EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

The m6uthly meeting of the> Education Board, held on the 15th, was attended by Messrs H. Clark (chairman), J Macgregpr, J Green, M. Fraer, J. W. Jago, and the Hon. T. Dick. RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were accepted :— W. W Mackie, bead teacher j Lowburn;'William Darley, head teacher, Papakaio; Tbyrza Davies, third assistant, Arthur street; Grace J. Thomson, mistress, Duntroon. APPOINTMENTS. Tho following appointments wero confirmed : — W. W. Mackie, head teacher, Kakapuaka, tuce A. Marshall, left the service ; Louisa Richards, head £eachor, Rongahere, new appointment. ARTHUR STREET. Mr W. M'Arlam, secretary to the Arthur Strnot School Committee, wrote as follows :— July 17.— 1 am directed to convey to you the following resolutions of the Arthur Street School Com-mittee-.—"(1) That in the opinion of this committee the aocomraodntiori in the head master's room in deoidedly inadequate aud uncomfortable, and that the board's architect be requested to report on providing proper accommodation for him. {2) That this committee continue ot opinion that the resolution of the hoard In reßpecb to the appointment of teachers is inadequate aad uncalled for, and h*s not been justified by tbe discussions which have reached tbe public ; and this committee will consider the desirability of supporting candidates favouring the view* entertained by the great majority of the school committees." August 12.— lam instructed by the Arthur Street School Committee to forward to you tbe undernotpd resolution pushed nt theli last meeting, held on the Mh current :—•' That, in the opinion of this committee, it is a mattei of regret that the Education Board did not accept Mr White's statement iv explanation of his speech at the Educational Institute, and «o end all dispute 8s to Mr White's intentions ns affecting the memoers of the board." The letters were noted aB read. THE APPOINTMENT OP TEAOHERS. The Chairman said that the resolutions bearing on the matter of the appointment of teachera, which had been sent to th&board from the Educational Institute, were laid on the table at last meeting, to be discussed at this meeting. It struck him that as the resolutions were somewbat important, and as several of the members of the board were absent, it would be wise to f urt her postpone their consideration until there vma & full meeting of the board. There was no particular rea6on for going on with them at once. Mr Praeb agreed with the chairman, and said that both Mr Green and himself had given notices of motion on the 6ame matter, but he th^'ight tbat they should staud over ]"ust now aud be discussed with the general question He moved — " Tb^at further consideration of the rj'ic'stiou of appointment of teachers be postponed till tbe return oiE the other members of th- board." MrOBKEN seoonded the motion, which was carried. PUPIL TEACHERS' REGOLATIONB The regulations in respect to tbe appointment «.f nupil teachers, submitted to last meeting and ordered to lie on the table for a month for the eoiindpration of members, were again brought forward. Mr Jago said that the reason which mainly weighed with the committee in fixing tbe first regulation— ♦• tbat candidates for the office of pupil teacher must be at least 15 years of age, instead of 14 as at present "—was that a boy or * girl of 14 had not the personal experience or influence, and waa altogether too young— (hear, hear)— to put into a position iv which they w< nld h*ve charge and control over a class _ Mr Fraer said it might have done at one time when pupil teachers were scarce, but it w.«s now time an alteration wa3 made. Mr Dick : What will you do with them from tbo time they pass the Sixth Standard to the time thny become pupil teachers ? Mr Jago replied that they might stop at Bchool, if they desired. Mr Dick instanced the case of a girl — a pupil at fche Normal School— who passed the. Si^th , Standard when she was II years of age* "'" '

Mr Jago: All the more pity for her. She should bave a rest iot a year cr two before going hj as a pupil tepcher. The Secretary said tbat the average age in Otago fot passing the Sixth Standard was 14 years. Mr Dick : There ia a year, then, that they must lie dormant ? Mr jAao 9aid another reason why tbe age was raised was because the committee considered! it advisable to render the getting of appointments less 6ft?y than at present, and to show that some stability of character was required. He would point out that a boy or girl who passed the Sixth Standard at 14 did not lose anything, because they could work away in the meantime at thelt studies, and qualify themselves to a slight extent for the position they were taking up. He would ! move the adoption of the regulations. I Mr Dies pointed out that there was nothing | in the regulations to ensure that a candidate ?oe &n appointment of pupil teaoher should act for three months as a teacher in a public school. Mr JPbaseb said tbe opportunity was given to them oow Mr Jago. If pupils apply they will get the opportunity to teach Mr Dica thought that pupils might; apply that the teachers did not want. Mr Jago was quite willing that a clause should bo inserted into the regulations providing that the teacher in a school should give an opportunity to his pupils for teaching, There were many candidates desirous of being pupil teachers who were utterly unfit for the position, and if thft board said tbat oo matter what were the qualification. 