SCHOOLS SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 12

SCHOOLS SERVICE

ASSISTANT DIBECTOE

MR. A. M. BELL APPOINTED

LONG AND VARIED CAREER

The appointment of Mr. A. M. Bell, present Secretary of the Education Department, as Assistant Director of Education, was announced to-day by the Public Service Commissioner (Mr. P. D. N. Vershaffelt).

Mr. Bell is about 5G years of age, and has to his credit 38 years' service in the cause of education, the past twelve years of which have been in the Department of Education. As a student Mr. Bell won many scholarships and distinctions. As a scholarship holder he attended the Timaru High School, of which he was dux in 1880. At Canterburj- College he won a senior University scholarship in 1896, and he followed this up in the following year by gaining his M.A. degree with first-class honours in mathematics and mathematical physics. He had eleven years' experience in various schools as teacher, gaining rapid promotion, and his last appointment as a teacher was that of headmaster of a large town school, from which he was appointed an inspector at the age of 28. For over 13 years Mr. Bell acted in the dual capacity of secretary and inspector to the South Canterbury Education Board. In March, 1913, he was selected for the position of joint secretary to the Southland Education Board and the Southland High Schools' Board He was transferred in 1915 to the Department of Education as officer-in-charge of inspections and examination, a position in which he had a large share in the administrative work of the Department. Since his appointment over 12 years ago to the position of secretary of the Department, Mr. Bell has had wide experience .in various phases of important administrative work, and he was closely associated with the Director in many matters. Mr. Bell thus has gained an intimate knowledge of the. whole administration and professional work of the Department, as well as valuable experience in various other educational offices.