Correspondence.

Otago Witness, Issue 1588, 29 April 1882, Page 12

Correspondence.

MR GOYEN'S APPOINTMENT. , TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— lt was announced in Saturday's Times that Mr P. Goyen, inspector of schools in the Southland district, , had been appointed as an additional inspector in tho Otago district. Aa this appointment has occasioned considerable surprise ambng the teaching profession m Dunedin, a few remarks concerning it will not be deemed out of placo. In the first place, it -is one of the rules of the Education Board of Otaffo that applications should be called for all vacant appointments— a rule, it would seem, that is practically "more honoured m tho breach than in the observance," for it is a notorious fact that many of the best appointments— 'even when advertised— are cut and dried before the- advertisement appears. ■ Ln the case of the recent inspectorship, however, even the form of advertising has not been gone through, but a new inspector has been appointed over the heads of well-qualified mon who have grown old in the service. This seems to be a great injustic6 to' the 'teaching profession of Otago, for the best appointments ' (the prizes of the service) should at least be open for competition to 'all.' The appointment of a stranger to a position such as the one under discussion, ,even •affer advertising for- the same, must imply that his 1 , qualifications are- Superior to those of othec applicants. ' If ,'lthe .position is not 'advertised, for, -.we' musb consider that the qualifications, of the person' appointed are so eminently and, manifestly superior) to those* of .anyone who would 'be Ilikely to apply, as not to warrant the expense of an advertisement. If we. look at Mr Goyen's- qualifications, we'shallfind it difficult/fodiscover jyhoreinthuyaresuperior to those ofi many who are at presenbin the ser.viceofthe •Board; The '..paragraph , in ■ Saturday's Times states thai; Mr Goyen gained " his training and experience- in the State, schools of 'Victoria^ •where he passed • through, every grade in Me service, from pupil teacher to head mister of a large and- important 'State school." . As' a matter of , fact, Mr „Goyen, did. noti- pass ■ through every ■'grade in the service ; he was never a pupil, teacher, nor,, was .he . head master of; .what in New Zealand would be called , a large and important State school." Before Mr (^yen's' appointment to the inspectorship of Southland he was, head master of, a school in .the '"small .country! village of Ballan, a town in victoria so large and so important that it .is not even mentioned in Mr, Petrie's Geography. Mr Goy'ente: teaching experience in Victoria, and the certificate Mrhiqh he.had from the. Victorian lE.ducation, Department, would entitle him to rank in Class' D (the fourth . highest cj^-as) ; under .our New Zealand .regulations; Many experienced teach.ers in r the Board's service have a much higher classification than this; andr I think that ,th.c fitness of a person foiftthe office of inspector should be determined by his scholastic attainments, as, well as by his .experience in. the art g'f teaching. , Mr Petril? certainly justly,h'ol;ds.liis office of chief inspector > hiN 'teaching /experience. ', With, .regard,, to Mb Gbyen/s 'experience- as an inspector m .Soutlf.laiid, ,his; '^courteous, .arid 'lcindly" bea^in| toward 'fhe teachers, ,pf 'that district r *s, top much a".'matter of notoriety to i;equlr.e, | coirimen't. It t is . nqt, therefore, to, be wondered, 'at that the manner of'Miu Goyen's appointment should ' Have ' occasioned considerable,, dissatisfaction among the 'members, of the teaching 'profession in tlie Board's service., 'If the appointment liad, been made, 'in due form, 'this dissatisfaction, would", pi obably , not hay k e existed '; but as it is, it cannot do considered in ariy'otjier light than as an injustice, to, and a slur upon, 'the members of the profession. '■■ ■With 'reference t'o'the present necessity of an .additional .inspector, teachers can draw, tlieir own conclusions.' , . ■' '' By publishing this protest against the irregularity 1 of 'the Board's action, and its too evident teiiderfcy towards " Victorianism," you will be ventilating, a grievance of which many teachers have to complain.— l am, &c, „ , . 4 Teacher.