SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 586, 14 August 1909, Page 10

SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS.

Sir, —It -would appear that the statements ' made bv myself at tho last meeting of tho ■ WoUing'tan 'Education Board, in support of a resolution tliat all appointments of.;school teachers ' should, unless;. otherwise ; r'ecom-. : mended'by the inspectors, be- raado. by tho boa-rd,; h'av© excited tho displeasure ot.certain members of' the Potono 'School Commit- :■ tee. | Tho.ltav'. A. ThomsoiV has.told -Tub : Dominion 1 reporter that ho'has not come into*' contact .'with,; a great deal of ■ "Most of ; it," ho remarkedj "occurred at tho Education Board." How,,tho ; :rcvv gen-, tlcman comes to know what'transpire's' with members of tho Education Board, I : cannot say. When ho is a member of the board ho will discover his error.' Ho is absolutely wrong in stating.; that the' ■;' board cannot legally send in-orio'name .tova committee. Tho Act of 1008 contemplates that this will bo dono, though it makes it /possible for tho board to send,in-hi"many: as four naincs. In tho latter event the'board, baa not tho power to ."make its own choice." Tho choice lies' entirely with the school committee. •-■ 'The very principle which, tho Rev. Mr. Thomson 'says his committee has always acted upon, viz., of selecting .a local man, "other things being equal," is tho one to wliich I'strongly object.' H.ow can a committee, without the advice of the inspectors and a thorough knowledge of "the organisa-tion-of- the- district, know when things are oqual? It is this "selection of local men which, is creating dissatisfaction amongst the teachers; The Petone Committee, in a recont appointment, ignored tho recommendation of . tho board's inspectors.,-."For two of'tho best teachers wti'have, we had to fcVlifc tho board, .; says Mr; Thomson; Tin's, is a direct asser-tion-lipon the part of : the .rev., gentleman that the committees are tho most competent, judges'of who aro<tho "best teachers., Howwill tho Pvov. Mr.- Thomson act if ho is returned to tho board? Will ho join with the committees in. continuing, to fight the boaru?" Personally, ,1 know of,no - "fight-. ing" havinc taken'place. Tho board has always acted, as far as'l., am aware, in the best interests of tho district as a whole. It is elected by the committees:to. administer thou Act,-and.it does so to.the:best-of its ability..! Mr. Thomson suggests that tho board should "pass a resolution to tho effect; that personal canvass will disqualify applicants for positions.'' It may interest • tho rev. gentleman to know thatvsuch a resolution was passed, upon my. own;-: motion. Vsoveral years back. But what isth'e ! tise' : of;'tho:board disqualifying those wn.o/ personally'fcanvass- its mem- : bers, when'i'Committees, wlibrhavo the final selection, w-fteh'mors than : one ..nanio is sent, forward, have-"no"'cbmminctioh about being ' approached by candidates, for appointment? 1 I thoroughly '"concur with Mr. J. G. Castle, ' chairman of the Petone West ■ School'. Com- ':. mittee, who 3ay,s.f/''l think .the -education '.. boards should as they : havo their inspectors?.?to vniako : a .'judicious selection of suitable, hien,';;whilo the committees aro not generally'bo'mposcd of experts in such matters."- This is. the opinion of the Minister for Education; and, I venture to say, of the great bulkof the teachers.—l-am, ' f°'.'- ■'-■■•' H. VILE. '■ 'August 10. js'&'ii-ss<'o<. ■~ '• !■■-'■ ,-|: ■■ '-"" v ■■ ,