THE SCHOOL WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1222, 2 September 1911, Page 10

THE SCHOOL WORLD.

A WEEKLY REVIEW. NOTES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY To.ichcrs anil others interested in tho administration of education are iuyitea to contribute notes for publication in "Tho School World." These should bo addressed to the Kditor, J? 0 ,,. c '?„ World," The Dominion. Wellmgton. and pasted to reach this ofljco not later than Wednesday in w iV Correspondents desiring enlightenment upon any question in connection v»un the school work, or the general administration of tho education systani, arc invited to submit these points to tho Editor for elucidation and reply. Where anonymity is desired, it will oe strictly observed. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Inquirer".—The arguments against the pupil-teacher system far outweighs whatever merits it may possess, conceding all you have contended in its favour. "Parent." —Since the law now insists that a child shall attend school every day it is open for instruction, thero is less merit, to be accorded attendance certificates than formerly. "J.L."—You have a perfect right to do so. "Anon."—Tho teacher's authority should not bo interfered with in the general interests of tho school discipline. TEACHERS AND THE PRESS. 'A HEADMASTER IN TROUBLE. An has previously been indicated in "Tho School World," the proposal of the Wanganui Education Board to disestablish the local District High School—the proposal being an essential part of tho board's scheme for the reorganisation of the secondary school classes in Wanganui —led to a gcod deal of public controversy, in the press and on tho platform, and one of the local headmasters (Mr. Aitken) participated in the controversy in a letter to tho press, for which action he has been taken to task by the board. At the last meeting the chairman (Air. F. Pirani) said ho had received the following letter from Mr. Aitken:— "If 1 may judge by the remarks of Mr. F. Pirani, who occupied tho chair at the meeting of tho recent confcrenct) of School Committees and others, 1 shall most probably be called upon to account for having written to the press on matters conncctcd with my duties, or on the proceedings of persons having official relations with me, as mentioned by tiltboard's regulations. AVith regard to thai, letter. I desire to say tlml, lis a mcmboi of the conference, I considered I had a right to comment oil the proposal to.disestablish the District High School, as that had not then (so far as I know) liecome a part of the 'proceedings' of the board. It is true that I commented oil certain remarks concerning myself made by Mr. Pirani. but thoso remarks were not. made by him in his capacity-as chairman of tho board, but were made at the meeting of the conference on_ July 25, and in tho columns of tho Feilding 'Star' newspaper a day or two later. Nevertheless, lest there should bo any misunderstanding and lest the board should think, that I was making an attack upon tho chairman in tho execution of his duty, I wrote to the editor pointing out to him the possibility of a misunderstanding and requesting him not to publish tho letter, unfortunately, for some reason, the letter containing that request failed of its purpose, and the letter appeared on Monday evening. I can only further say that 1 had no intention of criticising the board or any of its officers, or any of its proceedings; but I consider that when an attack is mado upon a teacher in a public meeting or a public print as was done, by Mr. Pirani, the should not bo debarred from defending himself.—l have the honour to be, sir. your obedient servant, (signed) James Aitken." Aft'. Pirani went on to say that it. was a question whether tho board could pass over such a direct violation of the regulations as Air. Aitken had committed ill writing to the press. It was not tho first timo Mr. Aitken had broken this regulation and on that occasion lie had been written to stating that a further breach would bo severely dealt with. If tho beard did not call him to account for deliberately breaking tho regulations, how could it prevent other teachers from doing Ihe same and not letting them go unpunished? Mr. Aitken had put the blame on the editor of the paper who had published tho letter, when he knew quite well he should not have, written tho letter. Ho (Mr. Pirani) suggested that an apology should be asked for. It had been suggested that three months' notice should bo given Mr. Aitken. but ho did not wisK to go to extremes, but thought that in fairness to tho other teachers tho matter should not go unnoticed. Mr. Guthrie regretted that Mr. Aitken had taken up such an attitude against the chairman. He did not think the letter ivas a sufficient apology, and lie thought that a proper apology should bo forthcoming to tho board. The following resolution was then carried:—"That the board does not consider Mr. Aitken's explanation for committing a breach of Regulation No. 67 satisfactory, and thai an apology is expected from him for tho breach in question." FROM THE FOUR CORNERS. VARIOUS NEWS ITEMS. Tho Government is to be asked for a grant for a school to accommodate 300 pupils for the south side of Palmerston North, to relieve tho congestion at Campbell. Street School. Whether the requisite accommodation and education is being provided by tho Mormons at I'iriuoa and Porirua (in the Wellington education district) is a question which tho Education Board has decided to settle by investigation in tho near future. The Wanganui Education Board has decided to make application to tho Government "for tho recognition of the Wanganui Technical College under Section 17 of tho Amendment Act as a Technical Day College, and to disestablish tho AVanganui D.H.S. under sub-section of Section 101 of the Education Act." Tho Nelson Education Board has decided, by five votes to four, to put into operation' the scheme of classification and promotion of teachers which was suggested by tho Tcachera' Institute. At the instance of the Reports Committee of tlio AVanganui Education Board, the head teachers at Ohingaiti (Air. Stansell) and Mangaweka (Mr. Liggins) have been congratulated by the board on tho continued efficiency of their schools, and Miss Huston has been commended for tho efficient condition of the Matapu infant department. Measles are responsible for tlio shutting down of tho Ell ham School for a fortnight. Over fifty families are showing svmptoms of the complaint, but it is expected by the time school re-opens the measles will be a tiling of the past. Recent appointments by the AVa.uganui Education Board: — Maugnmahu, solo teacher, A. J. AVindle; Longburn, assistant teacher, C. Jamieson; Malcino Road, assistant teacher, E. L. Duncan; Mangamingi, sole teacher, M. Eggors; Kiwitea, sole teacher, I!. P. Broad; Mero Mere, solo teacher, G. Curry; ICaponga. assistant teacher, J. King; ANatershed Road, sole teacher, M. Orr. "£1 per mouth for the hire of a tent at Mosslown," figures in a. list of recent grants approved by flic Government for the AVangauui Education Board. The Pahiatua District High School Committee has decided to have an official opening of the new school buildings, and to ask the Hon. G. Fowlds (Minister for Education) to perform tho ceremony. "The possible and desirable correlations between history and physical and political geographv are often entirely neglected in the schemes of work. Tho low-expected revision of the syllabus may do "something to put this matter on a right footiuT."—Air. G. D. Buick, inspector to the AVanganui Education Board. Tlio AVellington Education Board has decided :—"ln view of tho heavy expenditure which must lie incurred in the near future for renewal of school buildings, lit set aside annually a sum, not cxcceding JiIKHW, to meet estimated requirements." Tho AVanganui Education Board objects to the proposal of the Minister for induration to amend the .Act in order to provide for appeals from transfers—an 1 amendment etiougly agitated for by the

