THE APPOINTMENT OF HEAD MASTER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9158, 19 December 1891, Page 3

THE APPOINTMENT OF HEAD MASTER.

SIR, — 1 understand thai "flic committee appointed by the Edncalon Board to select and Luna down to the Napier school committee a certain number ot applicants whom the committee deem raosb fit for the appointment of headmaster to the Napier public school have held back the name oi Mr Stnrrock, the second master. This I think will be ruucli regretted by the residents of Napier, seeing the number of years Mr Stnrrock has well and ably filled his position in the school under difficulties that need not be here referred to. It Is a recognised rule in the management and administration of bur public institutions that oflicers are entitled to rise in the various services in which they operate. According to that rule if a vacancy occur in a superior position in a public school the teacher next in grade would have a legitimate claim to the position, provided he can show suitable qualifications for the appointment. I understand Mr Siurrock can show most excellent qualification!) tor his appointment— in fact so good are his certified qualifications that one cannot but feel surprised that his ua'me was not included in the list sent to the committee, and peoplo are forced to inquire as to tho reason of the strange omission, it is by no means a hiddeu secret, if general gofsip for come time past Is to be relied upon, that this appointment is somehew or other "cut and dried" for a certain teacher in a public school not 200 miles from Napier, who, strange to say, does not possess certified qualifications equal to those held by Mr Sturrock. I hope, sir, that whoever is appointed this appointment will be made entirely in ths interests of the school and the public and not at the instigation of "friends at court." The action of the committee in

heir treatment of Mr Siurrock I look

upon as a matter for extreme regret. It does uot only cast a most unwarranted slur on the second master of the Napier school, but upon the school itself, and reflects but little credit indeed cither upon the committee that made the selection, or on the Education Board that allowed the selection to pass. — I am, &c , A Householder. Napier, 10th December, 1891.