EDUCATION BOARD AND SCHOOL COMMITTEES. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 41, 17 February 1894, Page 4

EDUCATION BOARD AND SCHOOL COMMITTEES. TO THE EDITOR.

Sut— A " Committoeman " confines himself to too small a portion of tho Act. The gist of the matter doos not lie altogether in the 45th section, from which he quotes, or in the word "consult," which I think ho very wron^iy intoiprots. With your leave I will shew why I think so :—l.: — 1. Tbo Committee is the subordinate body, having been brought into existence, and being under the control of, tho Board. (See seotion 74 ) 2. The to'achor? are to be appointed by tho Board only (no mention of Committee) from tho certificatpd teachers holding certidcates from tbe Minister of Edncation. Should no oortifioated teacher bo obtainable someone elso may be temporarily appointed. At tbo end of another paragraph it is provided that no appo.ntraci.t is to be made without the Commit! oe have been first consulted. (See sootion 45.) Now, my view of consulting a subordinate somewhat differs from " Committeeman'a." In all cases tho old adage rules "that two heads are better thin one," bnt it does not follow that the subordinate head is the best, as " Committeoman " would have us believe, and aa ho says, the Legislature intended the Aot should be intorpreted. If two bodies consult, the ultimate deoiaion, and at all times tho whole responsibility, must rest with the governing peraon or body. What would be thought of anyone, even in command of a mud-barge, if, after an accident had occurred, he stated in his defence that he had consulted with his assistant, and although he thought it wrong he had followed the assistant's advice, hence the catastrophe. Would the argnment clear him of responsibility? No, sir! I say it would not. The governing peraon or body is the ono who is looked to. If the advico tendered by the subordinate is better than the idea first thought of it can be used ; if not, it can be left alone. But the governing body is the ono to decide. The Education Board is the governing body. The School Committeo is tho subordinate body. The School Committee is to bo asked for its advice, but it is for the Board to decide if it will take it or not, and is responsible for the result. I am, Ac, 15th February. Committeeman.