1 * of a pupil who desired to become a pupil teacher, he musi be given an opportunity of teaching, it might lead to serious inconvenience in the schools. He did not think Mr Dick's proposal was at rII necessary He would Ray that teachers might have an objection to a candidate, and for that reason notgive him a chanoe Mr Fravr said there could be oo objection to tbe introduction of such a clause as Mr Dick (suggested, but he thought it might be left out Mi Djcr said he would move that the following clause be added to the regulations : — " Any pupil desirous of having the preliminary training prescribed, if unable to obtain suoh training in the school to which he belongs, may apply to the board to ascertain if such training ma; be got elsewhere." His object was simply to provide that in such oases the board would have a chance of inquiring into them. It was a alight protection to the scholar from being unfairly treated. Mr GaßEsr • From the fcyramiy of the teacher fill Jaoo said he would accept the addition if the board consented. The addition nras unanimously agreed to. Tbe a oj ended regulations were then adopted, subject to the Minister's approval. OB HISCOP'S ILCNBSS. The Secretary read a letter from Dr Burns accounting for the non-attendance of Dr Hislop at the meeting of the board owing to ill-health. ANONTMOD9 LETTEBS. ; The Secretary brought under the notice ot the boatd .some letters referring to Mr White's speech &t> the Educational Institute, and stating that, what Mr White had said was quite correct. The 'letters also* made some grave charges against the board, ita inspectors, and a teacher in the board's employ. He (the secretary) stated that one of the letters was addressed to the chairman and members of the board; another one to Dr Hielop, who had handed it to him ; and one to one of the inspectors. He read one of the letters signed by A. Mason, and stated , that the others were to the same effect. The signatures to the 'other ' letters were John Mills -and W. Adamaon. ' They Appeared all to have been signed' by 'the -same parson,' and although he had looked through the directory he could not find the names' attached to. the letters. 'Me Jaoo' said he wished to say that when he came into the board's room that day the'chairman- had just; received the' letter which the secretary had read, and his attention waa called to it. He had previously received a letter couched in pretty, much the same terms, which he had put in his pocket, and did not intend to take any notice of until the letter which had been read' was put into his hands. He then turned up tbe directory and could not find the names of the persons who had signed 'the letters. He then came to the conclusion that the Barnes were fictitious, and that the letters were sent with the view of bringing the board into disrepute and contempt. He did uot know whether it was consistent with tbe respect that the board had for themselves to take any notice of this matter, but he thought it was desirable that it should be brought under public notice, so that the public might be made aware of the sort of undercurrent tbat was going on in connection with their educational affairs, and also of the difficulties with which the board had to contend. It was remarkable' that all these letters had been sent from different places and conveying the Bime general statement respecting the conduct of the board, its inspectors, an« some of its teachers. He would not move any motion in the matter, but simply call the attention of the board publicly to tbe factfi ; so that the public outside might be made aware of what was going on. Mr Dick said he did not think it was any proof that a person was not residing in a certain place because his name was not mentioned in tbe directory. He himself had occasion to look for the n&me of a man he knew, who was living in Manor place and now lived in Walker Btreet, and he could not find it in the directory. Mr Macqreqob observed tbat it waa plan that the letters had emanated from the same source. It was a pity that they should have b°en received by the board at all, or tbat tbe the HbelW Bhoulr] oven be so gratified as to have his letters read at the board. As the letters we.re evidently written and signed in a feigned name, he thought it was incurrbenfc on the board no f to receive them, and that it should be understood that auy letter received by the chairman or the secretary in tho same handwriting should be put in the fire.