RECOLLECTIONS OF COUNTRY SCHOOLMASTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 75

RECOLLECTIONS OF COUNTRY SCHOOLMASTER.

By An Old Teacher

In a busy and flourishing little goldfields town in the Lakes district about the early seventies, mining was still a profitable occupation, carried on by some 150 Europeans and about 500 Chinese. The township, which was divided into an upper ana lower town, contained four hotels, three billiard rooms, several European and Shinese stores, and a Chinese gambling en. As gold was fairly plentiful, the hotels, billiard saloons, and gambling den did a roaring business each evening well on till midnight. Though many of the miners were married, and there was a number of children growing up in the little community, no school had yet been established in the place. At last, however, the necessity for a school dawned upon the parents, and a meeting was held in one of the hotels, when it was decided that a school should be erected in the township. A committee was elected, and two canvassers -were appointed to collect subscriptions to defray the cost of erecting a suitable school building. In a few days the sum of £l6O was collected, and with this sum was purchased a small cottage suitable for a teacher’s residence and a school rvas erected alongside of it. The Otago Education Board supplied a few of the most necessary 7 school appliances, and the committee were empowered to appoint a teacher. This appointment was conferred upon the wife of the local police constable, a kind and worthy lady especially skilled in imparting singing, drill, and recitation. The late Mr Hislop, the board’s genial secretary and inspector, on his yearly visits, commented very favourably on the progress of the school. In course of time, however, the constable was removed to Dunedin, and it became necessary 7 to appoint another teacher. The choice tell upon a son of Erin just out from Home. He was a rollicking lad, but a good teacher all the same. Under his regime a higher standard of teaching was introduced with good results.

After a year or so this teacher obtained a better appointment, and was succeeded by a Dublin p'upil teacher. This young fellow got on very ivell for a while; but, unfortunately, he became enamoured of a young lady, a barmaid in one of the hotels, this young lady to evidently having a game with him, and playing upon his affection, until he became partly deranged, causing him to perform acts quite unworthy of his high profession. He finally became so utterly disgusted with himself and things in general that one evening he wrote out and sent in his resignation to the chairman of the committee, packed up his swag, left the hotel where he was hoarding, and climbed the mountain road ostensibly to reach a neighbouring town. But, alas! poor fellow, he never reached that town, nor have any tidings been heard of him from that day till this. He vanished mysteriously, and no doubt his hones lie bleaching somewhere among the mountain crags, while probably in dear old Ireland someone has for many years been waiting and watching for the boy that never returns. By this time the Secular Education Act had been passed and new Education Boards established; hut the reputation of the school had now become somewhat notorious, so that, nothwithstanding repeated advertising in the local papers, no application for the vacancy was made.

It was in this emergency that the present writer made amplication and obtained the appointment. The school had hy this time become quite demoralised, and, as there were a number of big, rough, undisciplined boys, it required both firmness, physical strength, and pugilistic skill in restoring the school to perfect obedience and order.

An amusing incident occurred during the latter part of the first school year. The building was rather long and narrow, ..with the door at one end and the teacher’s table at the other, leaving a passage up the centre. One summer morning after assembling the teacher had the upper class round his table examining the exercisebooks, when the usual low hum of the scholars suddenly ceased, and a dead silence ensued. On looking up, the. teacher beheld the back of a man, who had already walked up to the table and turned, walking towards the door. Never shall I forget the rigid attitudes and fixed stare of those children as their gaze was riveted ■upon that man. It reminded me of my visit to Madame Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors. When the visitor turned and walked towards me I confess I got a surprise mvself. He had on an Indian helmet, a large dust-coat, and wore a pair of double black goggles, and carried under his arm a heavy riding whip with a brass handle. On nearing me he introduced himself as the inspector, and asked me to proceed as usual. We shook hands, and I asked him if he thought I could possibly proceed under jmesent conditions. Of course, the inspector saw the joke at once, and, having kindly divested himself of the embellishments that created the r>anic. we got on most satisfactorily. On closer acquaintance he proved himself a most affable and courteous gentleman, one who has done excellent work for the advancement of primary education in this Dominion.

Year after year the school made pood propress. Everything worked smoothly and pleasantly, and the teacher was happy. Then after seven years an event occurred that entirelv changed the state of affairs. It happened this way : An Anglican clergyman in a neighbouring town pnt in an appearance at the school one day, and

stated that ho was anxious to give, religious instruction to those children whose parents had no objection, and that he would visit the place each Saturday. Tie also 1. roughs printed circulars to that effect, and .. ked me to distribute these among tl

bildren. This I politely reto do, and advised him to distribute among the children after leaving

school. He said he could not wait till the school dismissed and, though I strongly objected, he walked round the desks and gave each child a circular. How, the man’s object was good, and there was absolutely no harm in the circulars; yet tliis action brought about a local revolution.