Touchers' Institute. The following resolulion was carried at the lntt meeting of the board"That tho board regrets to notice that there is a possibility of tho Minister for Education bringing in legislation to destroy the provisions for tho transfer of tcac'hers by allowing appeals to the Teachers' Court of Appeal, which would militate against the prompt action so often nccessary, and would point to the fact that a number, of transfers to grades lower than these occupied by teachers made by the board have proved satisfactory." A surprise packet, in the shape of a donation of half a ton of ccal from a local resident, camo to. the Waitara School (Tarauaki) (he other day. Tho donor is evidently thoughtful enough to know that tho children can do their work hotter in cheerful, warm surroundings these cold raw mornings. Within tho last three weeks fruit trees have been planted at llawera, l'atea, Eltham, Kawhiliroa, Mangatoki, Matapu, Anroa, Otakeho, Mokoia, Okaiawa, and Whenuakura. .£8 has been collected at Manutahi for the beautification of the grounds, while Mangatoki, Kakarainca, ltawhitiroa, Mokoia, and Auroa are straining every nerve lo follow so good an example. At tho last-named place recently the committee and residents turned out with horses and drays, and fenced, dug and planted a well designed border for shrubs. "The educative influence of all this is immediate, and it will bo lasting," comments tho Wanganui Education Board's inspector, Mr. G. D. Braik. The monthly average attendance at the Hastings District High School—G2s out of 7Gl— is accounted for mainly by the measles epidemic, which, however, has apparently nearly run its course. The attendance for the two past weeks has shown a distinct improvement, and it is hoped that much more satisfactory returns will bo presented for tho remainder of the year. The statement of tho receipts and expenditure in connection with the recent school social shows a credit of J!37 15s. L'd. "The position of the probationer is not exactly satisfactory," comments Mr. Braik, Chief Inspector to tho Wanganui Education Board. "It is quite possible that at the beginning of the year there may be more than a sufficient number of matriculated candidates for the <icsitH>n of pupil teachers and some, as has happened on previous occasions, may accept the position of probationer, 1 anticipating an appointment as pupil teacher when an opportunity offers. The Department, however, does not countenance this proceeding, and the result is that the probationer must remain a probationer, while an inferior candidate' gets the moro advantageous position of pupil teacher. I would recommend the board to call the Department's attention to. the anomaly and suggest its removal." Technical classes in the Wanganui district form the subject of an interesting reference in the report of the board's inspector (Mr. G. D. Braik), who mentions that the inauguration of day classes for young farmers at Haivera" is contemplated. lam certain (he says) that brief courses of' immense value to the agricultural interests conld bo organised, and it is lo bo hoped that the response to tho invitation wilt to enlightened and immediate. The classes at Wanganui have been necessarily disorganised during tho past few weeks. Things .will be different when Uie school has the habitation as well as a name. Additional classes— plumbing and advanced cookery—have been started at Marton. At Ohakune there is a movement in progress to secure a building suitable for tho carrying out of technical and continuation classes, a movement that is creditable to that progressive township. -An increaso is noted in tho number of students at Eeilding, tho total number now being 251. Instructors in woodwork and cookery are now proceeding to Bulls aud Pohangina with a view to giving tho residents of thoso districts an opportunity of sharing tho instruction given all tho year round at the moro favourably situated centres.