The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Wednesday, September 10, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 886, 10 September 1879, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Wednesday, September 10, 1879.

In our issue of yesterday we had occasion to animadvert upon the conduct of the present Gisborne School Committee, m assuming powers which the Educational Act not only does not allow, but distinctly .forbids. We were called upon to do this by a correspondent, who had drawn our attention to the fact that the Committee, since they entered upon their office, had built up a little Parliament, aud were issuing commands as if they were the be-all and end-all m the control aud government of the Public Schools. We did not publish our correspondent's .letter, because .he accompanied his very deserved censure with the names of those on the Comm-

ittee who had been guilty of the offences laid to them. We, therefore, requested the writer to allow us to hold over his communication for the present, as it was only fair to presume that the Committee had been acting m entire ignorance as to what were their proper functions ; but there is one portion of the letter we may draw upon without giving offence, and which, taken m the spirit it is written, may serve the purpose intended. Speaking of thestatus, and responsibilitiesof schoolmasters, the writer says the principal of a school, socially ranks with a clergyman. In usefulness and m the dignity of his calling, he ranks very much above him. A. clergyman, our correspondent goes on to say, preaches to men, the greater number of whom know quite as much as he does himself, and to not a few who know a great deal more. But a school- in aster has the moulding of many young andiinpressionableminds. His lightest word may have an effect which perhaps endures for life. A school-master possesses from his position an enormous power for or good or evil. The boy or girl who has been under his instruction and guidance remembers him to the last day of his earthly existence. When the teacher has become grey m his labororius but most honorable employment, the boy he has taught,, when grown into manhood, will travel a long journey to see him, and thank him, and bless him, for his early teachings. A clergyman, on the other hand, is listened to, and criticised. His sermon is condemned as being cold and washy, having little meaning and making no impression ; or, possibly, it may be praised for its orthodoxy, but. the service over, and the shilling or sixpence dropped into the plate, the clergyman is but little thought of until the next Sabbath arrives, and then he is- ignored should the day be too wet, or too cold, or too hot, or shoxild some mundane matter intervene." " I look* upon the principal of a school, " says our correspondent," as above all School Committees, School Boards, School Commissioners, and above all classes of laymen connected with school management. These are comprised of men dealing with men, bub when I send my child to school, I am trusting him almost body and soul to the schoolmaster. The child is plastic as wax m his hauds, and may be moulded to the master's will. He may, by his words and his experienced teaching, imbue his mind with what is right, grand, noble, and excellent, or he may till him with mere common-places which will fit him for nothing better then to become a clerk m a Custom House, or some one or other department of the Civil Service, where he grows into an. animated machine kept m motion by red tape and two different coloured inks. A schoolmaster, who has been duly examined as to his fitness for his duties, and has been duly appointed under authority, should be respected beyond all men. His office is a sacred trust, and he should be encouraged and cheered m his labors by those who have it m their power. A Committee, or a Board should take him into their counsels, should ask for his advice and suggestions ; for men whose term of office may last no longer than a year, cannot possibly have the experience and knowledge that he has. And what applies to a teacher applies m a very large degree to a school governess. She, it is, who has the moulding of girl-children, who, m a few years, will have matured into womanhood, to become perhaps the mother of many children. A governess, socially, should be the equal of any lady m the land ; for her power for good or evil m the care of her charge is enormous. It is from the absence of this feeling, m my opinion, that has caused the committee to have acted m the inconsiderate and unfeeling manner they have done." We may state that the conduct of the Committee lias been represented to the authorities at Napier, and the influence the members might have had when exercised m the right direction, has been losh to them, but the pain and mental agony they have caused to a most exellenr lady will remain for a lonsc time, and at present, it is far from certain it will not go to shorten her life.