TE ARO SCHOOL.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 88, 14 April 1894, Page 4

TE ARO SCHOOL.

THE CASE OF ALLEGED FLOGGING. UTTER COLLAPSE OF THE CHARGE.

An enquiry waß hold by the To Aro School Committeo yesterday afternoon into the t -nth of the statement that Thomas fades, one of the pnpila, hod been flogged because he had been unable to bring any books, his patents being too poor to supply him with a «t. The members present wore Messrs. T. T7.il|,h (in the ohair), J. Collins, A. Geary, J. Brans, W. Marshall, J. BinhoHs, W J Tiiater, and J. Flyger. 'the Chairman of t'cj Cowniiltoo (Mi. Paxby I'h.ijm) «jhunable to bo prcont. Mr. Ralph road notes of an intervinw bet.veon Mrs. Kades and tho Kov. H Van SUveron rolntive to tlio punisbmont paid to have bpon inflicted by Miss Firth, one of the teachers, on the 6th of last month, and Mrs. ■Radoa, mother of the boy, said they wero oorreot. Mr. C. Watson, the headmaster, stated that ho did not hoar anything about the boy having been flogged nntil he saw something n the newspapers. Mrs. Eades, roplying to questions, said that on tho 6th of March her boy came home from school and told her that ho had beon beaten beoauso ho had no books. She was too poor to purchase all tho books rfquirod. The boy said that when he told the lady " teaohor that he bad no books she told him to stand up, and then struck him on tho logs. He was crying when ho oamo back from the school, and there were welts on bin logs. She, was not in a position to buy books. Her husband had been ill for two years. Some time ago she pnrohased two sohoolbooks from another boy, but her Bon wanted others. According to the boy's account ho was not punished for disobedience, but boonnse he had no books. It was possible for a boy to get bruised while playing. A strap could not have made tho marka wbioh wore on her boy's legs. Tho boy iru truthful. One day Mr. John ■on, of the Benevolent Society, visited the house to see her husband. She — mi M U nnfl* 1 - »« t»8«". «""L he told the Eov. Mr. Van Staveron, who then moved ii the 'mattor. Tho children bad been unable to attend school regularly, becauso of ftiok ness; She herself had been laid up sinci Christmas. She had never gone to th< ■ohool and made enquirioa about the books What her son required was a drawing bool and somo pencils. Mr. Watson— lf you had come to th< ■ flohool you would have found that be did no< roqnire drawing books or pencils. Th< books she purchased were from a little boj named Bell. The Chairman— l think it is a great pit] you did not make enquiries about the booki required. ■ Mr. Watson— l suppose you don t knov that wo found books for the children las year. Mm. Fades— No. I have not sent Thomai to school much this year. At this stage the boy Bell was called in and stated that ho cold Mrs. Eados' twe school books for 4d. One was a reading book, and the otbor a Geographical Reader Mr. Watson (to Mrs. Eades)— When yoi eont your boy back to school that morning did you send a note to explain why you hac kept him away bo long— throe weeks, ', think. Mrs. Eades— l don't recolleot. Mr. Watson informed the oommittee thai Thomas Eades had been very irregular ii his attendance. Sometimes he would come for a day and stay away for two or three Mrs. Eades said that she had wanted him at home. At one time she had a greal difficulty in getting boots, but Thomas had a pair now. She was positive the boy told her that Miss Firth had beaten him because he would not stand up. Mr. Watson stated that the boy possessed oil the books he required. Mrs. Eades admitted that she had complained to Mr. A. Q. Johnßon that her sor had Seen thrashed. The boy Eades waß then examined. He said that he was in the Seoond Standard Mills Firth being his teacher. When h< returned to school one day last month, aftei a long absence, he was told by the teaohoi to stand-out booanse he had no books. Hi would not stand ont, and Miss Firth strucl him aoroSß the legs with a cane as he eat a his desk. She struck him twico, and h< afterwards ran homo. Miss Firth said ti him, "Have jou got no books?" He sai< " Np,"-and"Bhe then said " Stand out," bu he would not do so, and she then hit him He only had one book. He onoe had two but one of them had been torn up since When he returned to school he did not taki an exouso fcr his long absence. His mothc had not time to write one. Tho tcachor dii not ask him for an excuse. Mr. Collins — Were yon beaten bcoansi you had no books, or becauso you would no stand out? Witness — Beoause I had no books. Misi Firth has also beaten us booanEe wo havi had no pens. Miss Ranwell never struck mi when Bne was teaohor becanse I hadn'l proper books. Onoe Miaa Banwell Rave mi books whioh other boys had loft behind. Mies Firth, who was then called in, said that on the day in question the boy Eadci had a reading book and an exeroisebeok and that was all she required him to hav< just then. She did not ask him whether h< had bis books; she never asked him t< stand out, and she never struck him. Sht did not recolleot speaking to him that morn ing. He knew that he had go to the desl for playing truant. She had sent a note t< the mother, and the messenger had returner with the statement that Eades had beei playing truant. This year the boy had onlj attended 81 days. Mr. Collins— Supposing a boy had no! books, what would you do P Miss Firth — I should roquire him to btir.f, a note from home. I havo several boys it my class who havo no books. They hav< brought notes from their parents, and nothing has been said to them. A bright little pupil named Howe made c statement to tho effeot that when ho wenl to Mrs. Eades' house with Miss Firth's not* he could find no ono in, but a neighbour told him that Thomas fades had been playing truant. Mr. Watson Bald that Miss Firth was c certificated toaohor, and therofore had the right to use the cane. No boys were refused admission to the school because they had nc boots or books. At tho request of the oommittoo Miss Firth's class was brought into the room and questioned by the Chairman. None oi the boyß could recollect Boeing yonng Eades beaten by Miss Firth on hiß return to school, nor could they reaolleot hearing her ask him to stand out. Sfrc Qeiae woa aaJled in, asd »tat«d 43im4 the boy Katies was orying when he returned horno v and there wore large marks on hie legs as if oaused by a cane. He told his mother in her presence that he had been beaten for not having books. Mr. Watßon said that ihere were at least 100 boys in the sohool who did not have the necessary books. There was no one in the sohool who oould corroborate Eades' statement that he hod been beaten. The Chairman and other members expressed themselves satisfied that the charge hod not been proved, and on the motion of Mr. Collins, seconded by Mr. Flyger, it was agreed — " That, having called witnesses and heard evidenoe, we are of opinion that the charge of punishment for not having books is without foundation, as the boy had all the books required at the time " Mr. Flyger said that if there wore poor boys in the school who oould not get books he would pay the cost of them out of his Own pocket. Tho Committee separated after deoiding to forward a copy of the evidence and the resolution to the Board of Education.