EDUCATIONAL MATTERS AT OAMARU.

Evening Star, Issue 7251, 30 June 1887, Page 2

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS AT OAMARU.

A special meeting of the Oamaru School Committee was held on Tuesday night to consider what action should be taken in reference to the inspectors' reports on the District High School,

Mr Jones proposed reports from the Education Board, the Committee are of opinion that the Board shou'd take such steps as they may deem necessary to remedy the existing state of things in the teaching staff of the District High School " This vas met by an amendment by Mr Sumpter "That although tho report of Mr Petrie, together with the comparative statement of work done by other District High Schools, appears to corroborate that of Mr Goyon, this Committee are still of opinion that the former recent reports furnished were calculated to, and did, mislead the Committee, and still leaves the correctness of all or any of them to be disputed. In face of the information now supplied, tho Committee are of opinion that, to remedy the existing state of matters, and in order to obtain better results, the Board should give the whole of the staff, with the exception of the recent appointment (Mr Piper), notice that their services will not bo required after the midsummer holidays, all of them, however, to be eligible for re-elec-tion." Strong feeling was expressed by the Committee as to the action of the Board. Tho amendment was carried by 3 to 2. The Committee requested the local and Dunedin Press to abstain from publishing the proceedings, on the ground that to do so would be damaging to the teachers, as it might prejudice their chance of again obtaining employment in the Colony. The 'Mail' refused to comply, saying that the Committee are entirely wrong in their conclusion, because there is always more or less danger in hiding the aots of a publio body, because the Committee's recommendation is not intended as a slur on the teachers, and because any attempt at suppression would only lead to exaggeration and suspicions injurious to those concerned. It further says that the course taken by the Committee was " the most charitable towards the teachers, to whom lifo must have become a burden in consequenoe of j official terrorism."