— (Hear, hear,) He would move that the letter be not received, but simply put in the. fire. Mr Dich said he did not agree with that. He thought that the letters should be simply passed over as anonymous letter*. Mr Macgehgor : Are they not to appear on the board's records. Mr Dick : No ; I think not. The Secretary stated that the letters were not yy.i entered on tbe minutes. It was then agreed to allow the matter to drop. accounts. » Accounts amounting to £5521 13s 9d were passed for payment. MB WHITE'S SPEECH. Tho board went into committee to consider the following letter from Mr White : — Normal School, Dunedin, August 14. Sir,— ln reply to yours of t.be 19th July 1859, 1 have to say that I reget that tho board hays misunderstood my letter so far as to be led to say that any part of it ia ot an evasive character. I made rto evaiive explanation: 1 had neither motive, nor reason, nor occasion for doing bo. As my statements at the institute meeting were open, general, pertaining to a By stem, and not specific, I cannot think that it is tho board's intention that I should now make my words more definite or more pointed tbsn they were originally.

I eau only repeat «ha. I have already said; that mv renia-ks Lad reference to a system or linL oi policy. a»d lo what appeared to me to be its actual and inevitable effect.-— I nave, Ac, D WHITB. Mj t. G. Prydo, lecretary Education Board. j On the board resuming the Chairman re- j ported that the tollowing resolution had been | carried, and moved its adoption — " That, in the opinion of the board, Mr White committed a grave indiscretion in publicly speaking at the Educational Institute in such terms a? to be generally understood to imply a charge ot gross and systematic favonritism on the part of the board in the selection of candidates for appointmeets, although it seema doubtful in view ot Mr White's * explanation ' whether he meant to make such a charge; and that the board censure Mr White f oi such indisoretion.'' experience, but all through "Baby" Ogden Mr Macqeeqoh seconded the adoption of the resolution, and in doing so he explained that the position he took up in the matter was that whether or not Mi White meant to make such a charge against the board, he had used words regarding the board which have been understood by every person that he (Mr Macgrejor) had come Across who read his speech, as making such a charge. They were words apt for the purpose of making such a charge, and they were words, so fat as the speaker understood I the English language, apt to convey no other meaning. They were the very words one would use who- desired to make such a charge against 1 the board. Ah he read Mr White's explanation he declineb to say in bo many words that he had no intention to make such a charge. The full extent to which his explanation goes, as he (the speaker^ understood it, was simply to lea re him in doubt whether Mr White had such an intention o* cot. If the board was to retain any selfrespect it could not allow aUow Mr White oi any otnei of its officials to use language in regard to the board which could be understood to convey any' such charge against the board. Messrs Fraser, Green, and Jago concurred in Mr Macgregor's remarks. Mi Dick, though disagreeing with the principle of the three-came system would say most distinctly that any charge of favouritism against the board could not bs tolerated — (hear, hear) — favouritismand perhaps something stronger. He said the board, | as a board, was -honourable and upright and I true; and although he had been fightiDg against j' the system from the outset, he must say that 0} appeared to him that under the circumstances the best efforts had been made by the board to obtain justice But he would say that to outsiders who did not know what was going on, and who did not know the reasons for certain appointments and for certain action the board took with reference to the three that were selected, there ' must appear something very strange occasionally; and some might -set it down to favonritism, others to ignorance, and others to want of fitness for the duty they (the board) had assumed. The oooner thto'thrjse*, name system was got rid of the better, and then they could adopt something like ' that tecom* I mended by the Educational' 'Institute; JSe I thought the most literal "construction possible ' should be put on Mr White's words,' and would vote against the motion. , ] i The motion; on being, pat to the vote % tea?, carried, only Mr- Dick dissenting. ' l '