A TEACHER'S TROUBLES, HAUASSED BY HIS COMMITTEE. It is a weakness in our national system of education that some School Committees, whose function it should be, in addition to tho purely administrative responsibilities laid upon them by, the Education Act, to assist the teachers in their respective districts in promoting' tho welfare of their particular schools, take such a view of their duties jt-hat teachers aro sometimes involved in ' irritating situations. > Some members of School. Committees have an exaggerated sense of their responsibilities, and frequently attempt to "run" the school according to' their own' particular ideas of school management.

In a certain school district, not a hundred miles from this city, for the last seven years the head-teacher of the school has . led a life which has not exactly been, a bed of roses. Matters have ; now reached such a stage between the Committee, and himself that,, to quote this teacher's . own words, 110 now, "lias his back to the wall." . His experiences throw a painful light .011 a state of affairs which certainly should not be suffered, to. continue. According to the account supplied to 11s, tho teacher referred to took'chargo of this school in tlio face of considerable opposition on tho part of tho Committee with respect to -his appointment by the Education Board, and ever since; that timo the Committee has ondeavoured to thwart, him' in

every possible way. On 0110 occasion liO :Was . asked, about a mouth Before the annual examination of his school by tlio Board's inspectors, to get up a concert in aid of the piano fund. Tliis lie considered an unreasonable' demand, but, .after vainly protesting, the entertainment was organised. .Later, when tho instrument had been duly purchased, ho gavo instructions for it tobo placed in his room, as being most, convenient for tho training of the school children for entertainments, this work being conducted principally by himself. Tho chairman of tho committee ordered its removal into another room during tho 'headmaster's.' a,bsenco through illness,, and when the latter .returned to duty tho. piano went back to his own room. Thenv'./.a. most a extraordinary incident occurred. The chairman of •the - committee,' on.his own responsibility, without consulting his colleagues, decided that'tho piauo should bo placed in another room of tlio school. ' Hojcaine up to my bouso oiie evening," Baid tho;headmaster, "knocked at tho door, which was opened by my daughter,' brushed past her, , and walked into the dining-room. ''What.'right,'. said : ho, ' had you to remove tlio piano from tho room in which it was placed P' I told him that I was headmaster of tho school, and that I was tho best judgo as-to the disposition of the furniture in tho school.; '.Well, I'll show' you:who is master of tho'.school,' ho; shouted. My wife and daughter: wcro crying by this timo, as the

man appeared to be besido himself with rago. I then requested him calmly .to leave tho houso, which ho did."

:Tho chairman, continued our .informant, then issued instructions, on his own initiative to ono of tho assistants'in tho school to the effect that tho. piano was to-Jbe placcd in her . room,: for her use. On another occasion tho committee had placed a curtain in ono of;tho rooms,. as a screen for a iVashstand: The Board's inspector disapproved of curtains in a class-room, and tho head' teacher reported' his opinion to his committee. Their reply was, "D 11 tho inspector." - Tho foregoing aro but a few of , the many harassing incidents which liavo occurred during the period of his 'appointment in the school. 110 states that in : all his previous oxperienco ho has invariably been on tho best of terms, with his committees. Further, the official reports on tho' annual' inspections ,oFtho school ovor which ho has presided for thepast-; seven;, years show, on •perii'tol&that. Hp: is a cajiablo -and efficient teacher. He maintains, that over sinco his appointment tho' comniitteo have .been hostile to hiffli' and have .quite' 'recently intimated their intention 'of■ giving Jiini. what they' aro pleased to call," a; hot: 'timoat the '.fprthcoming statutory., meeting of householders, in, April/next, when, the'committee for the. ensiling year-will-bo ,elected, and Iqcal 'gripvanccs-aired. '. Our informant does-not desire, that we should publish names or indicate tho locality. His position, however, seems to call for tho practical sympathy and support'of tho better class of tho community. ..'■■■>.