TEACHER V. BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1389, 15 March 1912, Page 6

TEACHER V. BOARD.

THE STAGPOOLE CASE,

MR. PIRANI IN DEFENCE. (By Tcloirapb—Press Association.! Palmcrston North, March 14. Tlio teachor's appeal case, Thomas Stagpoole versus Wanganui Education Board, was continued to-day before Mr. Kerr, S.M., Mr. R, M'Nab, and Mr. Broad. Further evidenco by tho school children regarding) Inspector Stewarts visit to Linton was given. Somo of_ tho children deposed that they were frightened of Stewart; others that they were not. A Boy's Evidence. One boy, aged eleven, said that Stewart put chalk and n. finger into his mouth, and told tho class he would flog them to death because they couldn't tell a story about their reading lesson. He also altered that Stewart pulled ugly faces at them while they were singing, adding that this was to show them how to sing as singers_ do. Cross-ex-amined this witness said that Stewart put chalk into 'his mouth because he was yawning. Tho evidence of a member of the School Committee was to tho effect that the children w);iro more respectful to Stagpoole than they wore his predecessor, whom thev used to call "Whiskers." "Would Dismiss Him a Dozen Times." Tho appellant's case was concluded in the morning, and Mr. Pirnni occupied most of the afternoon in his opening address. Ho said that tho case was an important ono to education all over tho Dominion. An effort was being made to bring bimseTf' and the board into disrepute. The Teachers' Institute had sound reason to remember both himself and the board, for it had lost every case brought during his chairmanship, and had had to pay largo sums in costs. This caso was being brought to some extent as an attempt to punish either the board or himself, and the worst feature was that the whole power of tho institute and tho four thousand teachers belonging to it was being brought to bear against the board. Tho case was the worst of its kind he had over known. . Mr. Pirani claimed that the evidence would prove Stagpoole to bo lazy. He could teach but would not trouble to do so. He had broken a largo number of the regulations and tho breach of one of these might lead to a criminal charge being brought. The Pirani- II( -?-? -? - brought. Mr. Pirani claimed that Stagpoole exercised a baneful influence over tho community and the children under his charge, and asked if the Court was prepared to send him back to Linton to corrupt both the community and tho children. Ho added that if he had the power and the Court rehabilitated Stagpoole ho would dismiss him a dozen times, sooner than let him go back to Linton School. The Inspector's Evidence, In the evening the ovidence of G. D. Braik, chief inspector of the Wanganui Education District, was taken. He said there was nothing unreasonable in putting chalk in children's mouths to mako them open their mouths and .articulate properly. There had been much talk of incorrect enunciation by New Zealand children, and tho opening of tho mouth was an important matter in correct enunciation. Witness also gavo particulars of Inspector David Stewart's fine record as a teacher and inspector, and said that ho knew of no teacher in tho Dominion of Stagpoole's age so low down in tho list of teachers. From what ho had seen of Stagpoole's work he would reduce him threo marks for teaching, ono for environment, and ono for personality,