After closing the school that evening and whilst walking down the road towards the lower township, I met the chairman of the School Committee tearing up the road with his hat off and his bristly red hair straight on end. When he caught sight of mo, this is what ho fairly shrieked; “I have known you a long time, and always respected you—indeed, I would allow you to strike me without retaliating; but to permit a black Protestant to proseltyso my children, I shall never forgive.” He thereupon ftuhg the parson’s circular at me, saying, ‘‘Take that.” I endeavoured to reason with the man and' to explain the position; but it was utterly useless. I wrote the clergyman, telling him the effect of his action, and asked him to come over to pacify the people. He, however, took no action, but left me to weather the storm as best I could. The upshot was a monster meeting of the chairman’s co-religionists, who also formed the majority of the committee. I attended the meeting, which was held in the school, where I explained the harmless nature of the parson’s action. This resulted in a series of arguments for and against the act of distributing the circulars. The heated debates and arguments became so fierce and personal that I expected a Donnybrook riot any moment. The babel of tongues that arose baffles all description.

Such spouting at a meeting., And such foaming at the month, Were surely never witnessed In this Britain of the South. A committee meeting was subsequently held, which resulted in a motion being carried prohibiting all clergymen from entering the school during school hours. On going to the school the following morning my attention was attracted to a “ notice ” over the signature of the intelligent secretary, posted on the school door. It read as follows:—“This is to give notice that ko clergyman will not be allowed to enter the school during school hours.” On reading it I could not neip smiling at the double negatives, which entirely destroyed the object of the committee’s resolution. However, the school work went on smoothly and cheerfully as usual, and I began to hope that the disagreeable event had died out, when a circumstance arose that fanned it into a flame fiercer than ever. It happened this way : The late Revs. Stobo and D. Ross visited the township, and together they walked to the school while the children -were assembled. They read the secretary’s notice with apparent amusement, and entered. Mr Ross introduced me to Mr Stoho, who appeared very pleased with my system of instructing the pupils. After a pleasant inspection the visitors departed, and the school dismissed in due course. Eut this violation of the committee’s notice eventuated in a hasty special meeting, at which it was decided to give the teacher peremptory orders to remove his clothes lines from the school ground, dispense with his nig. fouls, and geese, and that a teacher of the right persuation he immediately appointed to start a denominational school in a hut some distance below the township. The teacher selected I shall in charity say nothing about. He broke his neck falling off a bridge shortly after starting the opposition school.

The impossibility of carrying on the school satisfactorily under such "conditions was now quite clear to me; so I made application to the Education Board, and easily obtained another appointment. Before leaving, however, I was tendered a fareAvell banquet, held in the principal hotel, and presented with a very flattering address. During the * banquet celebration, the new teacher, at the request of the School Committee, put in _an appearance. He was in a hilarious condition, and, on entering the large dining room, yelled at the top of his voice ; “Three cheers for Home Rule!” He was quietly but promptly assisted outside the premises. He shortly afterwards published in most of the southern newspapers a desertation on rats and bugs with which he declared the school and residence infested. I had never been troubled by such vermin during my seven year’s residence, and could only surmise that the trouble arose through the altered domestic conditions of the" new tenant. This teacher, who was a man of wide experience and a 8.A., did not last long, but died a few months afterwards. My next appointment was amongst a Highland community. They were a kind, generous, social people, anxious for the education of their children : but they had a strong leaning towards their national beverage. Indeed, a private still was located in the bush somewhere at the back. My predecessor apparently discovered the location, and unfortunately availed himself of the knowledge to effect his own ruin. He finally, one day towards the close of his career and during the play hour, put his head through an aperture "in the front gate, where it got fixed, and he was effectually bailed mp. The big boys tried had, but without success, to release him, and when they saw he was getting blue in the face, on© of them ran for the’chairman of the school committee, who soon appeared on the scene with a hand saw, which liberated the unfortunate teacher just in the nick of time. This was bis last exploit. He _ was a. clever, highly educated, but most impetuous man. He drifted up north, where, a few years after this event, his dead body was picked up in a bush in Marlborough.

