TRAINING SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11125, 18 January 1899, Page 2

TRAINING SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS.

THE CONTROL OF THE SIDE * . SCHOOL. At the.meeting of the Education Board yesterday a letter was received from th's Napier . Sohool Committee, covering a resolution as to giving np control of the Hastings-street, school, and agreeing thereto ..on that full provision ' be made for the present teachers. > It was stated that the majority of the . side sohool teaohers had applied for reapjwintment to other schools. Mr Sutton said this was one of those oases which showed that the allocation of teaohers should rest solely with the >' Board. . . ■ Some discussion ensued as to the position in which the committee stood to the Board, the Chairman stating that it was law that -the Board was not obliged to accept the advice of the committee, though it might consult the committee. If the school committee's condition was to be fulfilled; then the proposed training school would remain in chaos, as the condition would never be fulfilled. Mr Gilberd said until provision was made for the present teachers the corn* mittee would not give up control. The Chairman said he had no donbt as to the Board having the power to take the Bchool if it wanted to. The Board could come to any decision it deemed fit after consulting the committee. The present teaohers had all received notice. Mr Gilberd: What would be the position of the Board if the teachers appealed ? r The Chairman : Let them appeal, that'a all. Mr Sutton moved that the Board endeavor to carry out the wishes of the.' committee— Mr M'Lernon seconded. & .•' Mr Gilberd moved as an amendment '-. that the question be postponed, Dr. Moore " ■ seconding. . „■ The Chairman : If you postpone it now you.postpone it for the next five yearstor ever. j The question having been further discussed the Chairman said that he desired to make a personal explanation, and proceeded to speak as follows :—" I consider that I should make a short reference to two statements made by members, in the meetiDg of the Board in committee. These two members said they had been informed, by parties outside of this Board, that this arrangement of the Hastings-street school was set up principally with the view of providing a position for a particular person. There can be little doubt that the reference in this statement was to myself, Now, I wish to give this statement ' an unqualified denial. You had the two reasons fully and clearly expressed in the written statement I read to the Board, which, was printod in the newspapers. The first was the appointment by the Board itself, without reference to tha seleotion committee, of a young man to the position of assistant in a country school where he had been educated and trained aa a pupil teacher, I felt satisfied then, ana do so now, that this is likely to lead the Board into a wrong position. The second was the difficulty of providing situations for our own pupil teaohers. But for these two causes yon had never heard of the institution of a training sohool from me. To further show the error of the statement made, I have only to oall your recolleotion to what I also stated to the Board, that two efforts were made by me to get the establishment placed under the care of Mr Morgan, first in Hastings-street and then in the main school, without success. I do not know that it would be proper for me to narrate what took place in the interviews held with him and Mr Mil in connection with these efforts, but I may frankly state" the faot that Mr Morgan would not entertain either proposition. Then as to the provision of proper teachers for the school, I can only repeat what the Inspector stated to the Board in committee —that he never consulted me on the subject, and further, that I #Bvgr approached him by word or writing wlft Sny suggestion. He was left absolutely to OJB own judgment. My knowledge of certain features of technique in modern methods of education was got sufficient to warrant my interfering. This is iuat a oase where, in my udgment, the Board will do well in listening to what the Inspector recommends. I certainly have the impression very deeply left on me that very much depends on the step we now take for the future of education in Hawke's Bay. If the two principal teaohers are fit persons, unspeakable good will come from tha institution of this school. If they are unfit persons, it may lead to much misobier," It was fc^en resolved that a seleot committee of the Board meet the Napier committee with the view to arranging the details of the transference, solicitor's opinion to be taken as to the powers of the Board, the joint meeting to take place in ten days.