This was certainly the happiest school I have ever had, and amongst this community I formed the lifelong friendship of some of the most sterling people I have met in this world. There was then no ago limit for the pupils, and I had’ a boy of 26 years of ago in the Second Standard; also one in the same standard who stood six feet in his stockings. Among his class

mates he was known as Mount Everest. They were indeed a happy lot of boys. I started a quadrille assembly, which became very popular. It was indeed amusing to watch the eagerness to dance, the trotting, and the joy depicted on every countenance. Then the fiddler who supplied the sweet music. Ho didn’t hold the violin under his chin, but he put it against his ribs and worked the bow like a hand saw for all he was worth. There was no mistake about that gathering ; they meant business. It was like going into a sawmill. Things were simply humming. As the scholars were leaving through old age and no young ones sight, the roll number dwindled down, and I made application for a vacancy advertised with a salary of £lO5 per annum. As the salary was so small, I did not accept the position till I had interviewed the secretary of the Education Board, who told me that, if I accepted the appointment, he felt sure the attendance would double itself the first month. I then accepted the position and shifted to the now locality. Before leaving, however, the kind, generous people presented me with a beautiful address and a valuable present. Needless to say, 1 left the district with much regret.

At that time, hoAvever, the amount of a teacher’s salary Avas based on the average attendance of the previous quarter; and ou my arrival at the new school I discovered that the attendance of the previous quarter had reduced the salary to £42 per annum, or 15s per Aveek. Here I wish to draw the attention of young members of the profession to the injustice Ave were subjected to under the old Act. Just ponder it; I was in no Avay responsible for this reduced attendance during the last quarter; I took up the position under an advertised salary of £lO5, Avith every possibility of an increase during subsequent quarters; and here I found myself in a position with fifteen bob a Aveek. My position Avas simply this: It cost me on an average £2 per week to keep myself, wife, and family in food and necessaries; so for the first three months I had to pay Aveckly out of my OAvn pocket the sum of £1 5s for the privileges of teaching 35 State school children. Think and ponder o\ r er it, ye modern teachers! Of course I wrote and explained the unfair position to tile Education Board. The board heartily sympathised Avith me, but left me to paddle my own canoe. Now I shall explain the reason for this sudden drop in attendance and salary. My predecessor, an old and Avorthy gentleman, had, for year’s, (unfortunately made but jpoor progress Avith his pupils. He was a teacher of the “old school,” and entirely ignored the new Act; hence the stagnation. The parents divided for and. against retaining him, and the local feud became very bitter indeed. Finally, after a free fight at the householders’ meeting, a committee opposed to retaining the teacher came into office. As the board did not immediately grant their request to remove the teacher, they turned him out of the school and locked the building.

The teacher, however, opened the school in the residence for those who wished to retain him. But one night, under cover of darkness, he made a sortie and captured the school building. When the news reached the committee, they armed and rushed for the recapture. They drove out the teacher and scholars, smashed up the table, chairs, windows, and door. The teacher, finding himself utterly defeated, thereupon left the district, and died a few years after.

Apart from the smallness of my salary as a teacher, I worked overtime, to near midnight for the first month, in repairing the broken furniture, pasting up maps, putting in panes of glass, etc. I saw at once that it was absolutely necessary to create peace and harmony between the opposing families in order to make the school a success. I therefore notified them all that an important public meeting would be held in the schoolhouse.

In anticipation of another free fight, the meeting was well attended. I then addressed those assembled, pointing out to them the unchristian and suicidal policy they had followed; showed them clearly how they were ruining the chance of their children’s progress as well as their own social joy, happiness, and brotherly feeling. I entreated them to look upon the matter in its most serious aspect, and called upon them as good and honest men to make friends at once. At the close of my address a wonderful reaction set in. The -whole assembly stood up and shook hands most heartily; they fell upon each others bosom and shed tears of joy. After that evening we had uninterrupted friendship and brotherly love among the whole community during the many years it was rn privilege to live and" labour among them. The district prospered exceedingly, and the school made steady and 'good progress year by year. Though I cannot point to any of my past pupils occupying high walks in life": yet t can say with pride that no old scholar of mine has committed any act against the laws of the country that would bring disgrace upon him. They have oil turned out truthful, honest, worthy, loyal, and patriotic citizens. Many of my old boys are now at the front keeping the flag flying, while some have nobly laid down their young lives for the Empire.

After following many occupations -and leading a strenuous, busy, roving life for 26 years. I took up the teaching profession to tide mo over a temporary financial difficulty in 1878. I then held a large interest in a gold mining venture that was ruined through a great flood occurring in that year. I little dreamt at that time that teaching would be my future life’s work, or that T could ever learn to love, a profession that holds nut so few worldly advantages. Yet I now recognise that those advantages are ns nothing compared to the high responsibility involved in training and moulding the youthful mind and character into a disciplined and worthy citizen.